What a great show it was this year!  Thank you so much to everyone who came out to support us...vendors and customers alike!  We had such a great time and we're so thankful to everyone for braving the heat to spend the day with us.   If you missed it here's a rundown on who was here.....Jessica Rohde from Periwinkle Jazz brought her unique, up-cycled baby and toddler clothing (check out her etsy shop at www.etsy.com/shop/PeriwinkleJazz)   Debbie DeShone from Woodland Herb Garden was here with her antiques and vintage finds but you can find her most days at 20051 Miller Rd in South Bend (574-291-8489).  Our friend Bobbi brought some yummy smelling candles and her unique outhouse mailboxes (she can be found at www.symplycountry.com). Then there were the amazing woodcarvings by Gary Dentino (574-520-9338) and the beautiful glass garden totems by Miss Mary Kay Jones. Becky Haverstock from Never Enough Thyme and Becky Pressel from Crows in the Cupboard were here with some fabulous primitive folk art wood decor.  We also were lucky enough to have Betty and Peggy from Cozy Cabin Crafters with their lovely garden ladies and primitive birdhouses.  Della and Marsha from our very own Late Bloomers also came by with their unique blend of gift items and home furnishings.  Then, of course, there was Jennifer from Jennifer's Nicely Spiced Olive Oil (574-952-1989)...yummy!! Our dear friend Audry Downey was here with her beautiful hand woven fiber rugs and  the sweet Jeri Ingle was here on behalf of Guardian Village Handicrafts (guardianvillage.com) with some beautiful handmade jewelry.  Lunch was provided by Tom from the Country Griller out of Hanna Indiana and boy was it scrumptious!!    Thank you again to all who visited and participated...we had a great time and we hope you did too!

Jennifer's Nicely Spiced Olive Oil

Periwinkle Jazz

Periwinkle Jazz



Audrey Downey

The Cozy Cabin Crafters

Never Enough Thyme & Crows in the Cupboard

Wood Carvings by Gary

Symply Country

Guardian Village Handicrafts

Guardian Village Handicrafts

Woodland Herb Garden

Woodland Herb Garden

The Country Griller

Glass Garden Totems by Mary Kay Jones

3rd Annual Folk Art Gathering Show and Sale

It's almost time!! Our 3rd Annual Folk Art Gathering Show and Sale is coming up on June 18, 2011. Mark your calendars 'cuz you don't want to miss this event! We'll be featuring fiber artists, wood carvers, vintage jewelry artisans along with hand loomed rugs and primitives. And don't forget the perennials! The plants will be in full bloom and looking lovely so grab some lunch from one of the food vendors and take a stroll through the gardens...you might find something you didn't even know you were looking for!

 

We're Open!

It's spring here in the Briar Patch and we are now officially open for business! Now is the perfect time to come and see what's blooming and decide what would look best in your garden.  With the cooler temperatures and plenty of rain there is no better time to do some spring planting! Maybe you'll fall in love with the sweet smelling Flax or perhaps the happy faced Daisy is more your speed.  We have a lovely selection of Daylilies, Coneflower, Salvia,  and Astilbe's.  There's even some new favorites like Geum, False Indigo,and Anise (which has a lovely scent of licorice)!   Stop by and see us soon...and remember to mark your calendars for our 3rd Annual Folk Art Show coming up on June 18th.  You won't want to miss it!

cupcake tower

Hey Folks! This is one of the great new spring items at Late Bloomers this week. The weathers turning and you need to get out and see what's new. Late Bloomers in Argos is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Come on by, you'll be glad you did. Watch for The Briar Patch to open the first of May.

quilt block

We have had more tragedy in our lives this winter than I like to think about, and yet again this week we lost a dear friend. For those of you who never had a chance to know my dear friend Ruby Salyer, well I'm here to say you missed out on one of the jewels of your life. Ruby taught me (and about a thousand other women) to quilt when I was in my early 20's. Not only did we learn to quilt, but to love and appreciate the skill and love that was sewn into every stitch. Ruby touched so many people in her 96 years on this earth. I remember saying to her daughter once that I hope someday others will speak of me with the kind of affection I've always heard anyone that knows Ruby when they speak about her. She was soft spoken, strong in faith and a cherished friend , I wish you could have known her.

Winter Blast

Oh the winter blast has affected all of us. This is Rackety Boom, peeking out from under his blanket of snow. Built in 1940, this old guy has seen so much, yet says so little. I would love to hear the stories of the countless children that took day trips in the front seat of this old truck, bouncing along with the windows down, enjoying the summer sun on their faces. Or maybe they were all piled in the back with their tanned legs hanging over the tailgate, laughing and swinging their feet as they rumbled along. I enjoyed a trip like that just last year, on an old dirt road, with my feet swinging along, the sun on my face, and yes, I think I was 10 years old again. Thank you, old truck, I can't wait to spend another summer with you.

Vacancy

Vacancy, that's what the sign in the window should say at the Briar Patch. Winter is upon us and determined to stay for a while and while we wait, we wonder what the next year will bring. The first signs of spring will be welcomed ones. The horses will begin to shed their winter coat, you can see them run and throw their heads in the crisp spring air. We will begin gearing up for our 3rd Annual Folk Art Show and the anticipation will build with every passing week. I hope you folks will plan on joining us on June 18. We look forward to this every year...but for now, the old rocking chair sits empty. We'll look for you in the spring, we've saved a seat for you.