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Our State Fair Is A Great State Fair

August 24, 2014 by Sara

Win Me!

It’s Day Four of the twelve-day Minnesota State Fair and I’ve visited twice so far.  Of course it’s everything I expect it to be every year, and more.  There are lots of new additions to the fair this year, and as much as I don’t like change I like what’s been done.

On Friday I went to the fair with my dad, Charlotte, Fojo, and later in the day Paenney joined us.  Mom is still recovering from her knee surgery so she’s depending on the rest of us to report back to her to let her know what’s going on.  You can be sure she’ll hear everything.

Of course the main thing about the fair (for me) is the food, and I’ve had a bit of it so far, although much less than I would like.  Good thing I’ll be going back a couple more times to fill up.

Danielson & Daughters Onion Rings are a must!

I missed out on my deep fried Twinkie-on-a-Stick, only because it was so hot I didn’t feel like eating much, but I did manage to have a deep fried turkey sandwich, deep fried pickles, Tom Thumb Donuts, a jumbo beef burrito, a taste of chicken and waffles, Pronto Pup, and onion rings.  Not a record in the eating marathon that the fair is for me; I think I’m starting out slow and waiting for the sprint at the end.

An every-year favorite, the Pronto Pup.

Husby and I will be going to the fair two more times before it’s gone again for another year, so hopefully I’ll be able to eat everything I want.  On the list:

1.  Deep fried Twinkie-on-a-Stick
2. Shrimp Dog (shrimp and cream cheese covered in batter and deep fried, served with cocktail sauce)
3. Lobster Roll
4. Walleye Cakes
5. Foot-Long Hotdog
6. Crab Fritters
7. Sweet Martha’s cookies
8. Lefse with butter and brown sugar (Husby only)
9. Wild Rice Hamburger

The list goes on and on. Hopefully the weather will cool down a little and allow me to eat more.

I’ll keep you posted on all the great food I eat, plus whatever else I encounter at the Great Minnesota Get-Together in 2014.

In case you didn’t know, my entire world stops when the Minnesota State Fair is happening.  Even though I’m not there each of the twelve days my mind is completely wrapped up in the event.  After all, our state fair is a great state fair.

Posted in Everyday | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments »

I’m Confused and Mental and Chaotic!

August 20, 2014 by Sara

OK, so I’m here tonight thinking I can relax but I totally can’t.  If I sound really chaotic and twirly it’s because I am.  Ack!

I don’t know if you’ve noticed the new additions to my blog sidebar.  Check them out.  Right there, to the right of where you’re reading.  I have a cool little slide show of some things I make and sell, and I also added links to the two shops where you can find my wares, as well as to my Etsy shop.  I’ve been at The Farmer’s Daughter for several years with nice success, and I just started a working relationship with Gumball Collective this month.  I’m very excited about selling to a new market and will be interested to see what I can offer in that neighborhood.

With two brick and mortar shops to stock, an Etsy shop to stock and three shows coming up in a mere three weeks I’ve gone completely mad trying to figure out which venue needs what kind of inventory.  I start something and forget about the other thing.  I pick up on that thing and remember I didn’t do something else.

But here’s the thing.  I have some new magnets that I know you’ll love.  OK, maybe you won’t love them.  Maybe you’ll even be offended by them.  I don’t care though, because…it’s art, man.

Take, for example, this insensitive piece:

Seriously? You’re making fun of mental disorders now?

Or hey, how about some swearing?

Wouldn’t you say the same thing?

I know!  I’ve gone completely insane, and plus very confused as to where these magnets should be shown.

I’m going to come clean.  These magnets, no matter how offensive or profane they may be will be offered, eventually, everywhere I show products.  There will be other magnets too, because the possibilities for magnets are limitless.  And right  now I don’t even have links to the magnets shown here (in case you are so insensitive or brash to actually want one) because they’re not even on sale at my Etsy shop just yet.  However, they will be, and soon.  Like, tomorrow.

