Albert Lea Magazine Jan/Feb 2014

ALBERT LEA MAGAZINE

Teachers find new look for glass january/february 2014

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tips from a framer

Jewelry from Africa has a missionary tie

n a s i t r e A f i L n a s It’

VOL. 2 NO. 1

JAN/FEB 2014 jan/feb JAN/FEB 20142014

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PHOTOGRAPHER’S NOTE

Crafted with love

Brandi Hagen, Photographer

Good luck, Kelli!

We at Albert Lea Magazine are sad yet excited to tell readers that our editor, Kelli Lageson, has taken a position with the Owatonna People’s Press and will no longer be part of this magazine we’ve all come to love. We appreciate Kelli’s dedication to the first four issues and hope this issue that we’ve finished up in her absence continues to show off that hard work. Good luck, Kelli.

We’re going to miss you!

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Projects, projects everywhere! When I’m not working, I love to find something to be my latest masterpiece. Like many, though, I have all these giant ideas and after a couple of days, sometimes a week if it’s really good, I’ve already lost interest or get too busy to finish what I started.

My interest in craft projects stems from my mom, grandmas, aunts and great-aunts. They like to get together on a weekend and make a crafted item to give away to family and friends as gifts.

My grandma crochets afghans or sews away on a quilt for the newest baby in the family. My aunt makes her own greeting cards, and my great-aunts dive into woodworking projects.

It’s always fun to see what they’re up to, and it’s inspiring to see their finished work.

It makes me feel a little guilty, actually, that my half-finished afghans, melted crayon canvases, wine bottle lights and my supposed-to-be cross-stitched gingerbread house hide in the dark corner of the basement waiting to be finished and on display.

In this issue of Albert Lea Magazine, we are excited to show you crafty women who finish what they start and how it has transformed their lives. In one of our features you’ll meet Heidi Blankenship, who has been doing arts and crafts since she was 3 and now works with six companies that promote her work across the world.

The crafts we feature in this issue don’t stop at just pieces to wear or put on display, either. Sara McGuire of Conger makes her own laundry detergent, shampoo and a handful of other beauty products, so she knows exactly what she and her daughter are putting on their bodies.

And we offer plenty of tips for crafts in your home, such as how to frame art and a few wonderfully wintry recipes.

So read on, be inspired and pick up those projects you abandoned long ago.

Publisher Crystal Miller Editorial Editor Tim Engstrom Contributing Writers Micah Bader Angie Barker Drew Claussen Brandi Hagen Jennifer Vogt-Erickson Kelli Lageson Jennifer Levisen Emily Schmidt Sarah Stultz Contributing Photographers Brandi Hagen Kelli Lageson Jens Levisen Erin Murtaugh Tim Engstrom Art Art Director/Story Layout Kathy Johnson Graphic Designers Kristin Overland Colby Hansen Susan Downey Sales & Promotion Sales Representatives Catherine Buboltz Michele Beyer Renee Citsay Clay Culbertson Angie Eggum Susan Price January/February 2014 Volume 2, Number 1 Editorial correspondence: Editor, Albert Lea Magazine, 808 W. Front St. Albert Lea, MN 56007.

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced without written permission.

For comments, suggestions or story ideas call 507-379-3433.

To purchase advertising, call 507-379-3427.

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Warm winter treat Enjoy this cozy cocktail on a cold winter night!

Tom & Jerry Drink Recipe A Tom and Jerry is a classic winter cocktail and a must for every explorer of the drink world, your holiday party or just relaxing by the fire. It’s a sweet, frothy warm drink that is flavored by dark rum and, usually, Cognac (other Brandy can be used as well). It’s best with hot milk, which makes the drink thicker than if hot water is used.

INGREDIENTS: 12 eggs, separated 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 pound butter, room temperature 3 pounds confectioners’ sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon ground allspice DIRECTIONS: 1. Beat egg whites and salt until foamy in a large glass or metal mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. The egg whites should form a sharp peak that holds its shape.

2. Beat the egg yolks to soft peaks in a separate bowl. Beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and vanilla to the butter mixture; mix. Stir in

the nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and the egg whites; beat until well blended. Batter can be frozen or kept in the refrigerator for several weeks.

3. To make a Tom and Jerry, fill a cup of hot water with spiced rum or brandy, warm milk, hot cocoa, or eggnog and stir in 1 heaping tablespoon of batter. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Enjoy!

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on the cover

features

ALBERT LEA | Jan/feb 2014

MoRE THAN JUST A HOBBY

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When she was a child, Heidi Blankenship’s grandmother got her into crafts. Now the Albert Lea artisan works with six companies.

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FUSING ART Three art teachers take an all-new approach toward glassware and formed their own company to sell it.

JEWELRY WITH A CAUSE Thanks to Ruth De Haan of Hollandale, Africans create jewelry for Americans, with the benefits going to an African school.

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contents

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4657 57

Seen

6 ‘i do’ weddings and engagements 10 fox on the fairway opening 12 Meet the met 14 color dash 18 thorne crest baked potato fundraiser for united way

Departments

In every issue

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dietitian’s digest Ask the expert Book review Scrapbook

58 final word 62 Events calendar

Teachers find new look for glass

20 Dazzle: Homemade cleansers 28 tidbits: Winery 30 create: grandma’s gourmets

“It’s like being a mad scientist.” — Sara McGuire, Page 20

things you didn’t know you wanted

16 tidbits: Little free library 24 SAVOR: white chicken chili

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On the cover Teachers find new look for glass 40 Jewelry from Africa has a missionary tie 46 7 tips from a framer 52

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tips from a framer

Jewelry from Africa has a missionary tie

isan t r e A Li f It’s

jan/feb 2014 jan/feb 2014

an

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SEEN | Area Weddings & Engagements

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(1) Eric Bakken and Melanie Farris (2) Jamie Neilon and Tracy Dahlum (3) Ashley Misgen and Anthony Cookas (4) Seth Buchanan and Tiffany Schrader (5) Katie Zenk and Chris Hebblewhite (6) Neal Wenninger and Amanda Leonard (7) Tracey Kruger and Klint Sauke (8) David Everhard and Lauren Cliff (9) Brienne Bangert and Tyler Sandal (10) Jacqueline Christensen and Matthew Morris

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(11) Abilyn Wolters and George Gerdes Jr. (12) McKinzey Christian and Tim Stoneking (13) Derek Peterson and Ashley Hall (14) Chad Schaper and Sarah Luna (15) Matthew Schnabel and Krystal Anderson (16) Emily Latch and Jarred Martin (17) Samuel Quintus and Stephanie Lundt (18) Andrew Hertges and Alison Sabinish (19) Derek Nelson and Beth Hajek

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SEEN | The Fox on the Fairway

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1 Albert Leans flocked to the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center for the first show of the Albert Lea Community Theatre’s 2013-14 season. “The Fox on the Fairway” featured six local actors and was directed by Rory Mattson. It was opened Oct. 10 and ran through Oct. 19.

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(1) Jen Dao and Chris Adams (2) Orv and Dorothy Simonsen (3) Judy and John Bangh (4) Mary Ellen Johnson and Marlys Broberg (5) Bill and Cheryll Intihar (6) Amy and Brian White (7) Ron and Jeanne Hanson and Delmar and Kay Boyken (8) Pam Wasmoen and Mary Jo Ditlevson

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SEEN | Meet the Met

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Meet the Met is when people heading to live broadcasts of operas at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center first gather at Prairie Wind Coffee to hear a synopsis.

