Chad gets ready to move the chalkboard at the new Elm & Iron OTR in Cincinnati.

Cincinnati’s old-but-now-new Over the Rhine section has quite enough going for it to warrant a visit by any tourist or city resident.  In fact, it’s almost pretty in an urban sort of way with freshly painted, architecturally rich buildings and edgy businesses springing up in tiny spaces, spilling out onto sidewalks where musicians entertain passersby day or night.  But one new business got our attention just from the creative displays in the front window, luring us in for a closer look:  Elm & Iron OTR.

Open only four months, Cincinnati’s Elm & Iron OTR is a branch of the original Elm & Iron in Columbus that owner Dan McClurg established  a mere two years ago.  According to an employee who spoke to me by phone after our visit, McClurg had been shopping extensively for an eclectic mix of industrial/vintage/urban pieces for his own home outside Columbus, Ohio, when he decided he may have stumbled upon something that would appeal to others.  And he was right.

A deliberate mix of metal, ceramic, and vintage pieces stand next to an aged brick wall in Elm & Iron OTR in Cincinnati

Lofts in Over the Rhine (and other parts of the city) may hold the now-discovered vintage stools with leather seats, rusty bicycles, metal cans, and funky monkeys McClurg stocks in his stores.  Add to the mix the art of creative store designer Alethea Yeisley who arranges/poses/stacks McClurg’s finds to form interesting vignettes and the positive energy of store manager Hart Neely, and you have a hit in Cincinnati.

Creative vignettes of vintage pieces draw you in for a closer look at Elm & Iron OTR.

When you first enter the door, a 1960 Morris Minor greets you, inviting you to smile reminiscently if you’re old like us or marvel at this relic if you’re young as we imagine most of the paying customers at Elm & Iron OTR probably are.

Vintage 1960 Morris Minor greets you as you enter Elm & Iron OTR. Want to take a test drive?

But even if you don’t buy a thing, you can’t help but be fascinated at the collected whimsy everywhere.  Take a look.

I wondered what sold best.  Was it wall maps that would look chic on exposed brick walls of an urban loft?  Metal letters?  Bentwood chairs?   Cincy memorabilia?  No, it’s candles in repurposed wine bottles from a company called Rewined candles. So, maybe a mix of old and new, vintage and created-to-look-vintage, and urban, sort-of-citified stuff sells well at Elm & Iron OTR.

Pleasant check-out area with wall map decor and vintage counter at Elm & Iron OTR.

Whatever it is you find to love about this store — creative displays, interesting found objects, or purchased new-to-look-old goods that Dan McClurg snarfs up on his shopping sprees — you’re sure to remember this special place in Cincinnati.  We sure do.

Could these have belonged to budding Reds fans? Well, maybe!

For more information:

Elm & Iron OTR, 1326 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH; (513) 954-4217; Facebook: Elm & Iron OTR

Featured on Monday Escapes #18 at My Travel Monkey.  For more entries, click here.  

Cute “Shop Local” gift tag made by Tamara Cook at The Traveling Bazaar.

As a former antiques dealer and flea market hound, I loved the idea of The Traveling Bazaar. Brainstorm of organizer Tamara Cook, this gathering of artisans, antiques dealers, and in-home makers of goods I love known as The Traveling Bazaar appears (not by magic, of course) once a month at Buddy’s Banquet Hall in Knoxville’s Bearden area.  My first foray into the world of hometown, hand-made decor and vintage finds came on June 14, 2015, and The Traveling Bazaar can be summed up in one word: delightful!

Tamara greeted me at the door, ebullient over the turnout of both vendors and shoppers. Her husband watched from the photo area where shoppers stood near props and posed for pictures — mostly while giggling and having fun! At each monthly gathering of the mostly young craftswomen (and some men, too), The Traveling Bazaar collects goods for a cause.  This month, proceeds benefitted Knox County Library’s Book Drive, so the very welcomed donations sat piled up near the door.

Tamara Cook, organizer of The Traveling Bazaar, greeted me with a collection of handmade tags clothespinned to chicken wire. (I knew I’d love this place!)

But the best was yet to come — inside the banquet hall.  It was kind of an Etsy thing except the cute, homemade items, photography, and vintage finds were right in front of me, not online.  See what you think of the quality and variety as you scroll through these pictures — and this is just some of what you could find inside.

