that blond chick's blog

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2011-05-24T06:24:00.000-05:00

I LOVE SUMMER!! I can't stress that enough :) There's something fantastic about the snow going away, things greening up, sunshine, and warm temperatures. It's time to go camping, hiking, biking, swimming, fishing, and all that other fun summer stuff.

I've been busy working on my line of Up North Rustic Creations, which are handmade/hand decorated wooden items. These are great for your home, cabin, or RV/camper. There are canoe paddles, picture frames, trinket boxes, signs, and more. I'm still in the process of loading all of the items on my website, but there are some of them there. Please visit! Click here to see Up North Rustic Creations Of course, I still have other types of items as well.

If you're in my area, I'd like to invite you to come by a couple of events I'll be at. One is July 2-4 in Solon Springs, Wisconsin for their annual 4th of July festival, and the other is July 8-10 in Two Harbors, Minnesota for Heritage Days.

Here's a few pictures that haven't made it to my website yet:

More Winners

2011-04-08T17:46:00.000-05:00

Every month That Blond Chick gives away an item by drawing a name of all people who receive my newsletter. This month's winner is Deb from Duluth, MN. She won the Doggy Doorstopper!

I also have people enter a drawing for an item at each craft show I do. The winner from my last craft show was Kevin of Cloquet, MN. He won a tart melter and an 8 pk of tarts!

If you'd like to receive my newsletter, you can visit my website, http://www.thatblondchick.com/ to sign up. You'll also be able to find information about when and where my craft shows will be, and see what new projects I've been up to!

If you'd like to share a picture of your pet, I also have a "Pets" page and you can get your dog, cat, rat, or what have you on with the others. Check it out!

Craft Show Season

2011-03-14T15:59:00.000-05:00

It's craft show season again, and that's very exciting! I'm really looking forward to getting "out there" again, chatting with people, seeing all the neat things people are making, and showing off my new items! If you're in the area, I'd be very pleased to have you come by my booth and say hello. The craft shows I'll be at will be posted on my website, http://www.thatblondchick.com/.

The first one I'll be at this year is:
Super One Foods Spring Craft Show
Saturday, April 2, 2011 9AM-5PM
Pine Tree Plaza-Cloquet, MN

If you'd like to sign up for my monthly newsletter while you're on my website, you'll also be informed as to the craft show schedule. Everyone who signs up for the monthly newsletter is automatically entered into a drawing for a giveaway of one of my items. Gina from Texas was the winner last month-she won an "Up North" wolf plaque.

Bear Cubs You Can Watch On Webcam

2011-02-18T12:26:00.000-06:00

Last year it was the loon cam, this year it's the bear cam! Last year Lily, a black bear near Ely, MN gave birth to a cub named Hope. Many people watched it live on this webcam. This year, Lily gave birth to 2 more cubs-making her den a little crowded, but what fun to watch the interaction between Hope and the 2 new little ones.

You can watch the action anytime here. These cubs are so cute! Soon it will be time for them to come out and check out their outside world.

If you know of any other wild animals being followed by webcam, I'd be very interested in checking them out-drop me an e-mail and let me know!

Cabin Fever!

2011-01-24T13:37:00.000-06:00

I don't know about anybody else, but this is the time of year where I get spring fever, cabin fever, whatever you choose to call it. And I get it BAD!! I really don't like Winter much anyway, and that coupled with the dumpings of snow, followed by way too many days of below zero weather, makes this blond chick about ready to do something crazy! I have been snowshoeing a couple of times this winter, but the 2nd time I stepped right out of my showshoes twice. I don't know how I didn't tie my bindings correctly, but I didn't.
Summer is so much easier-no snow to shovel, no scraping ice off the windshield and letting your vehicle warm up before you can go somewhere, no freezing rain, no dumpings of snow, no below zero weather. No dressing in as many layers as you can just run to the grocery store. Some people will have nicer weather in the not too distant future (LUCKY!!) but really, it doesn't get here until about May-ok, sometimes April. I know there's no "perfect weather" place in the United States, but I know there's places with lots shorter winter than here in northern Minnesota! Tell me your thoughts about Winter-do you like it or not, how long does it last where you live, any winter activities you enjoy, etc. Wishing for warmth and sunshine.....

A New Year-New Adventures!

2011-01-02T16:59:00.001-06:00

Seems like lots of people make New Year's resolutions, and then forget them soon after. I've been reading a few of my friends blogs and they, too, mention the "resolution" problem.

Natalie has a great philosophy, taken from a song.
Cindy acknowledges last year was great, sets new goals, and writes down things she can do better.
Joelyn made a bucket list!

I have a goal this year, too-I want to expand my creativity and take on some cool new projects to see how I can do. Oh, and spend more time outdoors/in the woods/at the cabin/in the boat/with my dogs when it gets warm out again.
I'm really looking forward to doing some more craft shows this year, and meeting new people/making friends at the shows.