(1) Joyce Nixon, Carol Wolter, Sara Aeikens and Crystal Schatz (2) Denise and Chuck Sandager (3) Sue Jorgensen and Eileen Nelson Ness (4) Ruth Vermedahl and Marge Hamersly (5) Eileen Nelson Ness gives a preview of “The Nose� to a group of about a dozen people in the back of the National Vitality Center on Oct. 26.

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SEEN | Color Dash

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Celebrate Albert Lea, a festival to celebrate the completed Broadway reconstruction, kicked off with the Color Dash, a five-kilometer fun run, on Oct. 12. The route started at the intersection of North Broadway and Fountain Street, and the money raised from the run was split between the start of a Youth 1st chapter and the Albert Lea wrestling booster club for the renovation of the high school weight room.

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(1) Katie Kirsch, Alivia Johnson, Heather Johnson, Braydin Kirsch, Brycin Kirsch, Cody Bolinger and Lily Johnson (2) Brenda Bledsoe, Kathryn Ponik, Angey Carson, Nicole Merill, Cayley Carson, Chelsey Carson and Teresa Carson (3) Jenni Mattson, Landon Mattson, Alexa Newman, Ashley Newman, Amy Newman, Alyvia Newman, Alyssa Bangert, Brooklyn Drescher and Aubrey Drescher (4) Nic Cantu, Brady Nielsen, Caleb Talamantes, Joey Flores and Kail Wynia (5) Abby Pleiss, Kaylee Nash, Chaise Brackey and Holly Hill (6) Angie Dauer, Torri Avery and Tiara Campa (7) Nikki Harig, Joshua Everett, Adam Kermes, Natasha Klinghagen, Brody Page and Jodi Hestness

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(8) Maddy Carstens, Culley Larson, Max Pleimling, Alli Sherman, Nora Pleimling, Lucy Sherman and Annie Pleimling (9) Nicole Lebrun, Megan Lebrun, Abby Lebrun, Dylan Anderson and Genny Lebrun (10) Corrine Mattson, Brandon Etherington, Michele Bock, Dan Bock, Tonia Palmer and Darin Palmer (11) Julie Yotter, Makena Hall, Julia Drake-Tobiasen, Mandy Hall, Amy Geyer, Hannah Heusinkveld, Laynee Behrends, Tracy Behrends, Gage Heusinkveld, Stacy Adams, Stacy Heusinkveld and Kim Behrens (12) Coryn Kluender, Emily Krohnberg, Lindsey Rauenhorst, Diane Rauenhorst, Erin Krogsgaard and Becca Bryson (13) Alysia Kulla, Megan Morris, Andrea Brua, Kristy Vicke and Kristin Wicklace (14) Kendra Stene, Angie Stensrud, Andrea Ostrander, Megan Peterson, Brett Peterson, LuAnn Mannes and Shana Rogstad

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TIDBITS | Little Free Library

Story and photos

by Kelli Lageson

little library

The that could

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n Albert Lea woman is hoping to spread her love of reading through caring for a Little Free

Library.

A Little Free Library is a small book collection where anyone can borrow a book to read, with no time limits and no late fees. Albert Lean Carol Hegel Lang said she wanted to build a Little Free Library so that children all over the city have access to books. And even though the idea of the library is that children can borrow books and bring them back, Lang said if a child wants to keep the book that’s OK, too.

“I feel it’s important for every child to have a book,” Lang said.

Woman gives out free children’s literature

Lang bought 48 books at the Salvation Army store and at another thrift store.

She is also hoping people want to donate new or gently used children’s books to keep the library full. The library was installed in October.

The Little Free Library is at 806 Lincoln Ave., and Lang said Roy and Nancy Beighley built and decorated the little structure. Lang’s granddaughter, Carissa, 12, helped. After they found all the books, together they made a bookmark explaining what the Little Free Library is.

Then Carissa decorated all the bookmarks according to the theme of the books.

“She helped pick out the books, too,” Lang said.

Carol Hegel Lang stands by the Little Free Library she had built. The library is at her property at 806 Lincoln Ave. in Albert Lea

16 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

Both Lang and her granddaughter read frequently. Lang said she used to visit the library in Lake Mills, where she grew up, multiple times per day to get books to read.

“Reading transports you anywhere in the world,” Lang said. “There’s nothing greater than going to bed and tucking that book under your pillow.”

Lang said the caretaker for the Little Free Library is Serendipity Gardens, which is run by her and her husband.

They found some examples of a Little Free Library in Northfield, and Lang said she just had to build one of her own.

Lang hopes that other individuals, or even a school or service club, will also want to make and care for a Little Free Library so that there can be more than one in Albert Lea. It does take work, but Lang said she thinks having these libraries would be valuable to the community.

More details on Little Free Libraries can be found at www.littlefreelibrary.org.

There is a map of where the libraries are located. Lang said she has her official number, but she’s still waiting to get the official plaque for the library. Then the library at 806 Lincoln Ave. will appear on the online world map of the libraries.

Some nearby ones are in Rochester, Mankato and Faribault.

There have already been a few children to visit the library, and Lang hopes its popularity just keeps growing because reading is so important to her.

“Books always taught me I could be who I want to be,” Lang said. AL

BIG Think

Contributing writers Micah Bader Micah enjoys sports and working on his motorcycle and Jeep.

Angie Barker Angie is an avid book reader who lives in Albert Lea with her husband, Josh.

Drew Claussen Drew resides in Albert Lea and enjoys running, golfing and watching hockey.

Tim Engstrom One of Tim’s hobbies is disc golf. He and his wife, Lisa, have two sons, Forrest and Jasper.

Brandi Hagen Brandi enjoys photography. She lives with her boyfriend, Nick, and dog, Molly.

Kelli Lageson Kelli likes to read. She lives in Clarks Grove and works as a copy editor in Owatonna.

Jennifer Levisen Jennifer works at Mayo Clinic. She is married to husband, Jens. They have a son, Anders.

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Emily Schmidt Emily is a registered dietitian with Mayo Clinic who enjoys writing about healthy living.

Sarah Stultz Sarah enjoys gardening. She is married to Jason and has two kids, Sophie and Landon.

Jennifer Vogt-Erickson Jennifer is a writer living in Albert Lea with her husband, Jeshua, and kids, Axel and Trixie.

JAN/FEB 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 17

SEEN | Thorne Crest Baked Potato Fundraiser for United Way

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In early November, Thorne Crest Retirement Community hosted a fundraiser for the United Way of Freeborn County with baked potatoes as the main dish.

(1) Gen Montei (2) Allyssa Sorenson (3) Irene Catlim and Dorothy Boettcher (4) Don Kropp, Judy Kropp, Shari Van Wey, Betty Rathman and Chuck Van Wey (5) Valerie Kvale, Marge Kuethe and Sue Allen (6) Jurene Wick and Jane Saunders (7) Helene Westrum and Marilyn Moe (8) Cindy Anderson, Jolene Becker, Edie Arnold, Karen Anderson, Sue Callahan, Weston Hulst, Ann Austin, Amanda Irvine, Pam Kramer, Pat Torres, Beth Rheinfels and Allyssa Sorenson

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JAN/FEB 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 19

DAZZLE | Homemade cleansers

Story and photos

by Brandi Hagen

Who needs to purchase

cleansers?

One Conger woman makes them at home

Salts, essential oils and herbs are some of the ingredients Sara McGuire uses when making her own hygiene products.

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Last winter, Sara McGuire, a 27-year-old Conger resident, made a change to her lifestyle.

She decided to make her own laundry detergent as a way to save money and to be more conscious of the chemicals she was using on her body and in her home.