The Wrenn’s Nest (Facebook: the Wrenn’s Nest) bills itself as “A haven for rustic, urban chic farmhouse decor.” Owner Jessica Wrenn Hill makes and sells burlap pillows and wreaths along with her antique finds and distressed pieces.  Her next stop?  City Farmhouse Pop-up Fair in Franklin, TN the following weekend.

The Bead Designer (Facebook: thebeaddesigner; Website: thebeaddesigner.com) offered “affordable custom jewelry.” Artfully stacked bracelets competed with strands of beads on wire mannequins in this booth by designer-owner Nancy L. Smith.

Contemporary beaded bracelet by Nancy L. Smith of The Bead Designer

Peering straight at me from their safe haven in an old suitcase, these cute kitties seemed happy to have been crafted of recycled sweaters and wool clothing.  Designer/artist/owner Cindy Brown Bensey calls her appealing creations “fun, eco-friendly art” under the name of her business, Zuparoo!  And you can find her felines on Facebook (ZuparooArt) or Etsy (zuparoo.etsy.com).

Refreshed by Janet (Facebook: RefreshedbyJanet) brought repurposed items, some with an industrial feel, to the show.  But accessories came, too — like angel wings and art on wood.  Soft colors, vintage feel, all finished nicely.

Farmhouse and industrial chic items from the Refreshed by Janet booth.

If you check out The After Picture by Rachel Converse on the web (theafterpicture.com), you’ll find “artistic services” which I translate to mean cute painted sayings on burlap and chalkboards.  But there’s more. If you like pretty baked goods (think swirly-topped cupcakes), check out the Facebook page for The After Picture, too.

H & H Botanicals (HandHBotanicals.org) is also a full service floral and garden design company.  Owner Liz Horton creates terrariums in most anything from brandy snifters to miniature greenhouses.  And a little whimsy makes you smile!

Randy Gleckner (aka Captain Sawdust) just sat around playing.  Yes, playing — with the wooden tops he created through his business RiTTiK (etsy.co/shop/RITTIK).  And you know what happens when a craftsman does that, don’t you?  You want to play, too.  And buy something.  And I did both!

It’s not all work at The Traveling Bazaar. Randy Gleckner takes to spinning tops in his booth at The Traveling Bazaar.

And then there was jewelry from Delightful Impressions (delightfulimpressions.com). Designer Joanna Tinker hand-stamps metal for necklaces, key chains and bracelets and then sells them on Etsy (thetinkerbelle.etsy.com).  Just glad she came from Alcoa, TN that day so I could meet someone as delightful as the products she sells.

Simple Treasures Antiques & Vintage (Facebook: SimpleTreasures) brought depression glass, kitchenware, and vintage linens.  But it was the display that kept shoppers engaged. Like dishes in a basket and banners draped atop old shutters.

Artfully arranged vintage items filled the booth of Simple Treasures Antique & Vintage.

And if you didn’t want to buy something but still needed a vintage look for a wedding or photo booth, Sweven Vintage and Rustic Rentals (Facebook: Sweven Vintage and Rustic Rentals) was on hand to talk to you about delivery and pricing.  In fact, they’ll be setting up the photo booth at the next Traveling Bazaar on August 30th.  Should be interesting to see what these ladies come up with!

Cute display from Sweven Vintage and Rustic Rentals at The Traveling Bazaar.

Now if this taste of the bazaar has you hungering for more, put that August 30th date on your calendar.  Same great location.  Same great air conditioned banquet hall! You’re bound to find something you need  want.  Until then, check out the website for Traveling Bazaar.  It’s fun to dream.

Lynn Lowery of Knoxville shows off her purchases to Karla, a friend of organizer Tamara Cook, at The Traveling Bazaar.

The Traveling Bazaar

Blog: thetravelingbazaar.wordpress.com

Facebook: The.Traveling.Bazaar

Twitter: TravelingBazaar

Whiskey dyed jeans from Marc Nelson Denim, Knoxville, Tennessee

Ad for Marc Nelson Denim — from website: marcnelsondenim.com

Dogwood Art DeTour 2015 took us a lot of places from the open studios of Diana Dee, Melanie Wood, and Shannon Davis to the heart of Knoxville on E. Depot Avenue for the art of manufacturing at Marc Nelson Denim.  Oh, sure.  We’d seen the ads of a handsome couple sporting whiskey-stained denim, but never knew the story — or even the location — of denim jeans causing a buzz in the fashion world.

