Gnome Decor

Indiana

A Last Look at Winter Before Leaping into Spring

Happy Leap Day! I am excited to see February end, and the first month of spring begin tomorrow! I love the anticipation that comes with my favorite seasons of spring and summer stretching before me, with winter in the rearview mirror. Even though we had an extra day of winter this year, it flew by since I’ve been so focused on a project at work that’s kept me stuck indoors anyway. March can be a tricky and cold month here in central Indiana, but it always bestows us with at least a sprinkling of beautiful days…

September’s Sweet Sunflowers

Is there anything more cheerful than a field of sunflowers? It’s like a thousand smiling faces quietly greeting you with their beauty. On my recent trip to South Dakota to visit my friend Rebecca and her family (more on that trip will be coming soon!), we drove past several beautiful sunflower fields on our journey west to the Black Hills, and ever since, I’ve been wanting to immerse myself in fields of golden sunflowers! On Sunday the weather was perfect so Mom and I drove up to Kokomo to see Prices Pumpkin Patch’s sunflower…

Garden Party: Welcoming Spring at the Indiana Flower and Patio Show

March came roaring in like a lion this year but there were still several early signs of spring to be found in central Indiana even during spring’s coldest month. Longer days and daffodil shoots peeking up through the ground promised winter would be over soon, and the calendar quickly started filling up with all kinds of fun spring events, including the annual Indiana Flower and Patio Show at the state fairgrounds. My mom and I continued our spring tradition with a visit to the show on March 11. Stepping into the West Pavilion, we were met by bright…

Celebrating Memories of Christmas Past at the 35th Annual Old World Christmas Village & Market

An annual Christmas tradition for my mom and me is a visit to The Old World Christmas Village & Market the first Friday in December. Mom and I first learned of this event from an ad in the holiday bazaars newspaper insert several years ago.  We were headed downtown to the Holiday Author Fair at the Indiana Historical Society and noticed the market was the same day so we could check it out while we were nearby.  That first year we went on a Saturday, but afterwards we switched to going at 5:00 on Friday when the market first…

New Tradition, Old World Charm: Celebrating Christmas in Germany at the Carmel Christkindlmarkt

Christmas will be here before we know it!  Now is the perfect time to check out one of the newest and best Christmas events in the Indianapolis area, the Carmel Christkindlmarkt, celebrating its second year. The outdoor German Christmas market is open Wednesdays through Sundays through Christmas Eve, with no admission charge and free parking available right next to the market in the Palladium Center for the Performing Arts’ parking garage.  Check out my post from last year to learn more about the heritage of German Christmas Markets and read about my visit to the inaugural Carmel Christkindlmarkt…

Prices Picturesque Pumpkin Patch

For years I’ve been searching for the perfect pumpkin patch.  A scenic spot, not too crowded, with a large variety of pumpkins for sale at reasonable prices.  The pumpkin patches in and around Indianapolis are geared more towards kids’ activities – like bounce houses, slingshots, and tire climbs – than pumpkin picking.  They can be crowded on the weekends and many charge for admission, parking, and activities.   Usually I end up getting my pumpkins in Indianapolis at a nice farmer’s market which has a large variety of every kind of pumpkin imaginable.  But it’s a little pricy…

Tulip Trail: Beautiful Blooms Spring Up at Newfields

We had a very short period of spring-like weather here in central Indiana, preceded by a long winter with snow lasting through mid-April, and followed by an early summer, with a very hot, dry May.  It was a very unusual spring season that started out with extreme lows and ended with extreme highs.  Everything was late to start blooming, and the cooler weather flowers didn’t last long once the 90s hit.  There were about two weeks of beautiful spring weather, and luckily they coincided with the day I spent outdoors at Newfields for their Hello Spring and…