“It was easier and more fun to do it myself,” McGuire said.

Meanwhile, she went to a continuing education class for her job as a licensed practical nurse at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea. In the class she learned about the benefits of using essential oils and herbs, spices and other natural ingredients in everyday life instead of man-made products.

McGuire was inspired. After seeing how easy it was to make laundry soap and learning more about natural ingredients, she figured she could make other products, too. The first thing she tried making for personal hygiene was shampoo.

“It was kind of nerve-wracking at first to use it because a girl’s hair is her hair, and you don’t know what it’s going to be like,” McGuire said.

She noticed her hair seeming healthier than before, but then it started to feel weighed down. The problem was the soap was opening the hair follicles, but there were no ingredients in the mixture to close them.

“I didn’t do enough research in the beginning,” McGuire said. “But I started looking on the Internet to see what others had done and got ideas that led to my own recipes and ideas.”

Some of the other items she started making were lotion bars, lip balm, bath salts, body butter, lotion and scrubs for

“I didn’t do enough research in the beginning,” McGuire said. “But I started looking on the Internet to see what others had done and got ideas that led to my own recipes and ideas.” — Sara McGuire face, body and hands, to name a few.

It wasn’t hard to get started, either. For the most part she had the equipment needed to make the products, and she found a place online to buy the natural oils and dried herbs in bulk.

There have been two things McGuire made just once. The first was soap. It turned out, but it wasn’t as fun to make it as she thought it would be.

“It was a long process,” she said. “And it can be dangerous because you use lye to make it.”

When the summer months brought mosquitos, McGuire tried making her own bug spray. It didn’t really seem to deter the bugs.

“I haven’t tried again since,” McGuire said. “Everything else has worked on the first try.”

McGuire said some people thought she was crazy when she started to make her own products, but others were interested.

“A lot of people think it’s hard; it’s really not,” McGuire said. “The hardest part is coming up with scents and what’s going to go together, but to me that’s fun.

It’s like being a mad scientist.”

The more products McGuire made, the more friends and family inquired about having her make some for them, too. She filled orders, but also told people how

Sara McGuire of Conger started making her own personal hygiene products as a way to save money and use less chemicals in her home.

JAN/FEB 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 21

they could do it themselves.

“People like to know how and why,” McGuire said. “And, nobody knows their body better than themselves.”

When she first started to make and use her own products, McGuire said she

Sara McGuire holds lotion bars that she made.

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wasn’t really hesitant or worried.

“Sure you could have an allergic reaction to the essential oils, but most of the oils I have are things I’ve used in the past like lemons and oranges,” McGuire said. “It’s all basically stuff you

could eat and be safe.”

McGuire said she has felt healthier with using her own goods and said she has a more even skin tone than before, such as fewer blemishes on her skin.

Not a bad result, for a changed lifestyle. AL

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SAVOR | White chicken chili

Photo by Jens Levisen

Jennifer Levisen lives and works in Albert Lea. She enjoys finding new recipes to share with her family.

Second helpings guaranteed Inspired by a cookoff My favorite thing about cooking for others is watching them enjoy what they’re eating. The “mmms,” “yums,” requests for second helpings and empty dishes give me such a delicious sense of pride. I love being in the kitchen and making others happy, so I rarely pass up the opportunity to combine the two.

One of the first dishes I made that elicited the responses above was white chicken chili. I wish I could say the recipe was mine, but I picked it up at a chili cookoff a number of years ago at work. It was a crowd-pleaser then and still is. My family and friends love it, and — my favorite part — it’s even been requested at family birthday dinners! I hope you’ll be adding this one to your recipe collection!

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White chicken chili Ingredients • Meat from 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded • 3 cans Great White Northern beans, rinsed • 1 can Ro-tel diced tomatoes and green chiles • 1 tbsp. canola oil • 1 medium yellow onion • 1 tbsp. minced garlic or 3 cloves of garlic • 14 oz. can diced green chilies • 2 tsp. ground cumin • 1 tsp. oregano • 1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper • 1/2 tsp. salt • 1 14 oz. can chicken broth • 4 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese • 16 oz. sour cream Directions 1. Sauté the onion and garlic in the oil.

2. Place all the ingredients, except the cheese and sour cream, in a crockpot.

3. Simmer all day if possible or at least two hours.

4. 20 minutes before serving add in the cheese and sour cream.

5. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

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Talent and passion make for fine art Things

What often starts as a hobby is honed into true talent. Albert Lea Magazine tracked down local artists who have a passion for their art and provide amazing results for sale.

You Didn’t Know

You Wanted

Something old into something new Add a little art to the simple things in life. This seam ripper is hand-turned on a wood lathe by Doug Holmes. He used wood from segmented maple, walnut and mahogany with chrome-hardware accents. He uses 40 other woods from around the world for his handcrafted creations.

Albert Lea Art Center, Albert Lea. $30.80

Steam punk meets Art Deco Find shimmering sorcery in these must-haves from Wizard Wrapz MN co-op of artists, featuring Albert Lea artists such as Rob Culbertson, Lewis Kelly and others. Wizard Wrapz uses copper, nickel-plated copper, gold and .925 silver to cloak various gems and metals. Most pieces are custom-designed pendants, pins, broaches, bracelets, rings and earrings. To view upcoming inventory or to request a custom design, contact Rob Culbertson at 507-318-0806 or find the business on Facebook at facebook.com/ wizardwrapz. This wrap features copper and nickel-plated copper with a large green turquoise specimen.

Wizard Wrapz MN, Albert Lea. $65

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Bloom where you’re planted The red geranium is a visible expression of the pride and unity we all share in Albert Lea. Express your pride with this greeting card featuring an inspirational watercolor painting by artist Lu Callstrom. Each card is 4.25 inches by 5.5 inches and is blank inside.

Albert Lea Art Center, Albert Lea. $2.50

True American culture During the American Great Depression, frugal housewives would re-use cotton flour sack for bedding, toys and, of course, dishtowels.

Today flour sack towels are sought after for vintage flair. They are 100 percent cotton, lint-free, dry quickly and are great for snapping someone out of reach. Albert Lea Farmers Market vendor Bonnie Ashpole made this set of hand-embroidered Softer than cashmere towels. She can be reached at 507-208-5561. Prices vary When handing out scarves made of alpaca yarn, it’s a based on how many towels are in a set. good idea to have a pen and paper to write down Bonne Ashpole/Albert Lea Farmers Market, requests.

Alpaca yarn is known for its softness, comfort Albert Lea. Starting at $5 per towel and warmth. Each skein of alpaca wool from Frosty Acres is 300 yards of fingering weight yarn. Don’t know how to knit or crochet? No worries, Frosty Acres also makes and sells mittens, hats and scarves. Go online to facebook.com/frostyacresalpacas.

Frosty Acres Alpacas, Frost. $27 per skein

Part furniture protector, part art Adorn tables and protect surfaces with engraved coasters. They are refined enough to use with fancy glassware or casual enough to elevate an outdoor party. These cork coasters are engraved with letters, phrases or your personalized message from F&F Laser Engraving.

Fell Into It, Lake Mills.

Large $5, small set of four $7

A new twist on felt This is something new to the touch. Local artist Sandra Petersen created this scarf using wool and hand-dyed silk.

The process is called nuno felting, a technique of bonding wool fiber into a sheer fabric. Each scarf is a one-of-a-kind creation, and there are many colors and designs to choose from. To purchase, visit www.designbysandra.biz.

