This Mister and I just celebrated our wedding anniversary on Oct. 10th.
This past weekend the 2 of us headed up north along with 9,426 other people.
Our 1st stop was an antique store about an hour north of where we live. They were having 40% off everything, don't ya know they didn't have a darn thing I wanted. Well, except a crochet book that showed how to make a granny square tie!! There wasn't a price and if there isn't a price, I generally walk away! The most interesting thing in the store was an old man with no teeth. He was telling the Mister and I how he drove the whole way there on back roads behind some bike riders. He said the ride was slow, but he wasn't in a hurry... or that was the gist of what we got from the story. No teeth gives you a strange "accent".
At another shop I saw an orange and black dress I've been dreaming of ever since I left that town, I might see about going back up there and getting it... When we stopped at this particular shop the lady says to me (after finding out we weren't from there ): "So, are you here to look at the leaves?" I replied "No, we have leaves at our house too." I guess heading north to be a leaf looker is pretty common in Oct!
From there we hit every little town and antique shop we came across. We finally saw something we're always on the hunt for: an antique gumball machine!
The yellow one we found this past summer and the red one is "new".
I'm still working on a little faux gumball craft...
sneak peak
(NO, the Mister is not thrilled with the amount of glue and paint on these counter-tops...)
So anyway... We were headed to Traverse City. If you haven't been to the north west part of Michigan, you REALLY should plan a trip! Adorable boutiques, antique shops galore, orchards, fruit stands, artist studios...and gorgeous scenery!!
We got into Traverse City in the evening and this town was HOPPIN! 9,426 leaf lookers swarmin' the city! We shopped a bit and got dinner and then headed out to grab a hotel room. Any idea what 9,426 leaf lookers means in terms of a hotel room.... The Mister and I were playing it by ear, which we learned is NOT the best idea sometimes. Every room in the entire city was BOOKED solid, so we headed farther north...
Next stop: Acme, MI=no rooms
Yuba, MI=no rooms
Elk Rapids, Torch Lake, East Port=NO ROOMS!
Onto Charlevoix, Bay Shore, Petosky, Conway and Oden, MI=NO ROOMS!
Finally a nice man at our last stop called George in Alanson, MI and they had 2 rooms left at their HUGE log cabin resort! He gave the Mister the price and he said "I don't care what it costs, here's my credit card # and we'll be there as quick as we can!"
If you'd like to follow along see the map below!
Our shopping started in Whitehall and we ended up 25 miles south of the Mackinaw BRIDGE!!
What a long strange trip it's been, but it was GREAT! No appointments, no place to be at a certain time, no plans... it was just relaxing and shopping! It has also inspired me to fill my etsy store and sell $80,000 this month so I can go back and buy all the gorgeous clothes I found in one of the shops!! But look what the Mister got me....
Hello PINK RUBBER BOOTS IN A SIZE 5!!!! Truly Magical!!
Happy Tuesday friends!
and...
a little plug about my BABY/KID HAT DRIVE
As most of you know, my daughter was adopted from China and I left a little piece of my heart there. I'm collecting hats to keep the children and babies warm in the winter. Many live in orphanages that are without heat.
1. make a baby hat, toddler hat, or kid sized hat
(you can take the non-crafty way out and buy one if you must)
2. Send to:
David Shellenbarger
c/o chinamommy
146 E Main
Caledonia, MI 49316
3. I need them in my hot little hands BY Oct 31, 2010.
4. I'll take care of shipping them to CHINA this fall.
any questions- please feel free to email me!!
chinamommy@yahoo.com