Roaming to the Gnome Away from Home Exhibit

Garden gnomes in search of a tropical Spring Break vacation traveled to Garfield Park Conservatory on the south side of Indianapolis the last two weeks of March for the sixth annual Gnome Away from Home exhibit, featuring more than 200 gnomes.  Over half of the gnomes were loaned by local residents for the display, which has a different theme every year.  The exhibit has grown to include over 200 gnomes for this year’s event.  I’d been to see the gnome show once before, in 2013, which was the first year it was held. The first gnome show had…

Finding Signs of Spring Indoors at the Indiana Flower & Patio Show

That groundhog was right about six more weeks of winter. But those six weeks were over a while ago, and we still have winter! I am more than ready for spring! Mom and I headed to the Indiana Flower & Patio Show on March 12 to enjoy some spring color indoors while we wait for winter’s thaw. It’s one of our favorite annual traditions, and this year the show celebrated its 60th anniversary. Our favorite parts of the show, held 9 days each March at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, are the feature gardens in the center of West…

IKEA: Love at First Sight

On Valentine’s Day, or All Hearts Day as it’s known in Sweden, I had a date with the new IKEA Fishers store! I’ve wished for a central Indiana IKEA for years, since the store closest to me until now was the Cincinnati location in West Chester, OH. So I was thrilled when IKEA opened just five miles from my house last October 11. (I’ll always remember the opening date since my friend Rebecca’s baby was born on the same day.) I can’t believe I waited four months to check out the new store…

Colorful Lanterns Light Up the Long Dark Nights of Winter at the Indiana Chinese Lantern Festival

Oh the weather outside is frightful!  Greetings from Indiana on a snowy and icy day where I’m stuck inside and dreaming of spring.  Luckily we had a five day break from winter’s extremes earlier this week, so I was able to squeeze in a visit to the Indiana Chinese Lantern Festival on the last day of its run.  I’d been trying to get to this new event since opening day November 24, but between a full schedule for Christmas and the two weeks long deep freeze that followed, it didn’t happen sooner.  Temperatures were in…

Happy New Year!

I hope your 2018 has gotten off to a great start!  It’s been bone-chilling cold here in Indiana for the past week and a half, as it has been for many parts of the world.  Yesterday we were at -12 F, colder than both the North and South Poles!  Today it’s snowing, because the side streets weren’t slick enough already.  Can you sense my sarcasm, and tell winter is my least favorite season?  Bring on Spring… I’m already dreaming of flowers! My favorite belonging these days is my electric blanket.  And I’m bringing in…

Walking in a Winterlights Wonderland

Merry Christmas!  This holiday season is going by faster than any I can remember and the past month has been a blur!  Luckily before I got wrapped up in everything I had to do, I was able to slow down and enjoy several Christmas festivities with friends and family like the Handmade Ornament Exchange and the Carmel Christkindlmarkt.  Another holiday activity I enjoyed earlier this Christmas season with my parents was the inaugural Winterlights at Newfields, the new name for the Indianapolis Museum of Art and its gardens.   A million lights were used to create the Winterlights display and they…

Christkindlmarkt Time is Here!

Season’s greetings! The most wonderful time of the year is here, or – if you prefer the warm weather months like me – at least, the most festive! My favorite part of Christmas is making memories, so I love to attend various Christmas events, and this year I am so thrilled there are several new Christmas festivals in central Indiana. Now, how to find time to check them all off my list? 2017 marks the first year for the Carmel Christkindlmarkt, which is open Wednesday through Sunday from now until December 24. There is no admission charge and parking is free…

Boo-tiful Bash: Caravan Classes Artist Halloween Party

Happy Halloween!   I hope you are enjoying a spooky sweet day that’s filled with terrifyingly tasty treats and creative fun!  My favorite way to celebrate any holiday is with good friends, family, and crafts, so when I heard Caravan Classes was having an Artist Halloween Party, I made plans to attend this fun event with my mom.  Caravan Classes is an amazing local business that offers art classes, parties, events and custom art projects for both kids and adults.  They have a studio by the Noblesville, Indiana courthouse square and also a vintage camper which serves as a…