Design By Sandra, Albert Lea. $49.99 JAN/FEB 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 27

TIDBITS | Winery

It ’s a

vine time

Story and photos

by Tim Engstrom

Grapes on vines at Three Oak Vineyards & Winery were picked for the first time in September and for the second time in October.

Albert Lea is on track to have a winery north of the city Albert Lea has a winery.

Three Oak Vineyards & Winery planted vines for two types of grapes in spring 2010 — Marquette, a red, and Frontenac gris, a white.

Both grapes are hardy enough to survive Minnesota winters.

Owners Jay Enderson and Dan Sorenson picked their first crop in September and their second in October.

They had the Marquette grapes crushed and destemmed but left the skins. It’s what’s called must. The Frontenac gris grapes were crushed, destemmed with skins removed, basically made into juice. The liquids were frozen and stored at Minnesota Freezer Warehouse, said Sorenson.

That’s because the guys don’t have a building in which to ferment their product. Sorenson said they are completing work on a building at the former Wedge Nursery, property owned by Brad Wedge and his sister. Enderson and Sorenson own seven acres of the former nursery that include buildings and have the rights to purchase 28 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

nine acres to the north. Fermenting will start when work on one of the buildings is finished. It should be weather-tight by winter, Sorenson said.

He said they hope to have wine ready for consumption by next summer.

A second building could be turned into a place that features a tasting room next year, he said.

The address is 37505 225th St. Enderson and Sorenson are Albert Leans who own a company called Rustic Winery, which makes natural wood wine racks and accessories.

Enderson owns a company that builds log homes and furniture. Enderson is the majority owner of Three Oak Vineyards & Winery, and together they took out bank loans to make the winery possible. They have done as much as they could themselves to save dollars. They have hired out work they can’t do.

They closed in 2013 on the sale of seven acres of the former Wedge Nursery but were able to plant three years ago as Wedge worked with them on the acquisition. Grapes, Sorenson noted, are

not the type of crop with immediate returns.

Now wine is their main pursuit, he said.

It all began because Enderson and Sorenson would go past the property — knowing the deal to sell the nursery to developer Scott LaFavre of Lakeville fell through — and speculated it would make a decent location for wine production. So they pursued buying it.

“We quickly discovered that it would make a great winery,” Sorenson said.

For instance, there is a rectangular area

surrounded by arbor vitae that could host outdoor receptions for weddings and other catered events. They hope to have a stage for bands host events through the summer, such as parties, art shows and perhaps the local farmers market from time to time, he said.

They already have received requests for tour buses to stop, and they have had to explain they aren’t open quite yet. But they will welcome the stops when they do open. Sorenson said the location near two freeways should be an advantage. The winery is one mile from Exit 154 of

Interstate 90. Many wineries are in out-of-the-way places, so it could be an advantage.

To become vintners, Sorenson said he and Enderson have been learning about wine from the Minnesota Grape Growers Association. They assisted the Whitewater Winery in Plainview with picking and bottling to get idea of what to do.

Three Oak Vineyards & Winery has about 450 plants of Marquette grapes and 450 of Frontenac gris. It also has 60 plants of Frontenac blanc, a white, and 250 plants of petite pearl grapes, a red. AL

Marquette grapevines line a field to the east of the former Wedge Nursery north of Albert Lea. The Three Oak Vineyards & Winery is on Freeborn County Road 101 about a mile south of the Minnesota Highway 13 interchange of Interstate 90.

JAN/FEB 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 29

CREATE | Grandma’s Gourmets

Limited only by Grandma makes great eats, even for area restaurants

B

efore many of Kimberly Olson’s creations see the light of day, they’ve got to pass the test. That is, the family test.

“They’re nasty little food critics,” Kimberly Olson said about her children with laugh. “I don’t know where they get it.”

Olson is the owner and head chef at Grandma’s Gourmets, a homemade and artisian food business in Albert Lea. Her business management degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato, is fresh off the press, but she’s been cooking at home since 1977 and in restaurants since 1985.

However, it wasn’t until 2008 that the idea to build her own business began.

“I started making jam and jelly as presents for my siblings,” Olson said.

“Then it kind of went viral.”

Olson’s husband, Dan, son, Zack, and daughter, Bethany, supported the business idea and have been taste-test Guinea pigs. Olson’s forte is jams and jellies, but her scope is much broader.

Story by Micah Bader Photos by Brandi Hagen

imagination She’ll make just about anything. One of her favorite things to make is barbecue with Dan, and barbecue Frito pie is becoming a fan favorite.

On Grandma’s Gourmets official website, 16 different kinds of jams, made of local ingredients, are listed with some concoctions that can’t be ordered from a chain grocery store: raspberry jalepeño, strawberry rhubarb, tomato and blackberry sage jam among others.

“I can experiment and try whatever I want,” she said. “The only thing that’s limiting me is my imagination.”

Owning a business requires dedication and hard work, but it also has perks, Olson said.

“I like the fact that I can come in when I want, leave when I want and create what I want,” she said. “If I decide tomorrow that I want to make some crazy kind of fudge, I’ll do it. There’s nothing limiting me, except food laws.”

Recipe ideas come to Olson in many ways. She likes to watch “Iron Chef” on television, and read through cookbooks.

“They might have something normal,

but then show a really ingenious idea about what to do with an ingredient,” she said.

Other times, Olson is inspired in the middle of the night.

“Some of my craziest ideas have come to me a 2 o’clock in the morning,” she said. “I’ll wake up, and sometimes it works out.”

Grandmas Gourmets offers a catering service. The company website, www.grandmasgourmets.com helped get the word out, but the main way the business grew was by being visible in the community, Olson said.

“We’ve done the farmers market in town since 2009, and we do the Rendezvous here.”

That’s in addition to bringing food to events in Cannon Falls, Mantorville, Winona, Owatonna, Red Wing, Madelia and Rochester.

Grandmas Gourmets set up shop in Suite 107 at 2610 Y.H. Hanson Ave. a year ago in November.

Olson also works part time at Trail’s Travel Center. AL

Jams and jellies were the start of Grandma’s Gourmets. Now the business offers many more products and a catering service.

30 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

“I like the fact that I can come in when I want, leave when I want and create what I want.” –– Kimberly Olson

Kimberly Olson mixes ingredients together for one of her recipes.

JAN/FEB 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 31

By Emily Schmidt | DIETITIAN’S DIGEST

Emily Schmidt is a registered dietitian living in Albert Lea.

How to give food as Being health-conscious shows you care Gift-giving, whether for holidays, birthdays, anniversaries or other special occasions, should come from the heart.

After all, isn’t the point of giving presents to show how much you love or care about the recipient?

You’ll want your gift to stand out, and you’ll want people to remember it as distinct and thoughtful. Homemade gifts tend to have that special touch, making your effort and care for the person evident. Depending on the occasion and who you are giving to, how do you determine an appropriate hand-crafted gift?

32 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

gifts It’s hard to go wrong with food.

There are endless possibilities when it comes to creative gift-giving with food.

No matter what the time of year, the occasion or the age of the recipient, there is always something appropriate when it comes to edible presents. Wouldn’t you appreciate receiving jars of homemade salsa or jam, a box of homemade cookies, or a gift basket of fruit and cheese, maybe with a jar of homemade apple bran muffin mix thrown in?

If your concerns are picky eaters or food allergies, then do a little research. In a subtle manner, find out some of your

recipient’s food likes, dislikes or potential allergies. During a conversation with them, simply bring up the topic of food and be a little sneaky. Ask questions that won’t give away your gift idea, but will alleviate your worries. Or, to be safe, just eliminate any ingredients in your food gifts that tend to be common allergens, such as milk, nuts, eggs, wheat or soy.