Founder Marc Hall, born and raised near the old, now defunct, Levi’s plant on Cherry Street, took pride in wearing Levi’s partly because his grandfather, L. C. Nelson, had a flair for fashion and a love of quality.  My grandfather always told me that when you leave the house, even if you don’t have a million bucks, you should dress like a million bucks, said Hall (as quoted on website.)  And thus, the trend began.  Now, this small-batch craft denim brand produces sought-after limited quantity jeans named for Marc and his grandfather, Mr. Nelson.  (Full story here.)

Founder Marc Hall’s grandfather, L. C. Nelson

Our tour began with a greeting from the affable buyer and product developer, Kim Milligan, who directed us to one of the friendliest PR guys in town, Andy Jones.  Andy almost immediately took us to the racks of clothing, like the waxed denim shirt.  (Waxed, right?)

Andy explained that denim starts out white and then takes on the colors given to it — like the indigo blue we’re all familiar with.  Or orange, if you live in Big Orange Country!

Marc Nelson Denim jeans can be bought from racks or customized to a specific fit and size. But you need to wear them.  A lot.  Or that’s what Andy told us: They take on your shape and become part of you.  That’s why Andy — and the instructions on their denimology fact sheet on the website  — recommend not washing them — well, for at least for six months.  Surprised?  We were. But now it kinda makes sense.

Wear ’em for six months so they conform to you!

The newest for Marc Nelson?  The color of whiskey.  Andy again:  That’s right.  We put whiskey in the wash with the denim.  And this is the color we get.

As described on the website blog: We steep raw, natural 12 oz. Selvedge Cone Mills Denim,  in a barrel of Whiskey for 30 days. After the month, we wash it, soften it and hang it to dry. The pair is breathable, yet incredibly sturdy – ready for years of wear and conversations over thick, amber whiskey.   (And no, we didn’t sample the product in the bottles!)

They felt softer to us: whiskey-steeped jeans!

Housed in an industrial district, the Marc Nelson Denim showroom is urban all the way –from displays on rough-hewn wood panels to tables who had a past life in a manufacturing setting.

We wouldn’t have necessarily thought of Marc Nelson Denim being a favorite stop on an art tour.  But with the story, the craftsmanship, the unique quality of the garments — well, why not?  This IS art.  And, thankfully, it’s right here in Knoxville.

Bin full of signature buttons for Marc Nelson Denim

For more information:

Marc Nelson Denim, 700 E. Depot Ave., Knoxville, TN 37917;  800.605.9782; http://www.marcnelsondenim.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarcNelsonDenim?fref=ts

Where to buy Marc Nelson Denim:  http://www.marcnelsondenim.com/locations/

For more posts on the Dogwood Arts Festival 2015, click here.

Great turnout! Opening of The Art and Salvage Shop of Knox Heritage.

First Friday in Knoxville (especially during Dogwood Arts Festival) brings on new openings and new opportunities to view art and reconnect with community. But picking one or two events becomes a challenge in and of itself.

The opening of the newly relocated Art and Salvage Shop of Knox Heritage hit home with us:  we love art, old things, and the mission of Knox Heritage.  So we found ourselves at the new location — 619 Broadway — at the Grand Opening.  And so did a lot of other folks!

Open spaces with bare concrete floors and exposed brick seemed a fitting backdrop for the goods inside.  Repurposed salvage like this chalkboard with corks and the coat rack from molding caught our eyes.

Repurposed finds: The Art and Salvage Shop of Knox Heritage

Along with bins of salvaged windows and doors . . .

Doing some serious looking through bins of salvaged windows and doors

And walls of objets d’art! We found this guest reading the THANKS poster — it lists hard-working volunteers and staff responsible for re-opening the old building (once home to a bicycle repair shop) as a salvage shop.

Art and salvage on display at the new Salvage Shop

To celebrate the Grand Opening, staff, volunteers, and guests gathered for conversation and finger foods in the main room.

Talking about the opening of the newly relocated Salvage Shop: Brent Menchey, John Craig, and Kim Trent, Director of Knox Heritage.

A cake from Magpies became the focus of conversation around the snack table.  Yes, it’s a cake.  And everything was edible right down to the trowels, seed labels, paint chips.  Even the dirt.

It’s all edible — cake from Magpies with paint can and brush, trowel and dirt, and seed packets and paint chips!

Space for artists’ studios was available for viewing in the back of the shop and upstairs.  Lovely space, we might add — some already painted and ready for real work and real sales.  Like this one that photographer Michelle Jephcott painted and organized for her matted photos and cards. Her subject matter? Gay Street Bridge, night scenes, Knoxville fireworks, and springtime flowers.

