Meet the Maker: Sara King of Red Thread Upcycles
It’s a terribly windy day, and we are searching for Sara King’s stained glass studio out in Lorimor, Iowa. The navigation has taken us to an abandoned one-room schoolhouse that ...
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Meet the Maker: Sara King of Red Thread Upcycles
It’s a terribly windy day, and we are searching for Sara King’s stained glass studio out in Lorimor, Iowa. The navigation has taken us to an abandoned one-room schoolhouse that ...
Journal
Savoring the Seasons
I’m sitting outside with my laptop after completing the morning walk to school with my kids. We’ve been sleeping with the windows open this week, which I love in part....
Meet the Maker: Nathan Spalding of SadBoy Ceramics
“I think a lot of my work veers more on the modern side for pottery, but I don’t want it to feel cold,” Nathan says. “I want it to feel...
A Hygge Breakfast for Two (or "How to Trap Your Friends")
Several years ago I read a book called The Turquoise Table about how to better connect with your neighbors and friends. The author is a big advocate for hanging out on your...
Welcoming Fall: A Conversation with Jenn O’Neal from PepperHarrow
A year ago I had the privilege of selling my baked goods at PepperHarrow Farm in Winterset, IA for the Madison County Fall Crawl event. I brought my daughter, who...
Summer to Fall Cocktails
Today we’re talking all about cocktails. We’ve been expanding our selection of cocktail accoutrements at Des Moines Mercantile and are excited to highlight some of our favorite barware and one...
Meet the Maker: Brian Peterson
One of the most frequently asked questions we hear at Des Moines Mercantile is, “Who made this beautiful ________?” (Bowl, bench, rolling pin, stool, cutting board, cribbage board, charcuterie board...
A Handmade Holiday
When my husband and I first got married, like a lot of people, we had little to no disposable income. We very rarely ran the heat or AC in our...
Fall Favorites
The leaves of the sugar maple in my backyard are just beginning to turn orange and red at the very top. The morning walks to drop my kids off at...
Meet the Maker: Deja Keppler of Savor the Rise
Welcome to the first in a series of blog posts called Meet the Maker! In this series, I’ll get the opportunity to introduce you to the creatives and craftspeople behind...
Talking Sourdough: Tips, Tricks and the Impact of Flour
When I first started making sourdough, like most people, I started off with flour I could get at a regular grocery. A plain white, bleached bread flour. It’s what I...
Shopping Local, Hand-Crafted and Slow
So much of what makes Des Moines unique is its small business community. There is something special about the people of Des Moines in that we truly love, patronize and...