Bet You’ll See Some Amazing Art!

It’s a well-known fact that Northern Indiana weather can be pretty fickle sometimes.

At the beginning of the month we experienced some pretty mild temperatures for December with no sign of any real snow. And it didn’t arrive in time for Christmas, either.

But it’s here now!

We are now under a winter weather advisory with lots of blowing snow … which should keep the temperatures cold enough for the upcoming Shipshewana Ice Festival, Thursday through Saturday.

Tomorrow is slated for Ice Carving throughout town. If you’ve never attended this event before, it’s something to see. Many talented artists work hard throughout the day to display their unique ice offerings throughout town.

Last year, we had some beautiful ice sculptures:

At the Auction Restaurant

At the Antique Gallery

And at the Farmstead Inn

Competition Carving will be held on Friday from 11am to 2pm. Also, many stores will be open tomorrow until 8pm. And from now through Jan. 31, 2013, a purchased Ice Festival pin will get you special discounts in several businesses, including the Farmstead Inn and the Auction Restaurant.

A Chili Cook-off will be held downtown as well on Saturday from 10am to 3pm, which should help warm you up some.

So come on out if you get a chance. Might as well put the winter weather to good use!

Take a break from it all …

I’m thinking about family today.

Because we are nearing Christmas when many of us reconnect with distant loved ones.

Because it’s a good time to count our blessings and hold our loved ones close.

Because tragedy surrounds us even at the holidays and any moment we can hear horrific news that can change our lives forever.

So I’m thinking no matter what we should embrace the family we’ve got.

While we are mindful of loving each other, we can also embrace our Christmas traditions: making Christmas cutout cookies, displaying beautiful Christmas lights and trees, playing with our children, shopping, or whatever.

And if things get to be just a bit too stressful, we can just a take break from it all – a “home-away-from-home” getaway.

I know just the place.

This month is Customer Appreciation Month at the Farmstead Inn. For only $69 plus tax (2 adults and 2 children, subject to availability), you can grab your kids and spend your time relaxing in the hot tub, swimming in the heated pool or playing some basketball or pool.

Or maybe you can spend your time just curled up on the cozy bed with your family watching holiday movies.

It’s not available on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve but if you come now, you can be rested for all the festivities on those days.

Because family is important!

 

 

Shipshewana Shimmer Walk and other happenings…

So it’s definitely Christmas in Shipshewana.

If the huge colorfully lit tree and beautiful lights downtown didn’t give it away, then the streets filled with shoppers determined to take advantage of the many sales might …

… or some interesting stories:

Today is “Wana Night Out!” with sales that began at 2pm today continuing through 8pm at participating stores.

One excited shopper who stopped in our office on another matter told me how he sleepily dialed the number of a local radio station and was the winning caller during the morning show. So he’s using the gift certificate he won combined with the sales to buy a really good snow shovel.

Smart guy.

And I just heard a story about the Shipshewana Auction Restaurant Christmas tree. Apparently, our restaurant manager’s young grandson took a bite out of one of the homemade ornaments. No worries – it was made of something edible! The bonus is if you come to the restaurant and look for the “bitten” ornament on the tree, you can win some pie as part of the “Shipshewana Shimmer” Christmas Tree Walk now through Dec. 31. Grab a map of Shimmer Walk participants and discover all the beautiful, unique trees throughout town, as well as discounts and some free items.

Finally, if you come to town this Friday or Saturday night, you can see the true Christmas story played live at the Trading Place Pavilion in front of the Antique Gallery. Members of New Life Fellowship Church will perform a Live Nativity at 6:30, 7 and 7:30 pm. If you’ve never seen a camel up close, now’s your chance! Cookies and hot chocolate will be provided for everyone and kids get goody bags.

So come enjoy Christmas in Shipshewana.

All that’s missing now is the snow…

WE ARE THANKFUL!

Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude. E. P. Powell

In just a few days I will be celebrating Thanksgiving at a beautiful ski resort in Northern Michigan. I am excited to be stepping outside of tradition and doing something new with my family! And although we won’t be doing any skiing due to the warm temperatures, I will be surrounded by a big mountain, loving people and good food. I am so thankful for this opportunity!

I am also thankful for the Trading Place, where every day co-workers and I have the opportunity to speak to wonderful customers like you who help make our business thrive. We would like to take the time to say thank you for your contribution to our business!

And if you would like to step outside of your Thanksgiving tradition and do something new, we are having our annual Day After Thanksgiving Horse Sale at 9am. This is a “Black Friday” for horse enthusiasts, if you will, where you can find new and used horse tack, beautiful horses and cute ponies. Whether you are coming to sell, buy or just watch it will be a fun time.

