It’s been a couple of years, but I was really fortunate to be invited to southeast Arkansas for an event called Designed in the Delta. It was hosted by Paul and Debbie Michael at their Paul Michael Company Lake Village store and office, their warehouse and their hunting lodge.

I met up with several of my Arkansas Women Bloggers buddies for two FULL days of activities which also included stops at the local Amish Country Village Store and the infamous Rhoda’s Tamales.

I could live in the Lake Village Paul Michael’s, especially during the holidays. All of the displays are just beyond amazing. If you’ve never been to one of their stores, you really should make plans to go. The quality and quantity of their decorating items, dishes and furniture are quite good and very reasonable.

Delta Moxie’s Kellee Mayfield, a Lake Village resident, marvels at the PMC window display.

Just one of the amazing mantel displays in the PMC Lake Village store.

One of my favorite stops was at the home office in downtown Lake Village. Paul is an avid bread maker and designed this office with special bread ovens which he uses at least weekly to bake several — probably a whole lot more than several — loaves of fresh bread which he generously gives away. I may have lusted after those ovens — so much so that I failed to get a photo!

My fellow ARWB members and I got to try our hands at wreath making in the PMC Creation Station discovering that SOME of us might just want to stick with cooking rather than decorating. 

Paul is the ultimate scavenger. The PMC warehouse is an architectural elements heaven. I absolutely loved exploring artifacts salvaged and gathered from around the world. Some of my favorites were doors, door knobs and windows from post-Katrina homes. I can only imagine how many of these items could be incorporated into the building of a new home. Perhaps if I was of a crafty bent, I could use them in my home. Martha Stewart I am not.

We also got to go into the furniture-manufacturing shop when Jake Michael walked us through the making of the famous PMC cutting boards. With more than a little begging, each one of us received one personally inscribed with our monograms or logos.

Stephanie Buckley, The Park Wife, shows off her custom cutting board created by Jake Michael brother to Lizzie Michael and son of Debbie and Paul Michael.

And here’s a peek at mine:)

The Michaels — Paul, Debbie, Jake and Lizzie — treated us to dinner at their hunting lodge where Paul actually did most of the cooking. Apparently, he as famous for his fried venison as he is his bread.  

This cheese ball recipe is one I picked up from the Michaels’ friend Joey who set us up with some nibbles during our store tour and early-bird shopping spree. He claimed I would be the only one with whom he has ever shared the recipe. Somehow I doubt that, but it makes for a good story anyway.

So here it is just in time for your New Year’s Eve or Day parties. It’s easy and quick and can be made well ahead of time giving you time to get the last of the Christmas decorations down and stowed away until next year. 

Now if I could just coax Paul into giving me his bread recipe!