Photographer Michelle Jephcott poses in her newly refurbished artist studio at The Salvage Shop.

Some shoppers stopped to admire the flowing tops created from old linens by Brenna Elrod of Evelyn & Elsie.  The linens, Brenna told us, mostly belonged to my grandmother.  

Other spaces had potential. And were quite inviting — from the size of the room to the paint colors to the urban scenery from the upstairs windows.

Upstairs space for future art studio

Of course, new digs don’t come cheaply in downtown Knoxville.  A Kickstarter campaign offered guests the opportunity to fund renovations right there on the spot.  Knox Heritage set up laptops so donors could get in on the collective action of putting their money to work immediately.  We tried the site, and, with the help of John Craig, we got in easily. (Want to donate?  See link below.)

Kickstarter Campaign to fund The Salvage Shop

We like this new place:  open with a combination of untouched and finished goods, artists’ studios, and helpful folks everywhere.  If you’re out looking at dogwoods (Trails open April 8th.), you may want to swing by.  Who knows?  You just may need an old door — and The Art and Salvage Shop has ’em.  Along with lots of other great finds.

For more information:

The Salvage Shop, 619 Broadway, Knoxville, TN; http://knoxheritage.org/salvage/

Knox Heritage: http://knoxheritage.org/

Kickstarter campaign for Knox Heritage Art & Salvage Shop Project: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1158170043/knox-heritage-art-and-salvage-shop-makeover

Two Lesotho women with blankets wrapped around their waists.

Ask any woman who travels this one question:  What one thing do you love to do when you travel?  And what you’ll hear is almost universal:  SHOPPING!  At least that’s how it was among all the women (including me!) on our recent Habitat Global Village build in Lesotho.  And we knew what we were looking for even before we left the States.  After perusing brochures, newsletters, and pictures of Lesotho, we spotted the one must-have of the trip:  a blanket!  You see, whenever we saw women in the Lesotho pictures, we also saw blankets — wrapped around women’s waists, cuddling infants in blanket slings, and warming up shoulders in cool morning hours.  Plaid, paisley, plain — it didn’t matter.  We just wanted to make sure we had some spare shopping time to bring home a Lesotho blanket.

People walking along the street in Lesotho – some with blankets wrapped around their waists.

On our second morning in Lesotho, though, we heard the news:  the U. S. Embassy had ordered the evacuation of all Americans from the country.  So, we looked mournfully at our Global Village liaisons, asking if there would be any time to shop.  No sooner had we mentioned a possible excursion before evacuating, our hosts manned a bus, taking us into town while the others (men, mostly) waited for evacuation plans to unfold.  As you can guess, there is no direct route to blankets — but the hunt is just as good as the find, if you know what I mean.

Baby swaddled in a blanket on a busy street in Lesotho

We began at Setsoto Design in the village of Teyateyaneng, where ladies sit on the floor (some wrapped in blankets, of course) weaving intricate tapestries.  Following a paper pattern hung almost ceiling height, weavers take the tiny bundles of colored mohair (from angora goats in Maluti Mountains) and move them those bundles in and around and through the vertically positioned strings, replicating the designs on paper.  Nimble fingers.  Fierce concentration.  Long hours of sitting.

Fascinated, we snapped pictures in the open workplace and then headed to the gift shop to purchase lasting memories of true artisans at work in Lesotho. (I told you we love to shop!)

My tapestry from Setsoto Design in Lesotho, woven by Maggie

Next door, an elementary school had spilled its precious children all dressed in uniform into the playground to do what children do best:  play! We were a bit surprised at how the kids gathered ’round, wanting their pictures taken, and then asking us to reveal the photos as they giggled and pointed at themselves on our cameras.

Kim Kreitner (Baltimore) shares her pictures with schoolkids in Lesotho.

And we loved it — later commenting that kids are kids no matter where they live.  Thank goodness for naivete and smiles and unplanned joy.

We passed storefronts selling everything from oranges to pop — kind of like America’s farmers markets or flea markets or newsstands back home.

And saw more women with blankets — this time in real life rather than on the internet.

Colorful blanket serves as sling for baby

But when our guides led us to the general store, we knew we’d hit the jackpot.  Stacks of colorful fabric lined the shelves.  And neatly folded blankets stood knee-high on the floor. And we struck up conversations with salespeople, folks in the check-out lanes and men carrying heavy loads on their heads.

