Craft Shows in the Hill Country: 2nd Stop

Way back in March of this year, back when it was not yet Summer and definitely not Fall, we headed to the tiny little town of Gruene, Texas. I have been so busy with kids and the running of a household and my little shop, that I am so terribly late on telling y’all all about our 2nd stop on our Hill Country Craft Show tour. Nearly 7 months and two seasons late! I think my favorite phrase of 2017 is “better late than never.”

Gruene, Texas! Such a little gem of Texas German Immigrant history. Gruene was a thriving cotton farming town back in 1845. Check out more history facts on their website: http://www.gruenetexas.com/. The town is listed on the National Register of the Historic Places. If you get the chance to visit, you’ll see why. After hitting up the craft show, we stayed to walk around and check out so many great little shops that have taken the place of once a cotton gin or the first mercantile. And you can’t miss the great music coming from Gruene Hall. A historical marker outside reads that it may have been one of the very first saloons! The town is so small, you can easily park and just walk. It’s located on the Guadalupe River, which is always refreshing.

So the craft show! Tons of creative Texans packed into one little spot. It was also packed with shoppers. Each booth had something so unique and different and it always amazes me how many artists call Texas their home! And it is always awesome to see something for all ages. We tasted samples of Texas grown honey and spices. I snapped a few pics for the blog of shops that really impressed me with their uniqueness and artistry. Check out the one with my little man, Mason. This shop owner makes guitars out of cigar boxes and adds some Texas flair! And I loved the shop that makes the coolest custom hats. She had one for every occasion. (Just a little FYI, many booths had signs requesting no pics to be taken. Which is kind of a bummer because I can’t showcase them, but I completely understand)

Next stop, Bandera, Texas! Feel free to leave me a comment if you love Texas!

Craft Shows in the Hill Country: 1st Stop.

So, this weeks post isn’t about sewing, but something just as fun. I wanted to share with you our little trip to Fredericksburg, Texas. Living in San Antonio, we are very close to many small towns, so it’s not a long trip that our two little ones can’t handle. Although, my six year old still manages to ask before we’ve even left the city, “Are we there yet?” (At least five times)

If you haven’t visited the Texas Hill County, you need to add it to your to-do list! It really is like no other. Plan on getting gas before you leave because you won’t find many places to fill up along the way. Take your time driving down I-10, you don’t want to miss the views!

Fredericksburg is a lovely, little town. It was founded in 1846 by German immigrants (source: your Texas History textbook 😁). The houses are so quaint and you’ll find many bed and breakfast and vacation cottages. Downtown is thriving with many shops, wine bars, biergarten’s (beer garden) and of course, German food!

Every third weekend of the month,  the town holds their craft show and trade days. It’s a three day event. I read up a little about it on their website before heading out there. http://www.fbgtradedays.com/

First of all, this place is huge! Be a little more prepared than I was, and wear walking shoes. Don’t try to look cute because your feet will hate you. When you first walk in, you’ll see the cutest cottages with shops inside. There are also many canopies with shops set up under the Texas sun. Keep walking and you’ll find more and more of these delightful cottages with shop owners smiling and greeting you. And then there are the barns. There are seven massive barns throughout the property. Each barn holds at least twenty craft booths.

We discovered lots of antiques, vintage toys, repurposed items and so many wonderfully hand crafted items made by some really creative Texans. You will literally find anything you’re looking for or didn’t know you were looking for.

And then there’s the food and beer! Yes, we drink a lot of beer in Texas (no shocker) and it is absolutely appropriate to drink a beer at a craft show. Take a seat at the picnic tables and enjoy the biergarten and sausage on a stick with lots of mustard. They are also apparently famous for their jalapeño creamed corn, which I promise to try next time we go out. And just when you thought this is the best craft show ever, there’s live music! This was really the only part my kids liked. They aren’t big on shopping antiques and fun finds.

The best thing I took away from this event was the people. Many booths had people just gathering to chat with one another. We had fun talking with shop owners and it makes you want to come back just for the atmosphere. This is first stop of a handful of craft shows we’ll be visiting, so please stay tuned for more! And more “Are we there yet?” From my son!