If someone seems finicky with their food choices and you are not sure if they’ll even be tempted to taste a bite of your gift, make sure to include a variety of foods. However, most people are generally open to edible gifts so it’s hard to go wrong.

Here are some food-based gift

ideas:

• Make your own box out of cardstock and decorate, or find an appropriately sized box, and fill with healthier versions of cookies or other treats. Your recipient will be impressed that you took the extra step to be health conscious. Experiment with replacing fat in cookies with pureed fruits like applesauce or vegetables, use 4Gifts, Page 61

Because he loved me,

He did the dishes, Rubbed my feet, Surprised me with tulips, Took me to musicals even though he didn’t like them, Carried my bags while I did the shopping, Held my hand.

He died of cancer four years ago.

Because he loved me,

I can stay in our home.

I can be here for our children.

I can afford to pay for their college education.

I can worry about the other things in life besides money.

He still loves me. And he still shows it.

Nancy Vanderwaerdt, Agent, LUTCF, FSS 505 Bridge Avenue, Albert Lea 377-0227 www.nancyvw.net

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ALBERT LEA | FEATURE

Story by Drew Claussen Photos by Brandi Hagen

More than just a

hobby

A passion for crafts as child led to a home-based business

F

or Heidi Blankenship, arts and crafts are way more than just a hobby. They are a way of life.

Blankenship has been interested in arts and crafts since age 3, when her grandmother got her involved. The Albert Lea native and 1989 graduate of Albert Lea High School has turned it into her livelihood.

Her grandmother “was always trying all kinds of new crafts,” Blankenship said. “I can remember sitting in her sewing room and doing different crafts with her and just trying new things from a very young age.”

Blankenship never lost the passion. She started stamping at age 17. According to Blankenship, stamping wasn’t as popular back then as it is right now.

“I just kind of dabbled in it,” she said.

“And then all of a sudden Stamping Up popped up and Close To My Heart and there were stamp stores and scrapbook stores and everything. So I got a lot 34 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

more into it then.”

Blankenship has taught at local scrapbook stores and has traveled to Rochester and the Twin Cities to share her craft with others. She does cards, jewelry and photography, among others. All of her crafts are a result of a blog she started about six or seven years ago.

“A friend of mine said, ‘Why don’t you start a blog up?’” Blankenship said. “And I thought nobody would even care; I wasn’t working with any companies at that time.

But she helped me start up a blog, and it was only a few months later that I ended getting hooked up with a company.”

Blankenship’s blog can be found at embellished-dreams.blogspot.com. It started off as a paper-crafting blog that mostly focused on cards and a few home décor pieces. She said it has changed to more of a lifestyle blog with topics like mixed media and jewelry.

“You have to be very current in showing what the latest trends are,” she said. “I’ve

Heidi Blankenship sits in her dining room turned studio.

JAN/FEB 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 35

36 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

An example of Blankenship’s homemade jewelry.

JAN/FEB 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 37

gotten a lot more into the jewelry.”

Blankenship’s blog has about 1,000 followers and she said that she enjoys interacting with her readers.

“They’ll leave comments,” she said.

“They’ll email me too, so I think a lot of times when people follow your blog on a regular basis they kind of feel like they know you. So I do get a lot of interaction that way.”

She works with six companies, all of which promote her work across the country and around the world. Some of the companies that Blankenship works with are a die-cutting company and a stamp company. The companies she now works for are Spellbinders Paper Arts, JustRite Papercraft, Positively Me by Julianna Hudgins, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L Ambassador, ButterBeeScraps and The Stamp Simply Ribbon Store.

“What they do is they send me the

product and then I create a project with it,” She said. “And then those projects are used on my blog. Some of the companies you get paid to blog and some of them you get product for what you do. It just depends on what your contracts are per company.”

In the past she worked with 12 other companies and was a guest designer for many others. Blankenship said she frequently collaborates with other designers on the team through group chats, email and Skype.

Blankenship’s work is also featured in magazines, books and banner advertisements online.

“I’ve been published in several national magazines. I’ve also been published over in the United Kingdom,” She said. “I’ve had a few covers, which that’s always a huge plus when you can get on the cover.”

Blankenship’s homemade cards.

38 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

All in all, Blankenship has been published in 17 different publications.

She has also been featured by the same magazine in multiple issues.

“There’s a whole lot with my job that people just don’t realize that I do,” “Doing this is really nice because it allows me to be at home. I’ve always been able to be at home with the kids. I can set my own hours. I can do a lot of very late nights and early mornings so then when they come home from school or work it can be family time.”

— Heidi Blankenship Blankenship said. “There’s a lot of paperwork and there’s a lot of deadlines.”

In December, Blankenship opened an Etsy shop where she will sell some of her cards, jewelry, home décor and other homemade items.

Her crafts are more of a business than a hobby now — the Blankenship’s dining room has turned into her office and studio, though probably one of the best-decorated ones. She lives on Bridge Avenue in Albert Lea with her husband, Eric, and her sons Dusty and Evan.

After graduating high school, Blankenship attended Riverland Community College in Austin before taking a job at Johnson Floral in Albert Lea. She worked her way up to manager at Johnson before moving on to manage the floral department at Rainbow Foods in Albert Lea and giving up her job to focus on her own crafts when her second son was born.

“Doing this is really nice because it allows me to be at home,” Blankenship said. “I’ve always been able to be at home with the kids. I can set my own hours. I do a lot of very late nights and early mornings so then when they come home from school or work it can be family time.”

But when she is facing deadlines, the boys know not to interrupt. AL

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ALBERT LEA | FEATURE

Fusing

Story by Sarah Stultz Photos by Brandi Hagen

AR T

Teachers Krystal Lennie, Robin Brown and Raissa Byer collaborated to start Three t Creations. The women create slumped art and custom paint glasses.

40 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

JAN/FEB 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 41

Art teachers join forces to take a new angle on glassware

FF

or as long as Krystal Lennie can remember, she has enjoyed art.

As a young child, her parents bought her paint sets for Christmas, and when she was in fifth grade her grandmother taught her how to oil paint.

In high school, she took every art class she could, and by the time she went to college she wanted to be a graphic designer. After burning out — but still with a passion for art — she decided to pursue a career as an art teacher, sharing her love with others.

A few years ago, while teaching at Albert Lea High School, Lennie’s love of art took her down another path, this time with two other teachers.

Lennie and teachers Raissa Byer and Robin Brown started Three t Creations — a business specializing in glass art. It made its debut at Wind Down Wednesday in downtown Albert Lea in

summer 2012, and the teachers have plans to expand to other area festivals.

Both Byer and Brown have backgrounds in art, though different than Lennie’s.

A “It’s really fun getting together for a day and visiting with each other, because when you’re in your classroom, you don’t see a lot of adults. It’s a nice way to interact.” — Robin Brown

Byer said she grew up with a father who had a master’s degree in visual arts, and while she had some interest in it in high school, she didn’t consider it as a career until she was in college and took a color theory class.

Three t Creations specializes in slumped glass. The glass can be used as wall hangings, cheese trays, butter dishes, trivets and even spoon rests.

42 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

Brown said she grew up with parents who supported her artwork but who questioned how she could use it to make a living. When she was in college, she said her husband suggested she teach art.

“When I started teaching I absolutely loved it,” she said. “I always wanted to do something in art.” collaboration of talent

Lennie said she and the other teachers decided to collaborate to form Three t Creations after she took a class on glass fusion, where she learned how to melt layers of glass together. Around the same time she found the art of glass slumping.

