The first real holiday weekend! Well, I only had Saturday off, but who’s counting? 
On Saturday, my mother and I went to the Shirt Factory, which is a giant old building where they used to make shirts, oddly enough. It now houses artists and their studios, along with a few other businesses. It is really neat that such a small community really supports their local artists/craftspeople. Each year, they host an open house and then also have other artists come and you can do holiday shopping! It is 2 building with 4 floors and really hard to get through all in one day.
Pottery:
The tea shop, where I picked up some gingerbread tea and cinnamon plum tea. Yum!
Zumba classes are held here
There was a new tenant of karate studio, and the owner was posing with his dragon he got in from China. That was fun.
There was a person using a loom and selling knitted shawls.
A really big quilting store (thought of you Debby)
More pottery and some sculptures.
Plus a bazillion jewelers. Such a neat place and I have a wish to someday have a soap shop in there. It would fit in there so well.
Mom and I went for an uber late lunch/early dinner at Rock Hill. This is a cinnamon raising bread ham and cheese sandwich with honey mustard grilled up.
It was delicious and it wasn’t turkey! Yay! There was a maple biscotti on the side which somehow didn’t get pictured, but I ate it 😀
We spent the evening in watching the African Queen. Have you seen this movie? You should (Bogie’s only Oscar).
On Sunday, went to Panera and they have 2 holiday bagels now. The gingerbread and the cranberry walnut. Oh, which to choose now?? I went cranberry today.
Then I set to work today while John hung up the outside Christmas lights.
After work ran out, I made a BBQ turkey salad for lunch from the neverending turkey stash.
And it was time to decorate the tree!
While I would love a real tree again, there definitely are some advantages to having an artificial: No watering, no drying out/fire hazard, you can put the tree up whenever, and the cat stays out of it. So, I guess John’s allergies have some benefits.
Now I am biting my nails because I need the Colts to win tonight for me to win the football picks this weekend. I do not want to lose 4 weeks in a row!
Question: Does your area support local artists?
Love those local craft shops! The loom must have been cool to watch!
Serious yum to the cranberry walnut bagel. Hmmm…a trip to Panera might be in my future!
Your tree looks beautiful, Lori! I’m with ya on the artificial!
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I’m not sure I’d like a meat sandwich on cinnamon bread, but a pb&banana/cinnamon bread sandwich sounds yummy! Must try!
We do support local artists. We have a HUGE Arts in the Park festival every year, and then smaller events at other times. In nicer weather, our downtown arts district is featured, with free trolley rides for visitors. It’s all very festive, especially since there are more bars than galleries and studios in that area. 🙂
Your tree is sparkly and pretty!
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That looks like a fun shop.
I am wanting the Colts to win tonight too. I am friends with Austin Collie’s wife, and am always rooting for them to win. GO COLTS!
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Absolutely support local artists when I can.
Nice tree. Hope to find our 6′ fake one this week so we can decorate it next weekend.
Vee at http://veegettinghealthy.blogspot.com
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What a cool little (big?) shop!
Your tree looks great!
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You did a great job on the tree – very beautiful!! We like to support out local University art students.
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To be honest: I wouldn’t know if they support local artists. I guess so but I never paid attention to it. Looks like a lot of fun where you’ve been on Saturday.
Love the tree. I think we will set it up in 2 weeks. Here in Holland we celebrate “Sinterklaas” and usually we set up the tree after that (it’s on December 5th). Haven’t made my mind up if I’m going for a real one this year. I’m kind of afraid Bella would like the tree and decorations too much 🙂
I love Austin because it is all about the local art and supporting our COMMUNITY
it’s like the blog-world that way 🙂
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Oh, seeing your tree made me want to dig out my Christmas decorations! I LOVE this time of year. 🙂
Loretta
=^..^=
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I love local art fairs. My small town has a lot of events like that. Our small downtown area is basically just artists of some kind (all owned by women too!). Very cool place that you visited!