Happy Thanksgiving … and we hope you have safe travels to wherever this Thanksgiving takes you!

A Celebrated Event!

Christmas is a wonderful time to see and experience Shipshewana …

For the Trading Place, our season begins with our Evening at the Gallery Open House, 6-8 pm the second Friday of November, at the Antique Gallery.

This event usually draws a big crowd and last Friday was no exception.

By 5:20pm the Gallery parking lot was already half full!

When I walked into the Gallery at 5:50pm, I greeted by a sea of people filling the aisles.

I made my way through the crowd, taking note of every little detail of this celebrated event from the pleasant smells of freshly made buttered popcorn and ham sandwiches to the soothing sounds of the Dulcimer group playing on the second floor that drifted downstairs. And as I browsed the aisles, it was quite an effort to keep my hands in my coat pockets and not on the tempting samples of food offered by many vendors: candy, cookies, fudge, brownies, cheese & crackers… and even barbecue meatballs!

There was much to see and touch (and eat, of course) while searching for wonderful gifts for the equally wonderful people on our shopping lists!

From the classic gifts …

… to the ones bringing out our inner child….

 

So many shoppers were smiling and visiting with each other that it felt like a gathering of good friends celebrating the approaching Christmas season and the discounts on the many fine antiques displayed.

When I left at 6:10pm, the parking lot was full and people were parking in the grass. Judging by the crowd, it seemed to me that the Evening at the Gallery is part of the Shipshewana Christmas tradition for many!

“Changing of the Guard” of Seasons

I woke up this morning to a cold, blustery fall day, leaves furiously thrown about by some serious gusts of wind. And it occurred to me that just the other day I praised this wind for so generously gathering the leaves into a neat pile right in front of my garage door.

Then I remembered I never got around to picking up that pile. Whoops …

You’re right … I’m not praising the wind anymore as I now have some unwanted guests taking up residence in my garage!

It reminds me of a line from the classic book, Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day:

“I don’t mind the leaves that are leaving; it’s the leaves that are coming.” – Piglet

Sometimes, despite our efforts to stay on top of the leaf situation before winter arrives (and I don’t mean jumping on top of the leaf pile!), the leaves seem to be winning!

And so it goes … this inevitable and somewhat futile exercise leading to the “changing of the guard” of seasons.

Here at the Trading Place, those strong winds seem to usher in our “changing of the guard” of seasons as well. For us, it means the flea market comes to an end (tomorrow and Wednesday are the last days) and we switch gears to some exciting, upcoming events occurring soon for the holidays.

This Saturday will be an Antiques & Collectibles Show held in the Miscellaneous/Antique Auction Barn from 9 am to 5 pm. And next week, we will hold an Antique Specialty Auction, with better quality items, sold in conjunction with our regular Misc. & Antique Auction. We will also host the “Evening at the Gallery” Open House, Nov. 9, at the Antique Gallery, 6 to 8 pm, a fun night with lots of snacks, discounts and door prizes. All are great events to attend to get a jump-start on your Christmas shopping.

So take a break from the yard work and come on out and enjoy yourselves … because it can grow tiresome trying to fight those leaves!

Pumpkin Pots and Magnificent Mums!

I don’t know about you, but I really don’t like the cold.

But since that’s the only downside of enjoying an otherwise beautiful autumn Saturday, I zipped up my long coat and made a trip to Shipshewana.

I had a very pleasant drive catching glimpses of bright orange and yellow leaves that seemed to be screaming for my attention.

But when I turned on State Road 5, I was reminded by the bumper-to-bumper traffic going into Shipshewana why I had come in the first place:

Shipshewana Fall Crafter’s Fair!

I headed to our Trading Place Pavilion to see a sampling of the Crafter’s Fair, happy to see that a lot of brave souls had left their cozy homes in 46-degree weather in search of great deals and interesting finds.

As I strolled through the pavilion, I couldn’t help but notice the last chance offerings of the Farmer’s Market vendors on their final day of the season — lots of plump pumpkins and magnificent mums, and even a few pumpkins serving as pots for the mums. Nice!

A Dulcimer group played in the background as I chatted briefly with a vendor selling some pretty amazing paintings and prints. I chuckled when I passed a booth with colorful dog carriers fashioned into cute outfits — just one of those unique items you would be hard-pressed to find in a store!

