One of my favorite parts of summer is planning field trips with the kids. During the school year with kids in school all day and with things after school like piano lessons and soccer games, our weeks always seem really busy and full. So once school is out we always make a list of the farther-away places that we want to visit during the summer. We rarely make it through the whole list, but if we start right away and try to do at least one a week, we get to a lot of them. And for extra fun we meet-up with cousins too.
This is one of those places. It's called Gardner Village in West Jordan, Utah. It's a collection of old houses and buildings that have been brought to one location where they now contain cute little shops and stores.
With things like this inside. This is my girls' favorite store - The Village White Shoppe. They always save up their allowances just for this shop.
The village also holds nice attractions for my boys like water fountains, ducks and a little petting farm. And a candy store along the way.
I liked this cheerful banner.Why have I still not made one of these?
It's one of those things that's been on my list forever.
Here is one of the things I like best at Gardner Village: a quilt shop!(Complete with husbands who wait outside while their wives go it to look around.)
This store is called Pine Needles and they have a beautiful selection of fabrics, quilts, and patterns.
They also had a lovely little play table that kept my boys busy long enough for me to get a good look around and to find a few new things.
Some goodies: a few awesome fabrics for I-spy blocks. My stash is getting depleted, so I'm always on the lookout for new additions. I love the little rocket kids from Michael Miller. The orange piece is from David Walker, designer of our beloved Robots, and the blue with cars is a Japanese print.
I also found this fabulous piece of Amy Butler decorator weight fabric (60" wide) in their clearance bin for only $4 a yard! I'm thinking this might be perfect to finally make that Wasp bag!
I can't believe how rapidly summer is flying. Part of me feels exhausted - like I've run a marathon - and part of me is so sad to see it coming to an end. It has been a very happy summer. And to add to that happiness has been the joy of not having to take diapers with us anymore! Woo-hoo! (Don't worry, I still take my stylish diaper clutch with a package of wipes because you never know when those suckers will come in handy. I'll probably still be carrying them around when my kids are teenagers.)
Nedra
I love Gardner Village, and miss being able to go there. I started going there when the main building was the attraction, and they only had a few outer stores. It's really become quite the place, and I especially love it at Halloween.
Lori Holt
I get to go to Gardner Village alot and I feel lucky about that! I really love that place.<br />I used to sell my handmade items there when it was called <br />"The Old Mill"...it was in the main building which is Archibalds now and that was before any other buildings were there! It was about 1984 and I had only been married for a few years...wow, time has really flown by!<br />It looks
dotti white
Gardner Village looks a lot like Country Village in Bothell, WA about 1 1/2 hrs. from where I live. such a fun place! Thanks for sharing your fun pictures. The quilt shop looks so awesome! Have a wonderful week!
littlecumulus
Why is it that I keep finding out about all this cool stuff to do AFTER I moved away?? Fun field trip! And a swanky fabric store is always a nice bonus...
Jackie
Gardner Village looks like a great place to waste a day. I just love places like that where you can shop around and walk outside. Plus they are very quaint. And to think it also has a quilt shop!
Jodie B-C
Oh that looks like the perfect vacation destination! Traveling without diapers?? What's that like? 🙂
angela
That looks like a fun day! Yes - now that we are out of diapers, I still buy packages of wipes. I don't thik I'll ever be without them. And get on that banner! I made 2 last year and they make me happy every time I use them. A banner makes anything more festive and fun!
Lori Sume
Amy, I am glad you had a fun outing! Looks like you found lots of treasures for sure!!!
The Quilt Buddy
What an awesome little village! I think that I would also save up all of my allowance to go there.<br /><br />I love the new additions to your fabric stash!
live a colorful life
What a fun place. I would love to spend a day there. And a quilt shop makes it just about perfect.
Quilt Hollow
What a delightful looking place to visit!
Lisa @ Life with 4!
a play table in a quilt shop.... what could be better than that!!!?<br /><br />that looks like a nice little "village" to walk around in and browse. i love places like that!<br /><br />and the answer to your question... I had so much fun putting the Flag together! I'm so pleased with how it turned out! It wasn't stressful, i just wanted to do it right.
Sherri
A friend took me there for lunch and window shopping a couple of years ago...it was so much fun...I'm hoping to go back when I come up in three weeks!
Mauri
I have still never been to Gardner Village, can you believe it?! I love your fabric finds. I have been starting to be anxious for summer to end just so I can go run errands and do a little shopping without three of the four children. Does that make me a horrible mother? 🙂
Wendy
Oh how I wish I could visit the Gardner Village too. Looks like a wonderful family field trip. I'd be in the quilt shop and hubby would be in the candy shop. <br />Enjoy the summer while it lasts.
Nanette Merrill and daughters
I love Gardner Village. So much to see and do. It is a good activity for before school.