We Spent Serious $$ Today at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Art Crawl.

We had some good times today at the Arboretum Art Crawl.  And we also spent some dough -- not a break-the-bank amount, and not with all of these vendors on this post, but with a couple of them.  And if YOU are on the Hoyt's holiday gift list, you'll be liking what we'll be sending out as December rolls around.

For instance, Emily Gray Koehler, pictured above, is a skilled wood cut printmaker from White Bear Lake.  Recipient of a 2015 Artists Initiative grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, Emily Koehler's woodcuts "explore our complex relationships with the natural world."

La Nancita made a couple of purchases from Emily's shop, and we'll be keeping an eye on this young artists as her career moves forward.  

Patty Conlin, pictured to the left here, is a fascinating goldsmith with a special talent for rings, necklaces and bracelets in particular. She knows precious stones not to mention her customers' preferences, tastes and styles.

While we did not write a check for a new gold ring, we left impressed, intrigued, and thinking, hey, maybe, just maybe one of these days ...

You like granola?  I mean the really special stuff -- homemade, delicate, distinctive? Where you can taste the ingredients, one at a time, and you just know you're eating healthy?

We bought some of the Honey + Nut variety from Patti, plus several bags of her Oven Roasted Rosemary Nuts.

OMG. You MUST taste these babies. "Patti's" -- Locally Made, Locally Loved -- does not disappoint.

The "Crawl" is on tomorrow, August 16th, at the Arboretum.  Go if you can.  Tell our new BFF's Patty, Patti and Emily that Nancy and Seth sent you. Have fun!