I stopped to compliment a lady selling the beautifully artistic stepping-stones while she tried to stay warm in her winter garb. She shared her inspiration and ideas for creating her stepping-stones, and as we talked I learned that she and I have a lot in common … though my artistic bent doesn’t include carefully embellished concrete benches! And who knew you could make a bird feeder out of an old car tire?

Just talking with her made my entire trip even more worthwhile. I had planned to travel further to downtown to experience the sights, smells and sounds of Fall Crafter’s fair there but couldn’t get past this 30-minute conversation that once again reminded me why Shipshewana is a great place to visit and shop:

Friendly strangers somehow don’t seem like strangers anymore.

An interesting morning at the antique auction …

About 9:30 this morning I took some time to stroll through the Miscellaneous/Antique Auction Barn to check out the sale. It’s hard to know what the auction is like unless you experience it for yourself.

Here’s what I experienced:

If you’re going to see anything,  you have to push your way through the crowd like a salmon going upstream, even if you work here!

 

 

If you can’t see the auctioneers you can definitely hear them — all 8 to 10 of them. Just follow their competing echoes.

 

 

 

If you’re wanting some quality parent/child time, the Antique auction can be a fascinating place to bond.

If you’re looking for a unique antique, you’ll probably find it here. Check out these interesting giraffes and the dog seemingly guarding an old Victrola!

If you’re looking for some interesting fall decor, you can find that too. These bright metal pumpkins caught my eye.

 

 

 

And if you’re really pooped after taking it all in, you can always just sit back and relax in a dependable radio flyer wagon.

But don’t take my word for it … come see for yourself!

Happy people and four-legged passengers

Two weeks ago I left the office just before 8 a.m. for the opportunity to soak up some brilliant morning sun.

No, I wasn’t lounging on a lawn chair with a good book and a glass of iced tea (although that sounds pretty nice!)

I was standing on pavement at the Shipshewana Flea Market main entrance with a handful of parking tickets and a bottle of water.

But that’s OK. Between the constant stream of happy people and the four-legged passengers eagerly sticking their heads out the windows to greet me (Yes, we DO allow pets that are leashed ), I was mostly having a good time.

A few times it was a bit challenging, like when I covered two lines of cars, answered questions and tried to coordinate a golf cart ride for a couple of ladies who needed transportation back to their car (Yes, we provide that, too!) all at the same time. Whew!

The time passed quickly, though, and before I knew it my experience as a parking attendant had come to an end and it was back to the office for me.

It’s good to step in someone else’s shoes once in a while, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to fill in and meet the good people who come out to enjoy the flea market!

We stopped collecting for parking the day after Labor Day, so if you come now until the end of the season (October 31), you can enjoy free parking and hopefully cooler weather.  And with fall approaching, the flea market is an ideal place to pick up some apples, mums and fall décor.

Hope to see you soon!

From kicking and screaming to “Half-Stitched” and happy …

It’s not often we get a celebrity around here. And if we do, I’ve never seen one.

But a few days ago we had a New York Times best-selling author in our flea market. Yes, for real.

Wanda E. Brunstetter, known for writing compelling novels centered on the Amish life, took the time to visit us at one of our discount book sellers. And she was selling and signing copies of her new book, “The Half-Stitched Quilting Club,” at a bargain Shipshewana Flea Market price!

I admit it. I was not familiar with her writing, but the novel intrigued me. So when I heard the Blue Gate Theater here in Shipshewana was debuting a musical adaptation, “Half-Stitched,” I just had to check it out.

I practically dragged my impromptu “date,” my 14-yr-old son, kicking and screaming with me (“Really, Mom, a play? That’s torture!”)

He received lots of well-intentioned sympathy, from the friendly greeter at the door, “Did your mom drag you here?” to the older gentleman seated next to us, “Don’t feel bad … my wife dragged me here, too!” So my son finally relaxed and even cracked a smile.

I smiled, too, because I just knew something good would come out of his “torture!”

Turns out I was right.

From the moment the curtains opened we were captivated. We laughed and applauded the amazing talent of the cast. And the audience filled with people from California to Canada to Mississippi laughed too.

I can’t speak for anyone else but I was so excited about this musical. Guess my son was excited, too, because he practically dragged me to the line to meet the cast. I kept thinking I wanted to meet Wanda E. Brunstetter, the brilliant author who created the story.

The author who brought her celebrity status to our flea market, situated in a successful community that embraces the simpler life that inspires her books.

A community that maintains its small town integrity amidst a popularity that exposes travelers from all over the country to what we who live and work here already know:

Shipshewana can’t really be explained. It must be experienced.

And it’s an experience that draws even a New York Times best-selling author.