So....what's going on this month at That Blond Chick's Rustic Lodge Style Decorating?

On Sale:
Incense and Incense Burners

Buy a minumum of 2 incense burners, OR a minumum of 2 packages of incense, OR a minumum of 1 burner and 1 package of incense, and you will receive FREE SHIPPING on those items!
The shipping shows up in your cart, but it is refunded when your payment is processed.

We still have a few candles left on sale also!

French Vanilla Coffee and American Classic Coffeehouse pillar candles-regularly $14.95, on sale for $10.95. Only 2 left of each!

...plus all remaining jar candles.
Regularly $12.95, now only $9.95. Quantities left are between 1 and 3 of each.
Scents-Blueberry Muffin, Lemon Cookie, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Pumpkin Pie Treats, Birthday Cake, Cinnavanilla, and Apple Pie

Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win a candle/tart warmer and an 8pk of tarts for melting.

See thatblondchick.com for details, or you can e-mail here.

Don't forget to follow along on Facebook, and you can follow on Twitter @DecorateRustic and @upnorthrustic too!

Happy New Year, everyone :)

Up North Rustic Creations

2010-12-19T19:04:00.000-06:00

I'm very pleased to announce a new line of products available on my website. Up North Rustic Creations is a line of hand decorated wooden items, created right here in That Blond Chick's workshop! There's canoe paddles, trinket boxes, plaques, signs, letter holders, and more. You can check out the ones I've posted so far on the website (http://www.thatblondchick.com/), and there will be more posted as I complete them! I've got tons of ideas for stuff and I'm very excited about them! Here's a few pictures...

I'm hoping to have quite a few more designs ready over the next month or so. I'll have plenty of items for your home, cabin, or RV. I'd be willing to consider special requests or personalized items, too-if you'd like to inquire about this, please visit my website, http://www.thatblondchick.com/, and click on the "Contact Us" tab. Send me your request, and we can discuss the details.

It Smells Good In Here!

2010-12-14T21:31:00.000-06:00

Don't you love it when someone walks in your house and says "It smells good in here!"

If you like incense and tarts, you're sure to like these!

Incense Cones: Cherry Vanilla, Blend 22, Vanilla, and Cinnamon

Stick Incense: Arabian Musk, Champa, Gingerbread, and Pumpkin Pie

Tarts: Banana Bread, Navel Orange, Pumpkin Pie, and Sandalwood

Air Freshner: Jasmine, Strawberry, Love, No. 8, Black Cherry, and Dreamsicle

Cone Incense Burners

Tart Melter/Candle Warmer

Stick Incense Burners

Air Freshners

See all these and more-includng candles (Holiday Scents, and other Yummy Baked Goods Scents), gifts, and rustic decorating pieces at http://www.thatblondchick.com/.

Can't believe it is the middle of December already! The year sure flew by. All kinds of plans for the holidays and the upcoming year are being discussed on a daily basis now everywhere you go. Happy Holidays to everyone, and a wish for many blessings in the year ahead. Be grateful for what you have accomplished in your life.

What Is Rustic Lodge Style Decorating?

2010-11-27T18:34:00.000-06:00

Lodge style, or rustic decorating, gives a feeling of being in the outdoors, brings the outdoors in, or keeps memories of a cabin by a lake, camping or hiking trip, or other pleasurable outdoor/nature experience close at hand. Common colors that are used in this type of decorating are dark browns and greens, gold, red, cream, tan, and blue. Wall hangings with either painted or unfinished frames are used. Generally, items featuring bear, moose, deer, fish, wolves, and pine trees fall into this category. You can use anything as inexpensive as a basket of pine cones to something more high-end as handcrafted log furniture. The nice thing is, it all works very well together. Experiment with different pieces and placement until you find the right combination that makes you feel good! Using scented candles, tarts, or incense will give an added dimension to your experience. Of course, a nice cracking fire in the fireplace can only add to the ambiance!

Visit http://www.thatblondchick.com/ for information on how to sign up

for the monthly Rustic Lodge Style Decorating Newsletter.

Winners!

2010-11-14T14:55:00.003-06:00

Recently we started having people sign up at our craft shows in a drawing to win product from the website.

Last week we gave away a Wood Bark Birdfeeder to Roseanne of Esko, MN.

This week's winner is Jackie of Esko, MN and she won the Get Out and Hike Stepping Stone.

Would you like to be a winner, too? You can sign up at our booth at any craft fair we're at. Can't make it to the show? Drop us an e-mail at mail@thatblondchick.com to subscribe to our monthly newsletter. Each person that subscribes to the newsletter is automatically entered in a monthly giveaway. The first issue of the newsletter will be out at the beginning of December.

See where our next craft show will be by visiting http://www.thatblondchick.com/.