Carrying a heavy load at a general store in Lesotho

We came.  We saw.  We bought.

Blue-patterned wedding shawl from Lesotho

Now back in Tennessee, Bert and I are spending cool fall evenings wrapped in blankets found halfway ’round the world.  Ah, it’s great to be a shopper in Lesotho!

My very own plaid blanket from Lesotho!

(By the way, isn’t this the same blanket the lady in the top picture is wearing?)

For more information:

Habitat for Humanity Lesotho: http://www.habitat.org/where-we-build/lesotho

Setsoto Design Gallery: http://www.setsotodesign.com/

For more of our travels in Lesotho and South Africa, check out the Page at the top of this blog.  Thanks!

A John Deere tractor waits for a run in Green Bluff, Washington

Green Bluff‘s roads loop around apple orchards and farms offering spectacular views of the fresh greens of spring and glorious cloud-dotted sky.  But you can also see the metal that makes it all run smoothly in the form of tractors, wagons, plows and so forth.

Even old farm implements whose productive farm time has ended are pressed into service as holders of colorful spring annuals.

Old farm implement planted with flowers

And at stop #6 — Harvest House & Orchard — several metal snare drums hold mixed arrangements ready to greet summer visitors.

Blue metal snare drum repurposed as flower pot at Harvest House

Our favorite metal, though, just might be this doughnut machine that Todd, the owner of Harvest House,cranked up just for us early-morning seekers of something sweet to go with our coffee.  That little metal machine spit out fresh, hot doughnuts  ready for the the cinnamon sugar cycle and our welcoming hands!

Ah, yes.  A porch-rocker morning on Green Bluff sipping coffee and downing a doughnut!

For more examples of the Travel theme: Metal challenge from Ailsa’s Where’s My Backpack blog, click here.

To learn more about Green Bluff — the growers and events — click here.

Interested in the places we’ve seen in the Inland Northwest?  Take a look at the page Inland Northwest at the top of this blog for more stories and photos.

Jim Miller, finishing his 100th marathon, gets a big hug from his ATO fraternity brother Bert Sams

He finished!  That’s right — Jim Miller completed his 100th marathon at Boston Marathon 2014, almost as planned.  (See “Run, Jim Miller, Run.“)  But if you had asked Jim the night before, he might not have been so sure his dream would become a reality. After walking back from the Museum of Fine Arts, Jim turned his ankle at the corner of the Omni Parker House Hotel. But with the help of an EMT who wrapped his ankle and good friend Mari who was ready with ibuprofen, Jim rallied. On race day, April 21st, Jim Miller completed his 100th race, a total that includes runs in each of the 50 U. S. states and raised over $20,000 for the Liver Foundation.  Congrats, Jim!

But there are other reasons why this race, this Boston Marathon 2014, will be remembered as one of our favorite all-time trips of a lifetime.  Here are five of them.

Reason 1.  Pre-race activities get you fired up and ready — even if you’re not running!

Getting ready for any race in any city is an ordeal, but Boston was dealing with the aftermath of a tragedy following the 2013 bombing.  With increased security and down-to-the minute details guaranteed to make this larger, more emotional run a unifying event, pre-race activities endeared us (and the other one million spectators) to the cause so we could truly live the mantra emblazoned on t-shirts and banners:  Boston Runs as One. TV reporters interviewed runners whose stories touched our hearts — runners injured last year, runners who rely on prosthetic limbs to carry them over the finish line, and runners who race — and raise money — for a cause.  Boston Public Library opened its doors to Dear Boston: Messages from the Marathon Memorial, an exhibit of artifacts and photographs from the prior year. And since the 2014 marathon coincided with Easter, churches joined the celebration by scheduling Blessing of the Runners services for Sunday, April 20th, leaving many of us who attended (and many did!) teary-eyed and emotional the day before the marathon.  Races of lesser lengths kicked off on Saturday the 19th — like children’s races, 5K races, mile-long races — all with precision timing and heightened security.  And what we observed during pre-race days carried through the whole weekend event:  almost everyone was happy, passionate, encouraging.  Something special was in the air.

 Reason 2. John Hancock Sports & Fitness Expo lets you peek into the commercial side of running — and it’s a BIG side!