Brown saw what Lennie was doing with her classes and became interested. With Byer, the teachers researched glass art and paints made specifically for glass.

They started gathered several times at Brown’s house with all of their supplies and created art and visited with each other.

In summer 2012 they heard about Wind Down Wednesday, a festival in downtown Albert Lea where arts and crafts vendors display and sell their art, and decided to try it out. On a whim, they called their business Three t Creations. The “t” stands for teachers.

After finding success there, they signed up for the festival again the next summer, and they plan to expand to festivals in Austin and Rochester in the future.

The women sell mainly slumped glass — wine bottles that have been flattened and melted together — and painted glasses. Sometimes they sell paintings.

The slumped bottles, which they often decorate with wire or twine and beads, can be used as wall hangings, cheese trays, butter dishes, trivets and even spoon rests.

The glasses, which they decorate with paint specifically for glass, can be used

The women paint wine glasses and tumblers with various designs.

JAN/FEB 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 43

on special occasions or for daily use.

They decorate all sizes of tumblers and wine glasses, and the paint is sealed in the oven.

What feedback have they received?

The women said their work can be customized depending on the customer’s interests.

“This is hand-painted work, not stencils or decals,” Brown said. “Leopard prints, flowers, geometric designs, high-heeled shoes — we can really do

anything anybody asked us.”

Brown said many people have expressed curiosity about how their slumped glass is made.

“A lot of people think it’s just a really cool idea,” Byer said. “Some have seen items similar and some have not.”

They said though they do not know where the business will take them in the coming years, but they will continue it as long as they enjoy it.

While it has given them the chance to expand on their passion for art, it has

strengthened their friendships with each other.

“It’s really fun getting together for a day and visiting with each other because when you’re in your classroom, you don’t see a lot of adults,” Brown said.

“It’s a nice way to interact.”

They can be reached by phone at 507-438-9086 or by email at krystalfalk@gmail.com.

Their prices vary depending on the size of the glass and designs. AL

About the artists Robin Brown

Age: 52 Residence: Moscow Township Family: husband, Joe; six grown children How many years teaching: 18 Current school: Albert Lea High School Classes teaching: mixed media, animals and art, digital photo, sculpture, Advanced Placement art

Robin Brown, Raissa Byer and Krystal Lennie get together every few months to paint and visit with each other.

44 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

Raissa Byer

Age: 36 Residence: Albert Lea Family: two dogs; two cats How many years teaching: 12 Current school: Albert Lea High School Classes teaching: drawing, art survey

Krystal Lennie

Age: 29 Residence: Albert Lea Family: husband, Dustin; one dog How many years teaching: 5 Current school: Southgate and Sumner Elementary schools in Austin Classes teaching: elementary art

Freeborn Lumber Co. 917 Plaza Street W Albert Lea, MN 56007 507-377-4284 JAN/FEB 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 45

ALBERT LEA | FEATURE

Story by Kelli Lageson Photos by Brandi Hagen

Jewelry with a

cause

Small company has African ties from missionary work

A A

fter 14 years of working as a missionary in several countries in Africa, a Hollandale woman is still trying to make a difference and help people both here and thousands of miles away.

Years ago, Ruth De Haan, decided she wanted to go to Africa and serve in any way she could. She worked in Nigeria and Gambia with education initiatives. The Chicago-area native would come back to the U.S. every two to three years to tour and speak to the churches that supported missions.

That’s how she ended up in Hollandale in 1993, picking up Greg De Haan at his parents’ farmhouse northwest of the small town. The two, along with another missionary, were on their way to speak to the Christian Reformed women’s church groups about the work they were doing in Africa.

“I think we ate ham buns at every meal but one,” Ruth said with a laugh.

The two hit it off, but it was difficult to communicate once back in Africa. Ruth said letters from where she was in Nigeria to Greg in Kenya took about a month to arrive. Then at Christmas Greg traveled from Kenya to Nigeria to propose to Ruth.

They both wanted their master’s degrees, so they moved to Philadelphia where Greg received his MBA and Ruth studied at Westminster Seminary. After that, they moved to Michigan so Ruth could continue her studies. Nathaniel, now 15, was born a month after Ruth received a degree in educational ministries from Calvin Seminary. Sarah was born 16 months later. Then came the familiar feeling of wanting to help in Africa.

“We wanted to go back,” Ruth said.

So when Sarah was 6 months, the family of four moved to The Gambia and continued their missionary work with the Reformed Church of America. Greg was a farm adviser, and 46 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

“It helps those ladies a tremendous amount. It’s nice seeing their kids get help and knowing it is having a positive impact on their families.” — Ruth De Haan

Ruth De Haan wears jewelry from Dignity Designs.

JAN/FEB 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 47

eighth grade and then head to Albert Lea Ruth was the education officer for the High School.

Anglican Diocese of The Gambia. In “The kids have done really well,” Ruth 2003, they transferred from The Gambia said. in western Africa to Kenya in eastern Now Greg and Ruth farm full time, and Africa. Their twins, James and Jon, now Ruth also substitute teaches with District 10, were born in Nairobi, which is the 241. But Ruth hasn’t forgotten about the capital and largest city in Kenya. Greg ways she helped and can still help was the project’s director with Across, a Christian non-governmental organization people. While in Kenya, Ruth became friends with Tracey Hagman, a doing development and relief work in Minnesotan native. Tracey is from the southern Sudan.

Twin Cities where her son, Simon, was “We did HIV/AIDS training, church born prematurely. He spent a full year in empowerment, micro financing, literacy the hospital. Later in Kenya, Simon was a and education work,” Ruth said.

Both Ruth and Greg enjoyed their work and thought Across was a good fit for their missionary efforts. But they said they would only spend 10 years in Africa, and after 11 decided it was time to make a home.

“We wanted our children not to feel like nomads their whole life,” Ruth said.

And they wanted their children to be able to spend time with family members here in the States.

Greg’s parents were ready to leave their farm near Hollandale, so Greg and Ruth decided to take over and moved to the farm in June 2010. That was the week there were multiple tornadoes throughout Freeborn County.

“We said we’ve got to go back to Africa where it’s safe,” Ruth joked.

Ruth said the children miss Africa sometimes, but Earrings hang on a piece of art mostly the family misses all from Africa. the friends they made. In Nairobi, they lived on a compound where there were multiple families and plenty of other children for the De Haan kids to play with. Since being back, her children attend Hollandale Christian School until 48 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

classmate of Nathaniel’s. Tracey then started a school, Heshima, which means dignity in Kisawahili. The school helps Kenyan children living in poverty with special needs, because the public school system doesn’t have the resources to help special needs children, Ruth said.

Ruth said sometimes fathers of special needs children there either leave or can be abusive.

“The women have no ways to provide for themselves,” Ruth said.

That’s how the idea of Dignity Designs came about. Dignity Designs is a small jewelry company that employs the mothers of children at Heshima to make artisan jewelry with beads made of recycled glass, ostrich eggs, wood or bones found all over Africa.

“It helps those ladies a tremendous amount,” Ruth said. “It’s nice seeing their kids get help and knowing it is having a positive impact on their families.”

Ruth has hosted parties locally where people can buy the necklaces, bracelets and earrings. She also had a booth at Wind Down Wednesday this summer in Albert Lea. The family misses their friends back in Kenya, but Ruth said it’s been good to be close to both her parents in Wheaton, Ill., and Greg’s parents in Hollandale and their extended families. And there’s always email to communicate with their friends back in Africa.

