candy & ice cream...doesn't get any better

Stop #2:  Wilton Candy Kitchen - Wilton, IA
I have to say that that this was one of my favorite stops of the weekend...but for what other reason, ICE CREAM!  Actually there were many great things about the stop...
history, great personality, nostalgia, ice cream and
chocolate malted milk balls. 

We got to meet the owner, George Nopoulos...talk about a character! Witty and charming. Watching him effortlessly whip up the sundaes and malts was quite amazing. He told us stories about famous visitors such as Gregory Peck & Brooke Shields and we got the chance to visit with the locals as well. 

 Vintage clock...gotta love it.

The Wilton Candy Kitchen is the oldest ongoing ice cream parlor and fountain shop in the country. Wilton, Iowa has a precious treasure...

Christmas Journey 2011

For each of the past 5 or so years, my mom, my aunt, and I have taken a long weekend Christmas trip.  We've been up to Minneapolis a couple times, to Galena once...but this year we decided to trek across our own state of Iowa.

This weekend, we visited many a shop along our way from Cedar Falls to Davenport and back. I was able to capture many memories with the new camera and I plan to blog about them over the next week or so.

Stop #1:   Sisters' Garden and Bloom - Kalona, IA

The first stop on our journey was Sisters' Garden and Bloom.  This place is extraordinary. They have the perfect mix of old and new and their Christmas decor was so charming!  I had a nice conversation with the gals at the shop about the "junk" community and how we were so

excited to see it grow here in Iowa.

 

 They had had snow the night before...made for pretty pictures!

Speaking of pretty pictures...my mom and my Aunt Patty

Fabulous entry door decor!

 Vintage Christmas...one of my weaknesses...

 

 They had this gorgeous glass house built on the grounds...

made from architectural salvage.

I'll take one of those, please!

This stop was fantastic!  It's well worth the trip to Kalona...

you should make it some time.

Stay tuned for our next stop...

a 150 year old ice cream and candy shop.

We'll talk soon...Jen

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

The weekend at Kris Kringle's tree farm was just plain great...great people, great smells of cookies and pine, great holiday cheer...not such great weather (on Sunday anyway).  It's always such a jolt to the system that first cold, cold windy day. 

As promised, I have taken some more pictures. Somehow, Danny & Andrea (the tree farm owners) eluded the camera...but aha, I plan to be back!  I will post more pics as the weeks go by.  The tree farm is open until Dec 18
so I have plenty of time.

The warming shed

Nile - Andrea's dad - loaded up with saws

Cutting up wood for the fire pit outside and wood stoves inside...fire for s'mores!

Kris Kringle's Tree Farm Workers...busy bees...

sorry I didn't get their names.  :(

Warm fire...a must

Kyle, now that's a pose...

 

Tree Bailers

Kris Kringle's Mascot - Zeus

And now for indoors...

More Kris Kringle's Tree Farm Workers...more busy bees...Tara

 Julie - Andrea's mom...busy making the workers lunch...actually I think she's making brownies here.  :) 

Heidi - helping with the brownie frosting!

Come on out! Hope to see you!

Jen

Kris Kringle's Tree Farm

5520 West Bennington Rd, Cedar Falls, Iowa

As promised here a few pics we took of the inside of the warming shed the night before they opened for the season.  These pics were taken with my mom's Ipad...not the new camera.   

  A spot suited for Santa!

French-inspired burlap Christmas pillows 

 

 Upcycled vintage farm windows

Gorgeous vintage sleigh

This is the only shot we got outside...(before all the greenery was put up)...looks much different now.

More pics tomorrow!

Jen

Black Friday Goodness

Today has been a pretty great day, I must say! 

Kris Kringle's tree farm has had many eager customers today ready to begin another year of holiday memories. The warming shed smells of fresh pine, candy canes, cider, and Christmas cookies. Trees, wreaths, and roping have been flying out of there all day today...and yes...some of our repurposed vintage farm windows have made it off the wall and into warm holiday homes across the Cedar Valley. If you get a chance, go out and visit the farm.  It's located on Highway 218 just a couple miles north of Cedar Falls (intersection of Hwy 218 and Bennington Rd). They have a fire for making s'mores,

Christmas music, and Santa! 

It truly is a special place run by special people.

Speaking of pictures...junk.revised. braved the Black Friday madness and purchased a NEW CAMERA today! Now if I can just figure out how to use it!  Here's my first picture...my beloved pig named Kevin....(long story on how he got named). 

Pretty good, huh?  

Hopefully the Canon T3 will bring lots of goodness to our blog.  

Well...I'm off to Farrell's to get a workout in...time to start working off the Thanksgiving poundage!  I plan to take the new camera to the tree farm this weekend.  I will post pics then. 

We'll talk soon - Jen 

'Tis the Season

Hi! It's the season for warm coffee drinks, slipping into little cafes for a quick recluse, making lists, and thinking about how special you want to make this Christmas season for your family. Yep, that's exactly what I'm doing this morning, and loving every second.

My sister wrote me this morning and suggested we let you know what junk.revised is working on now. Jenny has friends that own a tree farm and we're designing farm windows to sell. Possibly pillows, too, if I can get myself in that moment. Here's a few pics:

You all should come to the tree farm this season. 

It's gotten rave reviews and is an awesome family experience. 

Kris Kringle's Tree Farm

5220 West Bennington Rd. 

Cedar Falls, Iowa

319-277-3720

November 25-December 18

Sneak Preview #4: Junk Market Under Glass

New light that is "fan-tastic"!  Jenny's been working on some fabulous lights and lamps for you.  Here's one I thought I'd share real quick.  Don't you love it?

We also came across a couple of cupola's?  We think they used to sit on some type of farm heater, not sure, but we think they're hot!

sneak peak #3: junk market under glass

Put in a full day yesterday setting up the template for our Junk Market Under Glass booth in September.  What a blast.  At the end of the day we were high-fiving our results, all giddy and stuff.

The long table is a find from our local university, built like a rock.  We removed the gaudy formica top and vuuaaalllaaa...a cool very textural top, added old casters and it's a rockin' island.  We already showed you the Adjust-Rite stools, perfect with the "rock". 

The huge pendants were a find from a local thrift store.  Can you believe them?  Very cool.

We're bringing a lot of industrial to the show, and sneaking the cozy.  Industrial Cozy...got that from the latest HGTV show, Home with the Novogratz.  (Love the new show.  Great for out-of-the-box thinking and a refreshing change for HGTV...what has been their problem???)

Our hard work for Junk Market Under Glass, is finally coming to the end, it's so fun to put it all together.  Of course, we have all the loose ends to tie and still a ton of things to get done, but we're getting there.