No race of this magnitude occurs without sponsors and vendors, so when we headed over to the Hynes ConventionCenter with Jim to pick up his bib number (#23312), we also got a taste of what’s new in the running world.  Familiar companies were there (Nike, Reebok, PowerBar, etc.), but newcomers like Running Skirts had a packed booth, too. Long lines formed at Runners World with fans hoping to get autographs and to shake hands with editors. The blowaway booth, however, had to be Adidas, official sponsor and producer of those must-have electric orange jackets ($110.00)  and pullovers ($65.00) emblazoned with official logos.  Adidas apparel and gear moved out the door as fast as someone could swipe a card on a handheld.  Ka-ching!

3.  A Pre-race Pasta Party can pump you up and plump you up!

Sponsored by the Boston Athletic Association, the Pre-race Pasta Party at City Hall Plaza on Sunday the 20th, was the place to be!  Long — very long — lines snaked around city blocks leading runners and friends through rows of blue-shirted, swingin’-to-the-music young ladies passing out clam shell boxes for stations featuring salad, bread, and pasta: Penne Marinara,  Four-cheese Baked Rigotoni, and Rotini Greek Pasta Salad. Sponsors like Samuel Adams, Bertoli, Stonyfield Yogurt, and Newman’s Own piled it on, too, and, if you trucked your own empty clam shell to the trash, you were handed a goody bag of desserts bigger than most kids get at Halloween! Thumping vibes of constant good-time music kept people happy while waiting for a table decked out with blue and white balloons.  And no one went away hungry.  It was carbo-loading at its best!

Reason 4. Boston Marathon 2014 leaves you thankful you can run the course or cheer ’em on!

Race Day began at the crack of dawn when 36,000 runners left their bags behind (new procedure this year), boarded buses, and waited for their wave.  Mobility impaired racers came first. Then elite men and women.  Then the rest.  Spectators joined in any way they could — but mostly by the T (short for MBTA). Remarkably patient T employees (and one terrific policeman) helped us find the Green Line headed toward Riverside so we could get off at Newton and cheer runners near Mile 16 where PowerBar workers handed out thousands of bars to hungry runners as they ran by.  When you stand in one place for a while, you make friends — like the ones who joined us in yelling Mil-ler, Mil-ler as our friend ran by (He never heard us!), and then we, in turn, cheered on their friends and family members. Anytime a runner motioned to the crowd for “more noise, ” we pumped up the volume just like we did when a family like the Hoyts moved their loved one in a push-rim wheelchair down the 26.2 miles. For us, the race became emotional: we were moved by determination, spirit, and physical prowess all rolled into one big effort to make it to the finish line.  According to Boston Globe, 99% of runners finished, including one person who collapsed just short of the goal but was carried over the line by two runners willing to assist.

5.  Boston was at its best — and maybe it always is!

Even though we’d been to Boston before, it was fun revisiting the history, the architecture, the food just as if we’d never been.  We downloaded the app for Granary Burial Ground and searched for favorite sites while costumed tour guides told, in animated fashion, stories of famous people buried there.  We looked through Fanueill Hall and Quincy Market with new eyes focused on Boston Strong souvenirs, local foods (chowdah!), and people from around the world snapping pictures of top touristy landmarks. But it was, of course, the Bostonians themselves that we’ll remember: always kind, always working, always determined to make this what it turned out to be: “a moment in time that weaves together a unique fabric of emotion, accomplishment and togetherness.” (From the BAA: Thank you, Boston)

Thanks, Jim Miller, for running this race and inviting your friends to see Boston through one determined runner’s eyes.  It’s a race we’ll never forget.

Jim Miller posing at the Finish Line the day before

If you go next year:

• Book accommodations early.  Many hotels, rooms, and apartments (even through Airbnb, etc.) sold out months before.
• Plan your route using information and the map from the Boston Athletic Association‘s website:  www.baa.org
• Download the Boston Athletic Association app, enter the bib number of the runner you want to follow (up to 10) and check often.  You can keep up with progress easily!
• Know your mobility limitations.  Many streets/sidewalks can be challenging, and long lines mean long waits.
• Ask for help, especially if you use public transportation.  The Bostonians are quite willing to show you the best routes and how to buy tickets.  Just ask. (They even understand Southern accents!)