“It was quite different moving here from a city of 3 million to a village of 303,” Ruth said. “But it has been good and is really nice to be close to family.”

To find out more about Dignity Designs visit dignitydesignskenya.org on the Internet. AL

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ASK THE EXPERT | Kathy Sabinish

Kathy Sabinish holds a frame behind the counter of Frames R Us.

Frames for all Story by Tim Engstrom Photo by Brandi Hagen

Why is it Frames R Us and Dave’s Phone Booth?

52 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

It’s satisfaction guaranteed at Frames R Us in Albert Lea. Owners Kathy and Dave Sabinish will redo the frame if the customer doesn’t like what they see.

“The last thing I want is something on your wall with my name on it, and it reminds you that you don’t like it,” said Kathy.

She didn’t intend on getting into the framing business, but she did. Three years after Kathy and Dave wed, he started Dave’s Phone Booth 30 years ago because “he didn’t want to work for anyone else,” she said.

The business, selling telephones, parts and installation services, started at the corner of Garfield Avenue and Main Street in half of the building where A-Best Sew & Vac now exists.

They shared space with a couple who for eight months operated a frame shop called Frames R Us, but after four more months, the other couple quit. Kathy and Dave were moving to the Gamble Clinic on William Street behind the Freeborn National Bank Building and decided to buy the framing business.

“Dave needed more to do than sell phones,” Kathy said.

After seven years, they brought the Century Building at 228 S. Broadway and have been there for 23 years.

Kathy said they didn’t merely begin framing whatever people brought to the store. They took classes in the Twin Cities and spent time learning the trade in a frame shop before offering the service. To this day they stay up on the latest trends by going to seminars and conventions.

Framing has become the biggest share of their business. With Ben’s Floral & Frame closing in March, Frames R Us is the only frame shop in Albert Lea. But

Frames R Us also offers framed artwork, unframed artwork and, via Dave’s Phone Booth, telephone services. Need an extra line in the basement? Dave can do that. Want to replace the handset? The store sells them.

7 framing tips Choose a frame design that 1 complements the piece, not the room.

Frames need not match the room, and framers know not to clash with decor.

2

Avoid having all the frames in a room match. Think eclectic.

Go ahead and get a free estimate.

Don’t be afraid to show the item to the framer for a little chat. Get an idea of price and design.

3

Inquire about glass that protects from ultraviolet light and is acid-free.

Framing can be a means of preservation, not merely decoration.

4

Know that matting serves two purposes: It is decorative, and it keeps the glass from touching the piece. More mat is better than less.

5

Measure the hanging space before coming to the framer. Don’t end up having a framed piece too big for the wall.

6

trust sticky things to hold 7 Never artwork on a wall. Use a nail, screw or

picture hanger.

Believe it or not, having the two services complement each other, Kathy said. From knowing others in Minnesota in the business, she said it is common for frame shops to be part of a second business, like a floral store or a photograph shop.

Dave said historically many frame

shops were started by morticians. When they weren’t building wooden coffins, they would put their woodworking skills toward picture frames.

The most fun and challenging item Kathy had to frame was a trumpet. It was a family heirloom gifted to a dad. She wore white gloves to avoid tarnishing the brass.

It is common when framing objects, such as boxing gloves, for Kathy to use her skills with sewing. A little needle and thread — or even fishline — can hold items in a visually appealing way within a frame.

“To be a framer, you can’t be afraid to think outside the box because you never know what people will bring in,” Kathy said.

She’s had to frame collections, too, such as arrowheads, pins and baby clothes. If she really gets stumped wanting to frame an item, she calls a help line from the store’s frame supplier.

“I even stump them sometimes,” she said.

Kathy said she and Dave have framed photos of people when they were babies, when they graduated from high school and when they married. They have framed a beach towel signed by the rock band Aerosmith, full-sized crocheted tablecloths and a 14-foot-long Lloyd Herfindahl original that hangs in the Freeborn County Courthouse. She framed it in the middle of the store because the back room was too small. She had to stand on a stool to reach the top.

Sometimes people cry when they come in to pick up their framed item.

Kathy said she gets hugs at least twice a week.

“Where else does that happen?” AL JAN/FEB 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 53

Ventura Foods Ingredients Classic Gourmet Chicken Base Hidden Valley Honey Mustard Dressing Other Ingredients Iceberg Lettuce - cleaned, halved, into cups Instant White Rice - uncooked Cayenne Pepper Paprika Spicy Cajun flavors combined with Chili Powder crisp, cool lettuce make this dish a party Red Beans - drained favorite.

Andouille Sausage - sliced • Yield: 8-10 servings Chicken Tenders - cubed Methods: Red Onions - diced 1 Dice and prepare all items. In a pot combine the chicken base, 2 cups water, instant rice, cayenne, Red Bell Peppers - diced paprika, chili powder, and salt and pepper. Cook Green Bell Pepper - diced rice until tender, reserve.

2 Heat a large sauté pan with a drizzle of oil, brown Celery - diced the andouille sausage, remove, add in chicken and Tomatoes - diced, drained brown. Next add in all the vegetables, and cook briefly to retain color and texture. Add sausage, red Scallions - sliced beans, and rice, season with salt and pepper.

Tomato - diced 3 Shape the lettuce into cups, spoon filling onto lettuce, and drizzle the honey mustard dressing Parsley - chopped

Cajun

Jambalaya Chicken Bites

around and over. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Measure 1 Tbsp 1 Cup Measure 1 head

1 Cup 1/4 tsp 1 tsp 1 tsp 1 can 1 package 1 package 1 each 1 each 1 each 2 ribs 1 can 1 bunch 1 each 2 Tbsp

919 E. 14th St., Albert Lea, MN 56007 • 373-2431 For more recipes, visit our website: www.venturafoods.com

54 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

Book review by Angie Barker | CONSTANT READER

Albert Lea resident Angie Barker is an avid reader and has a degree in English literature from MSUMankato. Email her at zoller@ hotmail.com.

Hallucinating yet?

The other day my cousin casually asked her son what he was looking up on their tablet. When he responded, “crafting” her glue gunning heart skipped a beat. After years of suffering through Bakugan, Ninjago, Pokémon and other hard-topronounce fandoms with a cast of never-ending characters, was it too much to hope that he would become interested in one of her hobbies? This was her reward. Her good mother ship was coming in, and it was bursting with beads.

Her mind filled with images of them surrounded by cupcakes and covered in flour was replaced by paper stockpiles and scrapbooking weekends.

They could make necklaces or mittens and donate them to school fundraisers.

Afterward they would celebrate their amazing creations with a playful frolic in a field of wildflowers where they could

make daisy chains indefinitely.

The YouTube video looked like the familiar 32-bit games of her childhood.

Much like the fantasy world she created only moments ago, fields comprising various colored cubes were being destroyed in a quick and repetitive manner without a daisy chain in sight. To her son, crafting was the act of playing “Minecraft,” the first-player free play game that allows the player to create their own world block by block. This isn’t the first time craft has linguistically evolved.

My generation, including my cousin, assumes craft means to make something by hand. To my grandmother it means a skilled trade or occupation. Depending on your occupation, it can change meaning, too. The FAA, Navy and Coast Guard use it to identify boats and planes while confident men take it as a compliment. My favorite is the Old English usage which equates craft with

writing. It sounds so elegant that it makes me want to write with my pinky out.

