Anniversary Trip To Frankenmuth Michigan

On November 3rd DH and I took a trip to Frankenmuth Michigan to do some Christmas shopping and celebrate our 3rd Anniversary. Frankenmuth is also called, "Michigan's Little Bavaria"!! This community takes pride in preserving the German heritage and greets you with a Big Wilkommen!!!

Frankenmuth has many unique shops but the one I enjoyed the most is called, "Bead Haven". I have never seen a Bead Shop so huge. The third and fourth picture from the top is the building where Bead Haven is located. It encompass the beige, pink and green sections of this large building. I did find some lovely beads that I plan to use in creating my Spirit Of Friendship Dolls and on my first crazy Quilt I plan to start in the new year.

Frankenmuth has endless places to browse in and the most fantastic restaurants. We ate at Zehners which is famous for its Chicken dinners. In 2006 Zehnders served 948,675 meals which made it the #1 restaurant in the USA for meals served. The food is so very very good. vbg

I also really enjoyed the Woolen Mill which has been in business since 1894. Their shop have the most gorgeous sweater I have ever seen but I resisted buying any. vbg

Bronner's Christmas Wonderland is the world's largest Christmas Store. The building is the size of 5 1/2 football fields. It is an amazing place to shop in.

We truly enjoyed "Our Anniversary Trip" and I was able to get "All" our Christmas shopping done too. Huge VBG I feel so fortunate to have a DH that loves to go on "Adventure Trips" and enjoys them as much as I do. Sooo we now have "Three" Wonderful Years Together" and DH says 3 years going on 40 years and we are going to live to be 103!!! VBG You gotta love such a great attitude.

Garden Angel For Inge In The Netherlands

Garden Angel is the first of three "Spirit of Friendship Dolls", I made for my dear friends this year for Christmas. "Garden Angel" has already arrived In Hoorn, Holland and Inge has warmly received her and gave me permission to post a picture for you all to see her.

A bit of History about how Inge and I became friends. In the Spring of 1996 Inge saw that I posted a comment about a quilt I saw on the internet and I think it was a quilt from the Netherlands. Inge can you remember??? vbg Inge wrote me telling me about herself and that was "The Beginning" of a 11 year Friendship. Over the many years our Friendship has grown and in April of 2003 while I was living in Germany I went to visit Inge during the most beautiful time of year when all the fields of "Tulips" are waves of the most gorgeous colors I have ever seen. Inge, DH Jaap, and a good friends of Inge, Mieke took me all over Holland showing me all the highlights of their wonderful country. Wonderful Memories I will always treasure.

In the Spring of 2005 Inge and Jaap came to the states and we all met at the Paducah Quilt Show. For several days we chatted and admired quilts and we even went to a lecture together. We discovered that both our DH were electrician and sooooo they had heaps to chat about too.

When I discovered Spirit of Friendships Dolls and told Inge about them she was very excited about exchanging dolls this year. I received Inge's a a few weeks ago and the above "Spirit of Friendship Doll" is the one I created for Inge. I am soooo happy you love your Spirit Doll Inge.

We will have to see where the other "Two Spirit of Friendships Dolls" I made this year finds their new homes at. vbg