More of Chicago, Art Institute, Frank Lloyd Wrights house and a quilt studio visit.

This morning the group walked through the park, had a photo stop at Cloud gate, hot chocolates and waited for the art gallery to open, We had a guided tour through the gallery and explanations were given by an expert art enthusiast.

I must say it was a great tour and to see originals of Renoir, Van Gogh and Monet, hanging on the gallery wall was exciting. Being also allowed to take photos and get up close to these masterpieces was awe inspiring.

This greeted us in the entry to the institute.

A great painting also at the entry.

This masterpiece was very large, but what was unique about this painting was all the small dots put together made a painting.

Van Gogh

Explanation of Van Gogh portrait.

Monet paintings

Monet Irises, 1914/17

We were privileged to be able to see some wonderful vintage and modern quilts on display at the art Institute.

I just 

Crazy quilt, great embroidery 

Flag quilt

Another version of a crazy quilt

Appliqué quilt, lovely work

Quilt depicting the Oregon Trail

Chris Jurd standing near the Garfield and Arthur quilt, explanation below, Chris made her version of this quilt in 2009.

I would like to add, Chris made this quilt in 2009 and I have owned it for a few years now, after purchasing it of Chris, about five years ago at the Springwood quilt show.

Friendship quilt.

There were many other quilts, and a delightful hour was spent drooling over them.

After our visit we had lunch, back to the hotel for lunch. In the afternoon we drove 1 hour out to a quilt shop, not much purchased at this shop, but there was a hobby lobby which most of us were happy to visit and some more money was spent to help the American economy.

The next day was an excursion out to Oakpark to visit Frank Lloyd Wright house, 

Frank Lloyd Wright was born in 1867, Wisconsin, he lived in Oakpark from 1889 until 1909. Wright created a wholly new form of American architecture known as the Prairie style, because it reflects the landscape of the mid western plains. The house was amazing with imaginative genius, he was forward thinking with his design.

Frank Lloyd Wrights home.

Beautiful Art Deco lead light.

This entry loggia columns are capped by plaster castings, the colour of bronze, incorporating the book of knowledge issues from the tree of life, an architectural scroll, the storks represent wisdom and fertility. The house was mainly made of American oak and had painted murals in many of the areas.

After the house tour we had lunch the visited the studio of Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr, who showed us his modern quilts.

Bill Kerr house in Oakpark 

Bill Kerr showing us his quilts.

Weeks and Bill also have their own fabric range, which of course I had to purchase some.

This concludes our time in Chicago, tomorrow we are off to Houston for quilt festival.

Of course as with tradition DH had to have his steak, this time we dined at Ruby Rose steakhouse and the steak was 24ounces, enjoyed by himself.

More to follow with our Houston visit.

DH's steak for dinner.

Chicago,the Windy City

Leaving Shipshewana and a three hour drive to Chicago, we arrived in time for lunch at the hotel, then after lunch we all went on a city tour, this was our second visit to Chicago, so it was great to do an organised city tour. On our last visit we got around independently and walked the magnificent mile and did the architect boat cruise.

 On this tour we visited the planetarium, Lincoln park and the Astor Street mansions.

Lincoln Park Conservatory, huge beans. That is Clare in the photo.

Huge space and great plants.

Lily pond with statue.

Chicago was very cold and windy, we all had to rug up when we got out of the coach. The architecture of the Chicago skyline is awesome, a mix of modern, Art Deco and contemporary buildings make Chicago the unique city that it is.

Gorgeous orchids in the conservatory.

Chicago skyline.

On the tour we also visited Astor St and saw the original wooden paved alley, whilst we were here we all walked down Astor St to look at the mansions and how they were decorated for Halloween, I must say, I was impressed at how they were decorated.

Great figurine, not sure about what she is holding.

Lots of pumpkins and skeletons, the pumpkins are not good to eat.

Just love the huge spiders, whilst we were all being tourists, one of the homes doorman asked us all to move on, the group thought that was quite amusing.

We also visited the Palmer hotel

Great ceilings, Mrs Palmer was a socialite in the 1920's and loved fine things and collected a lot of art, like Renoir, Gogh and Monet, there is a room in the art institute that hosts the Palmer collection of art.

More of Chicagos Art Deco buildings.

Of course we all visited Cloud gate, and had a photo opportunity,from left to right, Daphne, Laurel, Laura, Trish, Leah, Bev and myself, a great day strolling about, but very cold.

The fountain lights were on, but not the water.

More Halloween dress up, great idea for pots.

After our city tour we settled into our hotel and had a bit of R & R, our hotel was centrally located to shops and a few restaurants. Time for a bit of sewing, whilst DH had a beer.

Tomorrow we will visit the Art Institute and a quilt exhibition.

Shipshewana, Amish Country

The A nine o'clock departure for a three hour drive to Shipshewana, we arrived just before lunch and we visited the Menno-Hof, to learn about how the Amish and why their religion and their way of life came about. There are three types of Amish, Mennonites, heddernites and then the Amish, we spent an hour here, but it was not enough time, we had to have lunch then be at Amish acres for the tour in the afternoon.

We arrived at Amish acres at 2pm for our tour, to see how the Amish lives and later we were to have a combined dinner with the two tour groups combined and then see the play Mousetrap.

Amish Acres

The theatre where Mousetrap is performed.

Whilst we had lunch, just a bit of shopping, stars in my eyes!

Our tour around Amish acres and the Amish way of life, our guide Kathy.

Off course, Amish quilts are in the house.

Some  of the Amish quilts for sale in their shop.

Log cabin

Baby cradle in house with handmade quilt.

DH and I waiting for the tour around Amish acres.

This was the ceiling of the theatre, where the Mousetrap was performed. A great show and a very late night, where we checked into our hotel near midnight.

Next day, after our late night was a sleep in, then after 9am we all left to go and visit a quilt shop, The Pumpkin vine, lots of goodies purchased by eager quilters. 

After shopping we then went to Essenhaus and another quilt shop, lunch and then we went to a craft market, where I picked up a few vintage items. We dined Amish style at The Blue Gate restaurant, very enjoyable.

DH was one of the first into the quilt shops, not to buy fabric, but to get in from the rain and cold.

The flea market, lots of handmade goods.

Shipshewana township. As you can see it was very wet and slightly cold.

Lots of Amish carts out and about in very wet weather.

More of Shipshewana, very green.

Another log cabin quilt hanging in our hotel. There was also quilting and cross stitch groups having a convention at our hotel. We had three days in Shipshewana, lots of shopping and looking around the town, which was very spread out, next stop Chicago.

Farewell Shipshewana.