Rustic Decorating

2010-11-04T20:07:00.000-05:00

Been a while since I've blogged here. I'm pleased to announce my web store is up and running full force! I have a lot of neat rustic decorating pieces, candles, incense, and gifts. I will be adding several more pieces to my online store that I'm currently displaying at craft shows. If you like rustic decor, you should check this out!
Check the website http://www.thatblondchick.com/ for my products. There you'll also find dates and locations of the craft shows I'll be at so you can see the items "live", links to other cool stuff, the "Pets" page, a CafePress store, and many other fun and interesting things.

I'll be putting out my first e-newsletter at the beginning of December. It will inform you of monthly specials, news, updates, and a couple of articles as well. If you'd like to sign up for the newsletter, drop me an e-mail at mail@thatblondchick.com and let me know you'd like to sign up!

Visit My Web Store

2010-06-23T06:41:00.000-05:00

Hello, everyone!

For quite some time, I've been working on an online store to sell home decor (mostly rustic/lodge style), candles, incense, and gifts. It's up and running now! I will be continually adding products as they become available. I will also be doing a booth at some local events (craft shows, community events, etc.) and those dates and locations will be posted on my site.

Please stop by and check it out!
http://www.thatblondchick.com/

A Nice Afternoon

2010-05-30T09:16:00.001-05:00

Yesterday afternoon was very nice-it was 80 degrees and sunny, with a slight breeze. We took advantage of that to sit by the firepit for a while with the dogs. They just kinda made their spot in the shade and stayed there instead of running around like they usually do. Here's a few pictures.

My "Big Doggie", Ruger

My "Little Girl", Roxie

Both dogs enjoying the shade together

Looks like it's going to be another nice day today!

Time Flies

2010-05-25T19:34:00.000-05:00

Time flies when you're having fun, they say. It also flies when you have WAY too many things going on at once. The last few weeks have been that way for me.

I'm hoping to get out again into the woods and do some more hiking and get some great pictures very soon.

As I was getting ready for work this morning, I heard a different kind of bird making noise in my yard--it was a male phesant! We had a female one that hung around a few years back, and got her to the point where we could throw handfuls of birdseed and she would run up and eat it. Hopefully we can make the same progress with this guy. I put out some corn for him this evening when I saw him again, so will be watching for him to come and eat it. Here's a picture of him!

A Walk On The Munger Trail

2010-04-29T10:21:00.001-05:00

I had a nice walk on the Munger Trail last night. I only walked a couple miles of it, but really enjoyed it. Lots of great scenery--you can go off the beaten path in several spots and walk around in the woods. Here's some photos~

Live Loon Cam!

2010-04-27T13:02:00.000-05:00

A friend showed me this cool loon cam!
There's a man by the name of Larry Backlund in central Minnesota who has had loons nesting on his property for over a decade, and he has this cool way to observe them. Here's a quote from the site about the webcam.

"About The Live Loon Cam:
The LIVE Loon Cam is a live webcam on the nest of a common loon. Located in central Minnesota, USA, this nest has been the site of many incredible moments. Larry Backlund is our resident loon expert and shares what he can see from his vantage point on the edge of his property. This nest is 100% wild and 100% natural!

A loon family has taken residency of Larry's nesting platform for over a decade ever since Larry first started putting one out. New for 2010, we are now bringing you sound and night vision. We also encourage you to follow along with Larry in his regularly updated blogs. If you want to interact, you can head to our Loon Chat Room and now for the first time, you can stay connected as a fan on Facebook."

Here's a link so you can see!
http://www.mnbound.com/live-loon-cam/

The loon wasn't in it's nest when I looked, but I'll keep checking. If you know of any other "animal cams", let me know and hopefully I can post it here.

A Visit To The Grand Canyon

2010-04-25T11:05:00.001-05:00

This past Labor Day weekend, we took a drive to the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

We were in awe of it from our first peek through the trees as we drove next to it going into the park. We couldn’t come close to doing all the things there are to do there in the time we had, but took advantage of many of the scenic pull-off spots and took pictures and video. A few spots had trails you could walk on to get different views of the canyon. Pictures can’t describe how fascinating this place is.

If you’ve been wanting to go to the Grand Canyon, I would highly recommend it. If you are a camper and don’t want to spend a lot of money for a campsite, Ten-X Campground, just south of Tusayan at the South Rim would be a good choice. It was $10 per night with a minimum of 2 nights. They have tent camping and pull through sites. We were tenting it so I don’t know about power hook-ups. You can get water from spigots around the campground, they have “outhouse” type toilets, and the campsites are spacious. I was worried about it being kinda “desert-y” since it was Arizona, but there were plenty of trees and grass-even a little humidity during the day. Temperatures were in the 80′s during the day, and about 55 at night.

Here’s a link if you want information about the campground.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/kai/recreation/campgrounds/TenX.shtml

Here's a photo album of our trip.