As part of my “Living Local” series I’ve started this spring, I decided to poll my friends on Facebook and  ask others in person, what their favorite local places to shop were. Most people got excited about 1 or 2 stores and had a quick sales pitch of why they liked that place. After talking to a few hundred people who live in this area, I felt that I had a good idea of what most locals and blog readers like. Last month I decided to visit each store recommended to me. I was able to chat with the owners and learn about what makes them special and unique- as well as do a fun fashion shoot with a friend!

I felt that this series also fit in perfectly with April’s theme of Inner & Outer beauty.  (Read my intro post to April’s Beauty Series)

Over the next few months  I’ll share some of the best places to shop in Northwest Arkansas based on YOUR suggestions. Also, check out the Living Locally section on my blog and please email me if you would like to see a certain store covered. Even if you don’t live in NW Arkansas, you will probably still enjoy all the posts because we are getting fashion tips from the experts! With a wide variety of shops visited, there is something for everyone.

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The Crescent {Prairie Grove}

This post got stuck somewhere in my head a few months ago and failed to ever get itself written and published. Life happens.  I’ve asked Sarea, since she LIVES in Prairie Grove to add some commentary to my blog post to give it some more personal attention (Hey Ya’ll!)  and also provide a top 3 places to visit in Prairie Grove at the bottom of this post. See her writing in blue. This should be fun… She has NO idea…

Now is a perfect time to return to this series as I’m at a place at work where I know what I’m doing so my hobbies of blogging and exploring Arkansas can be picked back up. Finding these fun little places in unexpected areas are like finding little treasures just waiting to be discovered. Honestly, Prairie Grove has a lot of places that are unknown to most, but have no fear, I will share a few of them with you at the bottom of this post!

Prairie Grove is a town like that- there are several stores and places that took me by surprise and it is, in fact, a place to be visited while in NorthWest Arkansas.

The Crescent is on the downtown strip of Prairie Grove (Between the 4 way stop sign and the light going east) and in a building that  is almost 100 years old. The sound of the floor as you walk in is perfection- a creaky wood that is well worn and itself tells the history as decades of feet have crossed over the floors. Heidi actually described this perfectly.  I still remember the first time I walked into The Crescent back in 1992, the building made me feel like it was a place that my grandparents would have shopped and traded in.  The owners are Travis and Shannon Stearman who have owned it for the last 10 years or so and have slowly transformed it from a clothing store to a fun boutique!

Unexpected to me was the trendy clothing and jewelry that hung on racks in between custom, inexpensive furniture, vintage pieces, local school and state spirit accessories and plenty of other cute, well priced items. They also do custom printing/embroidering  jobs for all of the baseball/softball teams as well as any other groups.

I felt a local would best represent all the fun and good so I called up Taisa Akey to come model the clothing. Taisa is a Zumba master and after you shop, swing by her fitness class! Taisa and I have been very close friends for over 10 years.  She is beautiful inside and out!

I love these t-shirts! Clearly I am in to living locally and these shirts are a perfect way to show off my acquired roots.

The jewelry was very reasonably priced in the $20-$40 price range. Her selection is constantly changing so be sure to check back in to see what new things that Shannon has in stock. It’s a great place to shop for gifts!  Shannon is also very personable and willing to offer suggestions if you need them!  I love the feel of a small town store!

Side note: Unlike the rest of my store visits, on this occasion I had to take both Bear & Bug. Bear got really into watching Rebecca photographing Taisa and the store and wanted to get into the action. He got my cell phone and walked around taking pictures of the different products in the store- as well as Taisa.

Overall this store is amazing. Shannon has so many one of a kind pieces that would be a wonderful contribution to any  house or wardrobe- be sure to check it out, it’s worth the drive over to Prairie Grove and below are 3 other fun things to do while you are there!  (I might have to give more than 3, hope I have permission to think ‘outside’ the box.)  Thanks again Shannon for showing me your store and for your patience waiting as this post took awhile to get published!

Top 3 Places to visit whilst one is in Prairie Grove, AR In no particular order:

• *Prairie Grove Aquatic Park:  Very affordable, clean facility and pretty awesome place to have in a small town.  I was fortunate enough to manage the PGAP for several years and the kids LOVED coming to work with me each day!  Nothing like getting paid to get tan and swim!  Plus, if you have teenagers this is a great summer job.
  
