“Folk School adds a personal touch to your Christmas gifts”

                                                                                                                                                            
     If you want to add a personal touch to your Christmas gifts this year the Villages Folk School classes will give you the proper one-on-one instruction. Joy Hanson will teach you how to make a container candle in your favorite cup or mug that looks and smells like a cup of hot chocolate topped with marshmallows. Are you thinking about crocheting a special gift but don’t feel confident in your crocheting ability? Join Meg King for leisurely day learning to crotchet.

     Creating a beautiful quilt can be a challenging endeavor but with the help of our folk school instructor, Joy Hanson, you will be amazed at how quickly your task is completed. Spend a weekend with Joy at the historic Mason House Inn in Bentonsport as she teaches you the proper steps to completing a wonderful handmade quilt.

     This year we have added a new class, Christmas Cards & Favors, which will be taught by Sandi Dimmitt on December 8th from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Congregational Church parsonage in Keosauqua. Join Sandi for an evening making special cards and favors for this holiday season.

     For a look at what is happening at the Villages Folk School go to www.villagesfolkschool.com and see our class calendar. You may reach us by phone at (319) 592-3700 for any additional questions or help with class registration.

The following is a schedule of our remaining 2011 classes:

Container Candles

3-Dec-2011 -

Beginning Crocheting

3-Dec-2011

Christmas Cards & Favors 8-Dec-2011

Hand Piecing, Appliqué & Quilting

17-Dec-2011 18-Dec-2011

     Let the Villages Folk School be a part of your holiday planning by registering for a class or purchasing a gift certificate for your family and friends. Call us today at (319) 592-3700 or go online to www.villagesfolkschool.com.

“Thankful in the Villages”

                                                                                                                                                                                 
     As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving in the Villages of Van Buren County it offers us a chance to reflect on what seems commonplace and come to a realization of not only what we are thankful for but why we are thankful. The Villages Folk School board and staff want to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving and our hopes are that each of you has time to reflect as we do and enjoy this special time with your family and friends.

     Our few remaining classes in this year will give you a chance to think of those friends and family as you prepare something special, made by you, that will be a gift to serve for years as a reminder of your love and friendship.

     Join us here at the Villages Folk School and make a gift for that special someone in your life. Our artist instructors will guide you through every step. You will be amazed at what you can create as you ‘live the arts’ with a folk school instructor.

     We have a new class, Christmas Cards & Favors, which will be taught by Sandi Dimmitt on December 8th from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Congregational Church parsonage in Keosauqua. Join Sandi for an evening making special cards and favors for this holiday season.

     For a look at what is happening at the Villages Folk School go to www.villagesfolkschool.com and see our class calendar. You may reach us by phone at (319) 592-3700 for any additional questions or help with class registration.

The following is a schedule of our remaining 2011 classes:

Container Candles

3-Dec-2011 -

Beginning Crocheting

3-Dec-2011

Christmas Cards & Favors 8-Dec-2011

Hand Piecing, Appliqué & Quilting

17-Dec-2011 18-Dec-2011

Register for one of our classes and put an added spark in your holiday season.

“Location, Location, Location!”

     Folk school artist, Gin Lammert, has recently released a series of pastels entitled “Along the Mormon Trail” and I believe it is some of her best work ever. She didn’t have to travel far for her subject because the Villages of Van Buren County that she travels through each day provided the fall palette from which she drew her inspiration. Her work will be on display at the Burns Gallery & Tea Emporium in Bonaparte through December 4th.

     Coming to the folk school to take a class allows you to experience the villages in southeastern Iowa and discover why so many gifted artists have chosen to live the arts in this pristine Des Moines River valley. This fall has been an incredible display of nature as the turning from summer to winter continues its colorful array of ever changing scenery. Soon we will see the landscape covered in a blanket of white snow and enjoy yet another season here in Van Buren County. All of this can be experienced by coming to this southeastern Iowa paradise and enjoying a stay at one of our peaceful B & B’s while partaking in a class at the Villages Folk School.

     This season why not make plans to take a class in an art form that you have always wanted to try. Our folk school artists will guide you through as you learn to create your very own masterpieces. Our class calendar can be found online at www.villagesfolkschool.com or call our office today at (319) 592-3700. For those of you without internet availability here is our schedule for the end of the year:

7 Step Chair Caning

19-Nov-2011 -

Hand Piecing, Appliqué & Quilting

19-Nov-2011 20-Nov-2011

Container Candles

3-Dec-2011 -

Beginning Crocheting

3-Dec-2011

Hand Piecing, Appliqué & Quilting

17-Dec-2011 18-Dec-2011


Join in the fun at the Villages Folk School!

“Create your own holiday gifts”

     As we approach the holiday season the thoughts begin to turn towards giving and those special people in our lives. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could create something made especially for them with our own hands? Our talented artist instructors have scheduled classes for this season that will help you create a holiday gift for that special someone in your life. Call our office at (319) 592-3700 or go to our web site at www.villagesfolkschool.com and register for one of those classes. Each class is designed to help you complete a project that is ready for use or for giving. Whether it is Shaker Boxes, Container Candles, Chair Caning, Crocheting, or Quilting the folk school has a class designed just for you.


Here are the dates for each of those classes:

Shaker Boxes

12-Nov-2011 13-Nov-2011

7 Step Chair Caning

19-Nov-2011 -

Hand Piecing, Appliqué & Quilting

19-Nov-2011 20-Nov-2011

Container Candles

3-Dec-2011 -

Beginning Crocheting

3-Dec-2011

Hand Piecing, Appliqué & Quilting

17-Dec-2011 18-Dec-2011


     The work of folk school artist, Gin Lammert, will be the feature exhibit at the Burns Gallery & Tea Emporium in Bonaparte, Iowa from November 5th through December 5th. Stop in to see her wonderful collection of pastel paintings entitled “Along the Mormon Trail”. Meet this gifted artist at a special reception to be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Friday, November 11th.

     The Villages Folk School invites you to “live the arts” with us here in scenic Van Buren County. Make this holiday season a time to enjoy the arts “hands on” by taking a class at the folk school or by visiting the Burns Gallery & Tea Emporium where you can see paintings by Gin Lammert and bronze sculptures by Chris Bennett.