Etsy Feature on the News!

One of the etsy teams I belong to, Team MN, was featured tonight on our CBS affiliate, WCCO.

Growth Of Crafty Businesses During Rough Economy

We've known about the story for awhile now, it was good to see it put together!

The Big Hill

I feel like I'm running out of things to blog about for the moment, so here's a photo of the kids on the Big Hill a few weeks ago. They *love* to go sledding. My husband took this photo since I was busy trying to walk the dog/not kill myself on the ice. I think they had much more fun!

Wells Fargo Museum in Minneapolis

I happened to be downtown Minneapolis on Friday and thought I would visit some of my favorite places in the skyways (and get some exercise).

The Museum is located in the the Wells Fargo Center, one of the more striking buildings in the Minneapolis skyline. It has a fabulous Art Deco style that goes throughout the building as well.


The photos are from some of the displays.


Gorgeous early photos from the Owatonna, MN bank. This may have to be an excursion one day. I just found some current photos of it online.



Early check fraud!



I love the old style to these banking machines.

St Paul Night Drive

This is not my video:). I found it on youtube. Thought it'd be nice to share especially since it shows the Christmas lights and people ice skating.

Enjoy!! PS I've been watching these for awhile and feeling a tad bit of motion sickness. Be warned!

Wabasha Street Caves

One of my favorite places to drive is in Lilydale. It has a teeny population and really, it's hard to differentiate between it and St Paul. It's down by Harriet Island towards the West End. It reminds me of my hometown, Hazleton, PA with it's mountain like view and it's traces of industry.

The first two photos in the collage are in Lilydale. I had turned around and was coming back towards downtown St Paul. The bluff is on my right and the city is on my left. The third photo was taken about half a mile up the street, from Harriet Park, and is of the St Paul skyline.


This area has a rich history. Especially for gangsters:).


I have yet to take a tour. There's a lot of info at http://www.wabashastreetcaves.com for the different tours they do of the caves. I had passed by the actual cave a number of times and not seen it, I finally happened upon it last week. There's a great little coffee shop called Grumpy Steve's with the best mixed coffee drinks ever. Yum. They also sell a number of locally crafted hand made items as well. And books on St Paul. I could probably spend all day in there. It's not out of the realm of possibility!

Also, I just wanted to post a link to Princess Lasertron's shop. I just did a custom item with her and it turned out beautifully and so well made. She's a lot of fun to work with! I was going to do a whole big post (probably still will!) with the giftee but life has been very busy. Her pins and flowers make great gifts and there is still time before Christmas to buy from her shop!!! She has a very fun blog here.

A Prairie Thanksgiving

We went West for Thanksgiving. I love days like that where the color compositions are just right. The sky is a warm shade of cornflower blue, the fields are a happy gold and there are still patches of living green. Not always guaranteed in November in MN! We had a good time with my family during dinner.

And that was our Thanksgiving. While others shopped and traveled and ate, we were all felled by a virus, one after another. We spent a lot of time sleeping, cleaning and not eating.

And now I feel like listening to Garrison Keillor.

Silver Bells, Silver Bells...It's Christmas Time in the City.

Big fat flakes fell last night and I couldn't resist drawing out my late night run for Coke (for sick bellies:() and getting some photos. These were both taken around Rice Park in St Paul. I finally feel festive...

Possibilites Looming

Rather unexpectedly, I may have a place to sell the things I sell on etsy in a real brick and mortar. It's a new place and I need details, BUT...Not having to ship items? Not having to store everything? Plus the possibility of teaching again? Why yes, yes I am quite open to the idea!

Things happened very quickly. But since I do not have enough art/craft items made yet for me to sign up for a craft fair, this may be a very good way of getting a feel for something outside of etsy. I am excited.

(These are stairs from FSF's uncle's neighborhood.)

The Crazy Week...in Photos!

I got lost in Hugo. If you may have heard or remember, Hugo had a fatal tornado strike in this development right before Memorial Day 2008. One of my 'sisters' (her mom is my best friend and took me under her wing and is like my mom!) lives in this development and her little one was celebrating her birthday this weekend. Well mapquest decided it didn't want to give me all the directions and I figured I could figure out where she was on my own...well...I did...after driving around for an hour! LOL. HUGE development. Most people were still working on their homes. Most homes were missing a shingle, or a window, some were still missing all their siding or roofs. Some homes were still just...gone. Very surreal. They started working on my 'sister's' roof that day too, until she told them about the party! They were kind enough to stop! Oh the drama, lol! It was fun though...One year olds + cake = hilarious times...






My husband went to a Democratic rally in downtown Minneapolis. He thought I would get a kick out of this sign. Which I did, lol! He got to hear Keith Ellison (Congressman) speak. I'm just a tiny bit jealous!










I made a new friend.



I ended up taking him/her to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center the next morning. I am not a good squirrel mom;). This little one LOVED me though, haha.










And no pics yet, but the new I-35 W bridge opened this week! She's a beauty! I haven't been down there yet, but I plan on going soon and getting some photos.

10 Days until the Convention

I thought I might try blogging every day about the Republican National Convention going on here. There's been so much activity in town, it's actually becoming a bit fun to watch!

Two days ago, the city mowed. I think it's the first time in a couple of years. So woohoo Convention goers, you get short grass!!!! Of course, it's killing my family's allergies. Thank goodness for Benadryl.

In the photo above, you get a nice shot of the Capitol building and the short grass on the left!

From the MN Historical Society page on the Capitol:

On January 2, 1905, thousands of Minnesotans streamed through the richly decorated halls and chambers of their new state Capitol for the first time. The product of nearly 12 years of planning and construction, the Capitol was immediately hailed throughout the country as one of America's grandest and most beautiful public buildings, a reputation that has endured for a hundred years.

Now that the State Fair is starting up today, a lot of the road construction is done as well!!! I am thankful for that!