For more information:

Boston Athletic Association: www.baa.org

Facebook, Boston Athletic Association: https://www.facebook.com/BostonAthleticAssociation

Facebook, Boston Marathon: https://www.facebook.com/TheBostonMarathon

Article cited above: “From the BAA: Thank you, Boston” Retrieved from http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2014/04/23/from-baa-thank-you-boston/59zUnlFxb4BhnnLXADiLoN/story.html

Patricia Herzog: “Spring Rain”

Although not one of the official Dogwood Arts Festival 2014 events, the Opening Reception of unique pottery by the Terra Madre potters on March 28th was the starting point for us of what this festival is all about:  a celebration of the natural beauty of East Tennessee and the creative spirit of area artists.

Display at entry to The District Gallery with pottery featuring stamped Navajo designs by Jacqueline Mirzac

Owners of The District Gallery & Framery, Denise and Jeff Hood, dedicated a major portion of the gallery to the show.  And patrons turned out to view the pottery by this juried organization of women clay artists living and working in Knoxville.

Denise Hood, co-owner of The District Gallery, welcomes guests to the Opening Reception for Terra Madre: Women in Clay.

Mike Murphy, Photographer, and Linda Bonds, owner of Stones of Spirit, admire the pottery at the Opening Reception.

Liz Howell and Gray Bearden, Terra Madre exhibitors, take time to visit.

The pottery was as varied as the styles of the artists from fanciful, decorative pottery to pieces of a more utilitarian nature — vases, bowls, pitchers, etc.  When we returned the next day to take a look without the crowds, we noted that many items had been sold. Enjoy this sample of the excellent craftmanship on display at the Opening Reception.

Lisa Kurtz whom we had met at last year’s Art Detour and whose vase we purchased was on hand to assist with the reception.  Her wall pocket glazed in shades of brown left a lasting impression as it held spring daffodils in the midst of a lovely show.

Wall pocket by Lisa Kurtz

Pottery from Terra Madre: Women in Clay runs through April 18 at The District Gallery.  And while you’re there, take a close look at the other exhibit: Vision of Home: Recent Works by Kathie Odom. For more information:

The District Gallery & Framery

Owners:  Jeff and Denise Hood 5113 Kingston Pike, Suite A Knoxville, TN 37919 Gallery: 865.200.4452 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDistrictGallery

Terra Madre 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerraMadreKnoxvilleTN

Pushing back from the table at Goldy’s in Boise, Idaho, where we devoured a bountiful breakfast on our snowy day off  wasn’t easy.  After all, the coffee was warm, and the server kept pouring!  (Read more about Goldy’s here.) But the urge to explore downtown Boise kicked in, and we found ourselves on Idaho Street intrigued by a sign that read The Original Ward Hooper Gallery & Vintage Swank.

If you’re in downtown Boise, head to 745 West Idaho Street to The Art of Ward Hooper Gallery.

Of all of Idaho’s artists, we were perhaps most familiar with Ward Hooper whose colorful graphic posters of national parks had struck our fancy at gift shops across America.  But an art gallery in downtown Boise?  What luck!

Interesting mix of vintage suitcases, postcards, and old metal lighting greet you at the entrance to The Art Gallery of Ward Hooper

The gallery itself exuded vintage vibes.  Filled with carefully arranged vignettes of collections — softballs, suitcases, old metal toys, fish camp stuff, and you-name-it — the shop forms a most appropriate backdrop for the stylized drawings we admire from Hooper.

Collections fill the walls of The Art of Ward Hooper Gallery

Camping memorabilia from fishing creels to mounted deer and clothing fill a side room in Ward Hooper’s Gallery.

Collections of metal toys and old boxes fill a bookcase.

In fact, the gallery itself could be a stand-alone antiques shop if it weren’t for the main attraction — Hooper’s art.

Dark green walls showcase the art of Ward Hooper displayed alongside found objects

Against a backdrop of a vintage bicycle, Ward Hooper’s prints stand ready for review.

Ward Hooper himself was in that morning (more good fortune!), busy wrapping a canvas for shipping.  We talked to him briefly, sharing our appreciation for his creativity and productive volume of work, and he replied with comments about the Idaho he loves. We picked up on one of his favorite subjects for art:  McCall, Idaho, a resort on the Payette Lake, known for its Winter Carnival and ice sculptures, a place we had recently visited.

Ward Hooper takes time out from preparing a canvas for shipping to talk about his art and gallery.

A collection of canine art hangs next to two vintage leather jackets — an interesting mix of art and antiques!

But a closer look at his collections revealed his vast repertoire.  We even found artwork celebrating events in Tennessee — Moon Pie festival in Bell Buckle and Mule Day in Columbia.

