Shop ‘Made in Iowa’ for Unique Gift Ideas

Connie Food & Drink, Illinois, Shopping December 7, 2017Amana Wollen Mill, Bentonsport Artisan Co-op, Bentonsport Historic District, Iowa shopping, Iron & lace, Iron and Lace, Isabel Bloom, Made in Iowa, Mississippi River Distilling, Mississippi River Distilling Company, The Kaleidoscope Factory, unique gift ideas, villages folk school 2 Comments

When it comes to gift giving, some people are just plain impossible to buy for. When you ask for a wish list, they tell you they don’t need a thing. Or maybe you don’t feel comfortable asking for a wish list. We have someone like that in our family. For a while we were exchanging gift cards, which seemed silly. Then one year as we were traveling in early December, browsing through gift shops, I had an idea. Why not fill a basket with goodies produced in the state we were visiting? So that year we gave this person a basket filled with locally-made wines, cheeses, honey and other edible treats. It was a big hit. Since then, I’ve been on the lookout for unique gift ideas whenever I travel.

Exploring the Bentonsport Historic District

Connie Attractions & Events, Food & Drink, Iowa, Shopping November 28, 2015November 28, 2015Bentnsport Bridge, Bentonsport, Bentonsport Artisan Co-op, bentonsport ia, Bentonsport Iowa, Forever Sweet Creations, Greef General Store, Iron & lace, Mason House Inn, villages folk school, Villages of Van Buren 1 Comment

The last stop on our tour of the Villages of Van Buren was the Bentonsport historic district, first developed by Mormon craftsmen as they migrated west along the Mormon trail in the mid-1800s. Steamboats no longer ply the nearby Des Moines River, but the historic district is still bustling. Refurbished buildings are now home to galleries, a candy shop, and a haunted bed and breakfast.