• *Prairie Grove Battlefield Park: We also have an amazing State Park right in our front yard!  I lived here for almost 20 years before I took the ‘driving tour’ and I have done it about 5 times in the last two years!  A very inexpensive cd ($4) featuring a narrator and local musicians takes you on a scenic drive while giving you a very enjoyable history lesson.  I have taken several friends on this tour and then given them the cd as a gift to remember their time here in NWA. They also do re-enactments on the odd years.  They just celebrated 150 years this past December!
• *Gabriela’s Mexican Restaurant:  Or as us locals affectionately call it “Gabby’s’.  Good food and great people!  We are very happy that they have been successful enough to soon be opening a brand new location in between Farmington and Fayetteville!
  
• *My sister’s salon “Turning Heads” is uber cute and full of adorable clothing and things as well. I think we will try and do a small piece on her place sometime soon as well.
• *I would feel really bad if I didn’t tell you that main street is full of antique stores and flea markets…you don’t want to miss it!

Dude. This is Heidi again. How are the flea markets last? LOL Daisy & Olives is the reason most of the people I know go to Prairie Grove… XD SO yes, there you have it folks, make Prairie Grove a destination of yours this summer!

I saw these on Pinterest awhile ago and have been dying to make them ever sense.  I’m going to guess it was the Pioneer Woman who inspired me thus, but I’m not sure and to the genius who came up with these- these bacon and egg goodness- THANK YOU.

These are so easy that a recipe is barely needed, just looking at them tells it all but I decided to break it down for the fun of it.

What you will need:

-Great Day Farm All Natural or Omega 3 Eggs

-Thick cut bacon

-Muffin Pan

-Salt & Pepper

The Preparation:

Preheat the oven and bake the bacon according to the package directions. When the bacon is mostly done, still soft and not crunchy, remove it from the oven. When it’s cool enough to touch, wrap it inside a muffin tin, placing another small piece on the bottom of the muffin tin for a bottom.

Crack an egg in each muffin tin, lightly salt and pepper it, then bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or when when the egg is lightly touched it bounces a bit and doesn’t stick to your finger. Cooking this way made the eggs over medium, some of the yolk was cooked and some was runny. Perfection.

Serve and eat within a few minutes of being taken out of the oven. Great with a side of hash browns!

Instead, I’m doing this…

Painting my nails for the Naturals baseball game tonight…

Cleaning the nightmare of newspaper subscription off my desk…

Watching movies:  ”Les Miserables”, “Mama”, “Jack Reacher”, “The Impossible”, “Hansel and Gretel”…

Working on my paper piecing quilt…

So, while this weekend won’t consist of me hiding myself away in a cabin and pondering my life, it will have me doing things I enjoy on my terms!  Oh, and since tomorrow is Father’s Day, I would like to say that my dad is amazing and one of my favorite people on this earth!

I love you Dad! 

I am always changed by the things that happen here and always touched no matter how many times I have seen the same weeks, same campers, and everything camp.

Today I want to share a sweet story of two precious friends that love each other so much and yet their worlds are very different.

Let me introduce MJ and Rhonda.

MJ and Rhonda at camper arrival. They just love being together and MJ always looks to find Rhonda to be next to her.

They have known each other for several years now, and I know what you are thinking MJ is barely old enough to have “years” and that is so true, however, once these two met even at MJ’s young age they became besties.

MJ is our CEO’s daughter and Rhonda is a faithful camper and they met several years ago when MJ’s dad began working for us and it became a beautiful friendship right away.

When Rhonda is at camp MJ tries to spend as much time with her as her mom will let her.  She even has had short sleep overs in the cabin that Rhonda is in and so now MJ is not just friends with Rhonda but she is friends with all of Rhonda’s friends as well, and they all love when MJ is around.  

I love that these two love each other so much because I feel it shows the Love of Christ is such a powerful way.  It doesn’t matter that these two have years between them or that MJ can walk and Rhonda can not, it simply matters because they have a connection and they said yes to loving another person just as they are.  

At wrap up (the nightly time of worship and teaching) MJ like to go and sit on Rhonda’s lap while they worship Jesus and listen to the speaker. MJ gets to stay up late the weeks that Rhonda is here so they can spend all the time they can together.

I love the friendship between these two and I think that it can teach all in the world such amazing lessons.  I love watching them talk and enjoy time with each other.  While MJ still loves Dollies and Rhonda enjoys starbucks they have found a best friend in one another on grounds that they care for one another nothing more or less.

There is no care of how their friendship shouldn’t work in the typical bounds of friendships.

All that should be called into question is left at the door and they are simply sweet friends because they love and enjoy one another no other reason.

Their friendship is a beautiful picture stating that love and friendship truly have no rules in this Barnabas world. 

MJ and her mom with Rhonda at wrap up one night.