That may be my favorite blog post title EVER. On Sunday July 6, Mr. Wonderful, Male Spawn, and I took a day trip to the Vermilion Falls and Vermilion Gorge hiking trails. Northern MN has been getting a lot of rain and so I hoped there would be lots of photo opportunities. The weather didn't... Continue Reading →
We’re Baaaaaaack!
Losing Cook Dollar Barn was one of the worst experiences we have lived through. It wasn't just a store; it was an important social hub for the Pajari Girls, and our little town, too. Every day, the list of people and things we miss gets longer. And when people told us that there must be... Continue Reading →
Dancing in Graveyards
I made a Fairy Cemetery for Halloween this year. It seemed appropriate, considering what a year of loss 2013 has been. I've always liked cemeteries. We grew up close to the Cook (Owens Twp.) Cemetery. Micki, Melissa, and I would meet there on bicycle and ride around the circular drives, marveling at the children's stones... Continue Reading →
One of my latest self-discoveries was that hating winter doesn't make it shorter, and it certainly doesn't make me any happier. So, after making ice candles, candle rings, and ice gems/marbles, I went hunting for more crafty ideas on Pinterest and found this genius named Tracy Lynn Conway who had pinned ice sun catchers using... Continue Reading →
Fire Starters
Usually, our projects are like what we eat: fast, cheap, and easy. This is not one of those. The good news is that it's way simpler than it sounds. It's fast if you have the supplies already and don't have to gather the pine cones now and wait two days for them to thaw, warm,... Continue Reading →
Fast, Cheap, and Easy Ice Candle Ring
Ok, so all my ice-cream buckets are toast. The ice pushed through the bottoms instead of the tops. 😦 And I have yet to master the five gallon bucket or garbage can methods. However, I did have one experiment that turned out great...an ice candle ring. You will need: A bundt pan about three quarts... Continue Reading →
Ice Candle Tutorial
This is northern Minnesota. Bitching Bragging about extreme winterness is in our Nordic DNA. When hell freezes over, Minnesota schools will start 2 hours late. There are four seasons in Minnesota: Early Winter, Winter, Late Winter, and Road Construction. The majority of cars and trucks have block heaters, standard. And on and on... I used... Continue Reading →
Ice Gems/Marbles; How-To-Not-To
Personal Note from The Baby: As the Employee of the Year at Cook Dollar Barn, I feel it is my duty to share not only my successes but also my epic failures. Mistakes are where I learn the most, anyway. And I make plenty of them. You're welcome. Last night's mistake Valuable Learning Experience (VLE)... Continue Reading →
I Hate Pants.
Don't get me wrong. Not all the time. Not every day. Well, usually at SOME point every day, I hate them... Okay, maybe I should clarify that a little. Maybe you fell behind and are raising your hand. By "pants", I mean jeans or slacks. Pajama pants, yoga pants, leggings and long johns don't fall... Continue Reading →
A Foofy Bow Tutorial That’s Fast, Cheap, and Easy
I remember wishing as a child- and later as an adult- that I had half the crafting ability of our Great Aunt Martha. She made Martha Stewart look like an unimaginative slacker. And I LIKE Martha Stewart. (I also wish Aunt Martha had lived to see Pinterest--she would have LOVED it!) In my twenties, I... Continue Reading →

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