Art commemorating two Tennessee festivals: the Moon Pie Festival and Mule Days.

It was hard for two lovers of vintage collections and tasteful displays to get out of there before wearing out our welcome, so we took one last look.

A collection of baseballs in a glass cylinder stands atop a vintage bookcase

A central eye stares out from this shadowbox collage

And loved what we saw. It’s safe to say this is one of our favorite all-time art galleries — colorful, approachable, and reminiscent of simpler times.  Not only that, there’s something in every price range from magnets, postcards, stationery, and giclee prints to full-size canvases.

A collection of magnets reveal Hooper’s love of dogs and cats

On the website, artwork for sale is grouped by collections:  Across America, Dogs & Cats, Collegiate, Personality and Portraits, McCall, and Boise.  In fact, if you’re a fan of either the Boise State Broncos or the University of Idaho Vandals, Ward has you covered! Don’t see what you’re looking for?  The artist works on commission, too.

Cards with the art of national parks by Ward Hooper

Before we left, we asked Ward about his current projects.  I’m working on a piece for the local Red Cross chapter, he said.  And we wondered if this, too, might become something with national connections.  Remains to be seen.

Don’t wait ’til you get stranded by a snowstorm in Boise.  Just head to Idaho Street and check out The Art of Ward Hooper Gallery.  We dare you to leave empty-handed!

The Art of Ward Hooper Gallery

745 West Idaho Street

Boise, Idaho

208.287.8150

Website: www.wardhooper.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artofwardhooper

For more on what we’ve stumbled upon in Idaho and Washington, click on the Inland Northwest page at the top of this blog.  Thanks!

Wall of yarn organized by color invites you to touch and see.

If you visit McCall, Idaho, during the winter, you’re likely to encounter all-white scenery — deep snow, frozen lake, gray/white skies, and lingering ice sculptures from Winter Carnival.  It’s white.  Really white.

Until you open the door to Keep Me In Stitches where floor-to-ceiling colorful yarns get your attention! With multiple textures, knitted samples, and beautifully organized fibers, you’ll think spring has come to Idaho!

Color is at every turn.  A wall of cubbies shows off skeins of yarns organized by color ways, a photographer’s delight: varying textures, neatly stacked balls, and color, color, color.

If you face left and look up, you’ll see  a banister draped with throws and afghans designed with eye-catching patterns and textures.

Colorful creations hang from above at Keep Me In Stitches

Little nooks show off other creations.  Like the wall of knitted socks hung from a line.

Cute: A clothesline of knitted socks

Or shelving in the center of the shop where caps and scarves and fingerless gloves gather neatly, ready for purchase.

Knitted eggplant cap is now in Tennessee ready for a friend’s new baby on the way!

Just as colorful as the yarns of Keep Me In Stitches is its gregarious owner Lynda Vrgora (who asked not to be photographed).  She talked excitedly of her shop and the people who frequent it — like the ladies gathered that day in a side alcove to share patterns, ask questions, and enjoy the laughter that comes when people with like interests get together.

The Gathering Spot

Right before Lynda (who could work for the Chamber of Commerce, by the way) showed us a map of McCall and pointed out not-to-be-missed points of interest, she moved toward a basket display of fuzzy-looking wool that I admired for its soft feel and texture.  What is this? I asked.  And she answered, Wool merino rovings ready for spinning.  And I loved the watercolor look of soft fibers gathered in twists and turns.

So soft — merino wool rovings

A place like this just begs to be touched, and we didn’t let the shop down!  It’s worthwhile to stand back and take it in as a whole and then move up close for a kaleidoscope-kinda look.

Color in cubbies

But before we left, we asked about the baskets of knitted animals sitting cheerfully in the window.  They’re knitted by my mom, Lynda told us.  And I thought immediately of grandchildren who would love to curl up with a monkey, giraffe, or bear from this creative place.

Cute monkey knitted by the owner’s mom

If winter has you down, and you’re anywhere near McCall, stop in at Keep Me in Stitches.  You may not even knit.  Or crochet.

Colorful skeins all lined up

But here’s where you can get your color fix.  And meet one of McCall’s most colorful advocates to boot!

Keep Me In Stitches

136 E. Lake Street

McCall ID 83638

208-634-2906

www.kmismccall.com

For more on our travels through the Inland Northwest, be sure to check out the Page called Inland Northwest at the top of this blog.

And we’d love to hear from you:  Is there a knitting shop you like visiting?