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Looks like your mother and you had a great day. Pretty tree too!!
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What a wonderful day Lori! I love that crafty stuff.. looking at it.. I can’t do it.. so bad at that stuff myself. Nice to support the community too.
Now the food looks good but I would have eaten that cinnamon raisin bread plain! 🙂
Love the tree… looks pretty no matter what!
I heard the Colts lost.. sorry!
.-= Jody – Fit at 53´s last blog ..Doing for Yourself- Doing for Others =-.
What a fun place to shop!
I’ve sampled the gingerbread bagel from Panera. Oh holy yum.
Beautiful tree. Thanks for sharing the pictures.
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How funny! I read your descriptions of the shops and thought they should carry your soaps there. Then I got to your wish to sell them there. Seems we all had the same thought! Your tree is beautiful. My tiny phone photo made your snowman ornament look like a pretty pear. Lol! And yep I love local art fairs and shops. Always find unique things.
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Your tree looks beautiful! I hope this will be the year of the return of the tree. I haven’t had one in 8 years …since I got my cats. They are little demons when it comes to any sort of house plant. I hope I can get a tree this year. 🙂
What a fun day! That sandwich is right up my alley and looks divine. You know what? I really want an artificial tree. I’m ready for it. But I have a 31 year old daughter who whines like a 2 year old every single time the topic comes up. She threatens that if she comes home and there is a “fake” she is going to the tree farm by herself, cut one down, and put a second tree up. Which I do not have room for in my tiny house. Sigh.
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LOVE the local craft displays!!! Events like that are so fun. And your tree is BEAUTIFUL!!!
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Sounds like a fun shopping place! We have a little main street (yep, called Main Street) with local shops, and I shopping there. (It’s usually kind of pricey, so it’s more browsing than shopping, though.)
And I love our artificial tree; we put ours up this weekend too. I thought I’d always be a real tree person, but my husband breaks out in rashes from the pine sap and needles. We’ve had artificial trees for at least the past 10 years. We got a new one with LED lights last year (old one gave it up) – it went up in about 15 minutes. And the kids are old enough (and tall enough!) now to do most of the decorating. We have a wonderful cut-your-own tree farm here that has wreath-making, so we usually go there to get a bit of real greenery.
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We were stuck putting up a fake tree as well…but it still came out so good. I love decorating for Christmas! 😀
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Yes, our area supports local artists. I went to a local craft mall – all booths of handmade items. Very neat!
I’m with you on the tree…miss the real thing, but love the benefits of a fake one. 🙂
Shirt FActory looks like a fun place. Bet you can get some pretty unique gifts there.
Utica is very supportive of local artists. We have Munson Williams Proctor Arts just down the road. It is an art college as well as a museum. Really neat stuff.
Dang that sandwich looks good!!
I’m excited to put our tree up tonight, we also have an artificial tree 🙂
jen
That sandwich looks delicious! Ooh, loved that store with the weaving and the quilting all in one place. We have a number of gallery type stores in our area. When I was in Sisters, they really supported their local artists in a big way.
Oh my gosh, I could get lost in the Shirt Factory! My area does support local artists, but there are not a lot around like there are in other areas. I try an make a point to buy something handmade vs. from World Market or Target, when it comes to decor and gifts.
We have an artificial tree – it’s the only way to go. But this year I am taking things one step further…my kids think it’s blasphemy, but too bad, I’m the one who has to do everything, so it’s Mom’s choice this year. More to come in a bit on my blog. 😉
Just found your blog through AOL – love it and your story is amazing as well. I’m with you all the way when it comes to real, wholesome foods with minimal added sugars.
Anyway, I had to comment here since you said the cat stays out of your artificial tree. Well, mine sure don’t! 😉 Every year my kitties get ambitious, hop into the tree and proceed to knock the ornaments down one by one and then topple the tree over. GRR!