A visit to The Gingerbread House!

This may not look like the kind of Gingerbread House that you thought you might see, but believe me.......it is a Gingerbread House and it is a treat!! Behind that front door and those windows is a quilt and gift shop (located in Webster City, Iowa) that is loaded with so much fun stuff. I've been here before and so has my mom but I always enjoy visiting again. After my mom and I did our cross-country sight seeing and ate lunch, I wanted to stop here. My mom wanted to visit the Dollar General store which is just around the block from this shop, so I dropped her off there and I went around the corner to the Gingerbread House!

I've mentioned this shop on my blog before and if you go here, you'll find the address and other info on the shop. I didn't take you inside in that post, so prepare for a tour.........
As soon as you enter the shop, there are lovely vignettes in every nook and cranny..........
I loved how the sun was shining in the window on the quilts in this little rocking chair.
In the next room, there is this "House of Bears"........

I wanted to take one home but I bought one last time I was here, so I moved on. :-)

I loved the cast iron Jack-o-Lanterns on this shelf and reminded myself to decorate for Halloween when I get home!

The fireplace looked so attractive that I wished I could go home and do an arrangment in my fireplace. Then I reminded myself that wouldn't work as we have a gas fireplace!

The next room was filled with Christmas goodness!!! Look at all those cute Snowmen and Santas and Angels in that case!! I restrained myself because I have more ornaments than I have room for on my tree. Then I changed my mind when I saw these cute little gingerbread girls in a basket on the floor.

I decided I had to buy one as a memory of the nice weekend my mom and I were enjoying. I found a sweet little cardinal ornament for her. She loves cardinals. :-)

The next room had fabric in it and I was so taken with all the beautiful fall prints that I didn't even think about a picture at this point. Then I walked to the back room and more fabric. I wandered in and out of rows of fabric and then I saw this bolt of fabric...................

It really "caught my eye" and a project idea began to bubble in my brain. LOL! But I moved on and took a peek in the classroom and then took the photo below that looks toward the back of the shop. Isn't that a beautiful quilt on the back wall? the one that is red, white and green? I headed back that way as I knew there were stairs that lead to the upstairs and more treasures.

The stairs are narrow but they lead to lots of Christmas goodness.......
for when you get to the top of the steps and look toward the front window, this is what you see........

There are decorated trees and wreaths lining each side of the walls!!!

And then there are trunks and baby beds and all sorts of things filled with more Christmas goodness!!!

This little bear nearly came home with me but I already have one almost like her so I restrained myself once again. :-)

Ornaments hung from garland...........

Decorated trees were tucked in every corner.....

These two trees held the ornaments I liked best.........almost all were gingerbread themed!

This shop may look unassuming from the outside but there is no denying that it is chockful of lovely gifts and fabric. Oh, and a very nice staff person was working that day. She was very helpful when I decided I had to buy some of the lovely rose fabric that was causing my brain to bubble with project ideas. Yes, I was not able to restrain myself when it came to this fabric!!

I have two possibilities for the fabric and neither involve a quilt. Well, I don't think it will involve a quilt but you never know. :-) When I decide which project I will use it for, I will be sure to post photos.

That's the end of the tour of The Gingerbread House. If you find yourself on Interstate 35 going north out of Des Moines, just watch for Hwy 20 west and follow the signs to Webster City. It will be worth the trip!

So, did my mom have as much fun at the Dollar General Store as I did at the Gingerbread House? Yes, she did. She found Halloween things for the grandkids and pretty Christmas things, too. When I picked her up, we decided that was enough shopping for the day and headed home for the afternoon. Our next adventure that day was the McGuire Bend Church Supper and Bazaar. I'll share more about that on Saturday's post as I'm going to finish up retreat and friend posts on Thursday and Friday. :-)

I enjoyed my "meeting" with my sewing machine yesterday and caught up on laundry while I sewed. Today, the sewing continues and I'm going to "catch up" on my Yahoo groups. Weather is chillin' a bit but still lovely days here in Minnesota.

Til tomorrow....have a great day!

Sandi