All of you people shopping online, keep an eye on my Etsy shop for the additions coming in the next couple of weeks.  For those of you shopping in White Bear Lake, MN  check out  The Farmer’s Daughter.  If you’re in Northeast Minneapolis, MN visit  Gumball Collective.

Seriously, no matter how mental I get I’ll make sure these venues have some things you’ll love.

Now, back to your sanely-paced regularly scheduled programming.

Posted in Craft Business | Tagged , , , | Leave a Comment »

I Wanna Be A Paperback Writer Named Sharona

August 15, 2014 by Sara

I came home from work today and Husby had me sit down to the computer right away to look at something ~ it was about the coolest thing I’ve ever seen so of course I had to post it here.

Two songs I really like all rolled into one. What can be better than that? It’s the perfect way to begin the weekend.

Enjoy!

Posted in Everyday | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments »

MaryAnn Opened My Eyes

August 13, 2014 by Sara

Today I had lunch with my life-long friend MaryAnn.  She’s been quite the Facebook fiend lately, posting a lot about any number of things.  I told her, as I was stuffing my face with fried rice and princess chicken, you totally should take those Facebook posts and put them on your blog.  

A long time ago I coerced MaryAnn into starting a blog and she liked posting for a while, but then the little bloggy space she created was abandoned without a second thought.

During our lunch MaryAnn told me all about some new challenges she’s undertaking to better her life, her quiet time spent at the A-frame cabin in the woods by the river, and some awesome things her husband can do, like building his own saw mill.  I looked at her with amazement and said, duh, more blog posts!

What? You mean my life is actually interesting enough to blog about?

She looked thoughtful for a while and decided that yes, it would be fun to document some of these things in her life.  Then she told me very pointedly that my blog, too, has been suffering.  She wondered if Dobby was ever given a sock and was quite relieved when she read my last post about the candles I poured last week, which was written nearly a month later.

It’s so much easier to find blog posts in other people’s lives.  My own life seems so ordinary and it’s hard to get motivated about expressing the happenings in writing.  Do I really have to have pictures?  What about my horrific grammar and editing skills?  I lost track of why I blog and therefore it got harder.

I have to blog at my own pace and on my own time. So with that I hope I’m a little easier on myself when it comes to blogging, and MaryAnn, won’t you join me?

Posted in Blogging | Tagged | 4 Comments »

My Latest Escape

August 11, 2014 by Sara

This past weekend I had an escape.  I was in a deep coniferous forest surrounded by the scent of fir trees.

I felt the moist earth along with the crisp crunch of pine needles under my feet.

The air was clean and the smell of the forest was so invigorating.

In the midst of the quiet, cool forest I built a fire with more glowing embers than flame.  I found the perfect stick on the forest floor and with my small pocket knife whittled the end to a sharp point.  Upon that point I skewered the freshest marshmallow ever, and toasted it to a golden brown.

What could be better than a marshmallow melted by an open flame, I thought, than to pair it with a bit of creamy chocolate?  And to sandwich it all between two squares of graham cracker?  They call that delectable treat a s’more.  Anyone who has  been camping, and even many who haven’t, know the utter delight of this taste treat.

Such satisfaction I felt, deep in the woods and indulging in the gooey lusciousness of a s’more.

Except I wasn’t in the woods at all.  And there was no campfire and no marshmallows.  I was busy pouring candles in my studio all weekend long.  But my work took hold of my imagination and I was transported.

It wasn’t an accident that I poured a large batch of Northwoods Dream pillar candles, a lovely fir scent that takes you deep into the woods of northern Minnesota, a batch of Toasted Marshmallow votive candles and a batch of German Chocolate votive candles.  The three scents took me away from what would normally be considered work into the fantasy of a lazy afternoon in the peace and quiet of nature, not to mention the decadence of s’mores.

The sense of smell is one of the most powerful of our five.  One whiff past the nose can take you back to your childhood or to a cherished place.  Never underestimate the influence of scent and the primitive power of a single flame.

Auntie B’s Wax has a variety of scented candles.  Check them out and come back often as there will be additions to the shop periodically. 

 

Posted in Candles | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments »

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