Stories – Yarns from the Lake

Mittens

I had a friend from elementary school, Elissa, who I had lost track of and reconnected with several times throughout our lives. I changed schools when my family moved to a different community during junior high, later she lived moved away from Minnesota. Elissa looked me up after she had moved back to Minneapolis andContinue reading “Mittens”

Eriksson Maple Syrup

My grandfather, James Shonts Eriksson, became a lawyer in Fergus Falls, MN, after graduating number one in his law school class at the University of Minnesota in 1933. Shortly before WWII he was settling an estate involving 32 heirs to 120 acres of woods near his lake cottage north of Fergus Falls. None ofContinue reading “Eriksson Maple Syrup”

Sedona Knit Wits

One of our day trips while in the Phoenix area was a 150 mile drive to Sedona for some hiking, and to see a former coworker. It is beautiful in Sedona with it’s dramatic landscapes and famous red rock formations. We arrived there around noon, pulling into a commercial center to get some lunch. WhileContinue reading “Sedona Knit Wits”

Craft Fair

When preparing for snowbirding in Arizona this winter, I had to decide what to do about my ETSY shop. I don’t have a huge inventory or tons of traffic, but I decided to put everything in a plastic box and bring it with us. If an order happened, I could fulfill it from the road.Continue reading “Craft Fair”

Frostline Kits

Does anyone remember Frostline Kits from the 1970’s and 1980’s? That was a company selling kits with fabric, 100% goose down filling, and accessories for sewing outdoor clothing and equipment, including down vests and jackets, backpacks and tents. Frostline Kits was started in 1966 in Colorado by a former employee of Gerry Mountaineering. At theContinue reading “Frostline Kits”

Happy Holidays

I have written before about my mom’s extraordinary creative abilities. In today’s post, to celebrate Christmas and honor my mother, I am sharing photos of Christmas decorations and other things she made over the years. The yellow angel has been around for as long as I can remember. My mom must have made that inContinue reading “Happy Holidays”

Vintage Buttons

I was preparing to post some store sample hats from my cousin’s yarn shop for sale on ETSY. Normally I go for simple and practical, without a lot of embellishment. But I felt that these hats needed something more to distinguish them from the many other hats for sale. I had the idea of addingContinue reading “Vintage Buttons”

Too Much Stuff

Throughout history most people have lived with few possessions, by necessity, economic limits, or cultural norms. Early nomadic groups moved regularly. Most people for thousands of years were, or are still, just surviving. After WWII in the United States there was an economic boom that resulted in many people owning homes and experiencing financial stabilityContinue reading “Too Much Stuff”

My New ETSY Shop

I am excited to let you know that I have opened an ETSY shop called LakesCountryHandMade. I am selling products I made including hand spun yarn and hand knit items, as well as store samples from my yarn shop inventory purchase. You can search on the store name in ETSY, or you can click onContinue reading “My New ETSY Shop”

Bricks of Fergus Falls

Some of the streets in Fergus Falls were paved with bricks until around 1960. At that time the bricks were removed in order for a gas main to be installed, after which the street was resurfaced with asphalt. The bricks were relocated to a massive pile where they were available for purchase at 1 centContinue reading “Bricks of Fergus Falls”