Just had to share a
post about our little outing with the Mending Club. To recap, the
Mending Club was started by Sandy (shown in the kitchen) who along with
Cyndy had The Pink Cupboard located in what is now the Prairie Street Brewhouse
before it looked as it does now. Many of us who were a part of that
wonderful vision are still involved in antiques and decor and get
together once a month for various activities, mostly dinners at each other's homes. We try to escape once a
year in the fall. This year we visited Shipshewana, IN, an Amish
community.
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| And here is Sandy pointing out the red dishes. Could she coordinate any better ?!?! |
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| Hall way from Kitchen to Living Room |
There were 7 of us and we rented this 3 bedroom, 2 full bath bright clean cottage, and this is the unbelievable part. It cost each of us a grand total of $35.00 - yes! and that was for 2 nights! The hallway show doors to a bedroom and closet and a view of the living room. Note the ceiling and the floors. That TV was not turned on once. We just sat around and talked and laughed and shared.
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| Part of Living Room showing two of the three sofas |
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| Red and white Bedroom |
On to the bedrooms: the red and white one housed 3 of us and we had our own bath. My big fear was that I would drive them crazy with my snoring. Fortunately, both roomies assured me I did no such thing!
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| Bunks and Queen size beds with en suite bath |
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| Twin red, white and blue quilts room |
Here is another bedroom, again in red, white, and blue! And I should mention that on this trip we got to know two kindred spirits - past/present vendors at Country Cottage in Rockton, IL. We had openings so Sandy, who had been there also, invited them. Make new friends but keep the old...
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| At the theater showing the 1950's musical Plain and Fancy |
We shopped, ate, toured an Amish Farm which also held a theater in a barn with an unbelievable ceiling. We found out from our guide that this barn actually belonged to her family and was disassembled, moved, and rebuilt on the foundation of the original barn which was destroyed in a fire.
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| Shopping for jellies and Amish baked goods |
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| The ceiling of the theater |
Did I mention we ate? Oh my, just to describe one meal which was part of the dinner/theater package: Cabbage salad, bread with an amazing peanut butter spread (did not want to say with marshmallow fluff), bean soup, turkey, fried chicken, ham, beef and noodles, mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing, green beans, and choice of pie for dessert - coconut cream, apple, lemon meringue, peach, pecan, etc. You get the picture. Just a FEW carbs.
And the finale - a fleamarket/auction venue that featured a three ring auction that was so loud, I could hardly hear the auctioneer right in front of me. The merchandise was amazing. Sandy told us, before going in, that the huge room would be absolutely cleared by the time it was over. If a bidder liked one wire locker basket, he/she bought the whole stack. It was a bit out of my league.
The only things I purchased on the trip were some Amish jams which contained no sugar but were sweetened with concentrated grape juice - love that idea! and some salvaged boards for signs. The old barn wood and other salvaged boards were behind an amazing store with architectural salvage plus smaller antique items. I am hand-lettering them (the boards), and they are or will be in my Etsy shop, which I am updating (after a few years of neglect) because Stella & Notte is still closed for remodeling, and I need a sales venue.
I just love our little group and our always fun outings! Here's to faith and friendship and fun!
