The Paperweight Factory

I am busy making paperweights for a new client. As I stitch and glue, sitting in my lovely studio, I'm reminded what a lucky girl I am. Once this order ships, I'll be on to making art for my upcoming show at The Good Life in Wayzata which opens November 21. Stay tuned!

Happy Halloween

The kiddies are out, but the numbers seem to be down this year. Could it be that both of the high schools in our district are in the state high school football tournament finals? Maybe so. No costumes here, but I did do some fall decorating. Have a great day everybody!

Celebrating 20 Years of Marriage

For weeks, Mark has had an entry on the calendar, “Linda, keep day clear.” making me very curious to what he had in store. All he told me was to wear something that I would be comfortable in, going in and out and to be ready to go by 10 am. His surprise did not disappoint. We headed toward Rockford, furthering my curiosity. It was a beautiful drive, in spite of the light rain. The colors this fall have been spectacular and even tho a bit past peak, they were still stunning. We continued south around the lakes, one of our favorite drives but usually in the convertible. (No convertible today...a wee bit chilly) He turned on Water Street in Excelsior and he said, “Here we are. We’re here to shop, look around, have lunch and it’s on my nickel. So, if you see something you want, I’ll buy it for you”. What a sweet man. Talk like that could have been dangerous but I guess he knows I have a practical side! He set aside a day to do something he knew I would enjoy. We have talked often about going down to Excelsior to check out those shops but never got around to it. It was a delightful surprise and we also found a small burner for our deck. It’s a Mongolian Hot Pot. We thought it would be the perfect size for throwing on a few twigs while we sit out on our deck together. We don’t need a big blazing fire just a few flames for ambiance. It’s an unusual piece and certainly will provide interesting light, the crackling fire sound and a good place to roast a marshmallow or two. It will also be a fun reminder of our special day out together and the thoughtfulness of the man I love.

I was touched that Mark came up with this plan. I thoroughly enjoyed the day which included lunch at Maynards overlooking Lake Minnetonka. The entire day was wonderful and a very creative “present” if you ask me! Mark didn’t think it was quite as creative as his diamond ring surprise on our tenth anniversary. (If you don’t know about that surprise, I’d love to tell you the story. It was really one for the record books and I can tell you, he continues to be held up by my friends as an example to their own spouses) I don’t know too many men that would investigate the quality of the shopping, check to see if there was a nice place for an overnight and lunch and then make it a surprise. I’m a lucky girl.

Fall Cruise and Favorite Wheels

When I say, "We're going on a cruise", most people assume we're taking a ship to some exotic island. Not so. My favorite way to "get around" is our 1968 Dodge Dart convertible. We've taken the convertible on long cruises but our favorite thing to do is just take a short ride together. Some of the best fall color is in our own backyard and this year has been spectacular. One of our very favorite cruises is through St. Paul via Summit Ave, crossing the river and traveling on the Minnehaha Parkway and going around all the Minneapolis lakes. Truly beautiful. It's amazing how much green space the Cities have. Our cruises started out long ago, when all six kids were at home. Sunday evenings we'd each grab a cup of coffee, jump in the car (at the time we had a Camaro) and just drive. It was our quiet time with each other to regroup for the coming week. Well, it must have worked. On Wednesday, Mark and I will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. Happy trails!

Favorite Shop - Stonecrop, Maple Grove, MN

This is one of my favorite places to shop. The owners, Kathy and Jim, are the greatest people and create an atmosphere of calm and peace. If you need a special gift, a wonderful card, or just a dose of tranquility, Stonecrop should be on your list of places to visit. Stonecrop carries my paperweights and my tiles which are licensed by Studio Vertu. I just got a job at Stonecrop, I'd love to show you around! Stop by and I'm sure it will become one of your favorites, too. Peace.

Double Bonus

Even though I already posted about one of my favorite destinations, I want to add these photos after returning from the North Shore. We had a wonderful time in Duluth. We've been going on our fall outing since 1991. We started out going to the North Shore every year, then mixed it up a bit with a couple years in Hayward, Wisconsin and another in Alma, Wisconsin. We travel with our friends, Tome and Marilyn,Donna and John. The fall colors were beautiful this year. We had great weather although today was a bit brisk. It didn't rain until we were on our way home. Enjoyed being outdoors on the shore, looking around Canal Park, shopping and driving the Skyline Parkway. We had lots of good food, too much as usual and plenty of good cold beer. My sister Gloria and her husband dropped by for a visit, too. A favorite Get-Away, to a Favorite Destination...ahhh...double bonus!

Favorites: Lake Superior

One of my favorite places and my birthplace; the North Shore of Lake Superior. I grew up in Silver Bay. This weekend I'll be returning as part of our annual fall get-away with good friends, Tome, Marilyn, Donna and John and of course, my best friend, Mark. :) The lake is magical. Loud, yet calming. Deep and foreboding yet peaceful. I look forward to sitting on the shore, thinking, rolling stones over in my hand, enjoying good friends, good food and being near this incredible treasure.