Nowadays writing craft is mainly applied to literary prose. In other words, you need some lit cred before you can say you’re working on your craft without sounding hysterically pretentious. Paul Harding, author of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize winner “Tinkers,” can craft without a snicker or snort to be heard. Besides writing prize-winning novels, Harding has taught writing at Harvard University and the University of Iowa. He earned a Master of Fine Arts in English from the Iowa Writer’s Workshop, which has the distinction of being the first to offer this degree in the country and has produced alumni or staff that includes 17 Pulitzer Prize winners and four U.S. Poet Laureates. Less than four hours from Albert Lea is the writer’s version of 4Book, Page 60 JAN/FEB 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 55

Check me out.

To subscribe, call (507) 379-3421 56 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

SCRAPBOOK

The more things change ‌ Photos courtesy of the Freeborn County Historical Museum

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Rose Callister is for the war effort, shown doing her part knitting stocking during World War II, by s for military pers onnel.

JAN/FEB 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 57

FINAL WORD | By Jennifer Vogt-Erickson

Jennifer Vogt-Erickson taught social studies in Albert Lea for more than six years before staying home to raise children. She lives with her husband, Jeshua, and their two young children, Trixie and Axel. She wrangles toddlers by day and writes by night.

I (don’t) have a crafting problem I need an extra room in my house for my craft supplies. It’s not that I make much these days; I just buy items with the aspiration of making things. When I walk into Jo Ann Fabrics, it’s like I have Martha Stewart on one shoulder feeding me grandiose ideas, and Ed McMahon on the other heartily seconding, “Yes!” It started innocently enough 30 years ago when a nun gave me her leftover macrame cord. Now I’m up to my chin whiskers in yards of fabric, skeins of yarn and assorted paints. I purchase old knitting and sewing patterns and sundry craft materials at estate sales and secondhand stores like my hobbies have run amok. That makes it sound like an addiction, which it surely is not.

If I started making all my projects today, I would finish in about 2164. Not because I’ve already accumulated so many patterns and plans per se, but 58 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

because it takes me so long to make each one. The consumption of time has to do with gathering the courage to start something that in its completed form may only vaguely resemble its ideal form, the starting over, the starting over again, watching how-to YouTube videos to get unstuck, calling my mother for moral support and receiving bonus detailed updates on neighbors and extended family, eating emotionally, and unpacking and repacking my projects to coincide with my children’s sleep schedules.

Having young children, especially, has meant that my half-finished (i.e. abandoned) project pile is threatening to overtake my completed oeuvre to date.

Motherhood has its perks, like finding adorable smears of peanut butter on my shoulder when I go out in public, but accomplishing most things outside of laundry, cooking and reading books in

funny voices is no small undertaking with toddlers on the premises.

There was a window of time before my daughter became bipedal in which I did a flurry of sewing projects, and I even knit her a jumper that mostly fit. Once she started doing more than lying on her back and flailing her appendages, though, my output dropped below that of a Soviet factory. She is 20 months old now, and I can’t read any novel that includes a governess or nanny without throwing it across the room in a pique of envy. This precipitated a close call for my Kindle as I was reading “Anna Karenina” on the device. In fairness, Dolly Oblonsky’s husband cheated with a former governess, so having help wasn’t all roses for her, no matter how many color-coordinated patchwork quilts, animal-themed 4Crafing problem, Page 61

*literacypartners.org

☐ Yes, I would like to sponsor newspapers to be used by the children in our community! ☐ $20 buys 200 newspapers ☐ $25 buys 250 newspapers ☐ $50 buys 500 newspapers ☐ $100 buys 1,000 newspapers _________________________________________ Business name that would like to be thanked ☐ Check enclosed ☐ MasterCard/Visa Credit Card Name on Card___________________________ Account #______________________________ Expiration Date _________________________ Total amount to be charged_________________ Please return dontation form to: Albert Lea Tribune Attn: Newspapers in Education Program 808 West Front Street Albert Lea, MN 56007 507-379-3423

The Albert Lea Tribune proudly supports the Newspapers In Education (NIE) program which supplies area schools with free newspapers to encourage literacy, broaden student community awareness and equip educators with a powerful tool for teaching.

The Albert Lea Tribune is committed to covering half the cost of this program.

We depend on community-minded businesses, organizations and subscribers for the remainder.

The economic health and development of our community and your business depends on quality education for our students. They are tomorrow’s consumers, employers and leaders.

Book Continued from Page 55

playing for the New York Yankees.

“Tinkers” is the story of George Washington Crosby’s death. Sounds like a real bummer, huh? It’s not.

Harding uses George’s death as a way to celebrate the human experience by examining the moments of joy and suffering that comprise it. In the last days George begins to hallucinate. He watches the house he built by hand start to crumble around him… “From the rented hospital bed, placed in the

middle of his own living room, he saw insects running in and out of imaginary cracks in the ceiling plaster.” The walls George erected around his life are coming down and he is able to take stock of his life with new clarity.

The main focus of George’s attention is his estranged father, Howard. If they gave Oscars to literary characters, Howard would win Best Supporting Actor and probably be played by Daniel Day-Lewis. Howard has epilepsy and though he “managed to hide from the children the spectacle of an actual fit and act as if the

epilepsy did not even exist, the rumors of the illness, the odd euphemisms and elliptical silences were more terrifying than the condition they meant to obscure.”

Howard lives during a time when little is known about epilepsy and admitting to having it means agreeing to the only available treatment: medical institutionalization. At the end of his life, George has gained an understanding of his father’s condition that shelves a lifetime of shame and allows him to empathize with the shadowy figure from his childhood.

marketplace Dave Syverson Auto Center

2310 East Main Street Albert Lea, MN 56007 507-373-1438 www.davesyverson.com.

Experience the difference with Dave Syverson’s non-commissioned sales team.

Visit your local Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Jeep, Lincoln, Nissan, Volkswagen, Ram dealership serving Albert Lea and surrounding areas. Access the most up-to-date Internet car buying tools on their website.

Home Solutions

603-1st Ave. S. Albert Lea, MN 56007 (507)373-3435 www.homesolutionsmidwest.com Update your home with windows, siding, sunroom, gutters, Gutter Helmets, sunshades, or metal roofing. We make homes new again.

60 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

Medford Outlet Center

6750 West Frontage Road Medford, MN 507-455-4111 www.medfordoutletcenter.com Our shopping destination continues its 20 year commitment of offering an exciting shopping experience of your favorite famous brands to southern Minnesota and traveling tourists. We are located on Interstate 35 at exit 48 with close by dining and lodging.

NIACC

641-422-4245 1888-GO NIACC www.niacc.edu NIACC has a history of providing quality post-secondary opportunities. Ranked No. 14 in the nation for student success, NIACC offers a long list of opportunities: adult/developmental education, career/technical education, the first step to your bachelor’s degree and workforce development.

Unbridled Boutique

2510 Bridge Avenue Albert Lea, Minnesota 56007 507-383-9818 www.theunbridledboutique.com Unbridled Boutique is a one of a kind shopping experience. Their unique clothing, jewelery, accessories and handbags fit your style any season.

Custom Drapery & Blinds

by Michael Esch

1120 Aspen Drive Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 952-895-0618 www.cdabbyme.com Custom Drapery and Blinds by Michael Esch is one of the leading window coverings businesses in the area. Our mission is to provide a top quality product at value-oriented pricing with the strongest customer warranty in the business.

Crafting problem Continued from Page 58

toilet paper cozies and family handprint wall art it would have given her time to make.

I have my own troubles with promiscuity. One type of craft always leads to another. Most recently my wandering eye latched on to decoupage and mosaics. Now I’m stocked with Mod Podge, acrylic spray, cement, tiles, “river pebbles” and sea shells. I hoard odd pieces of wood furniture because they might make good canvasses. I made a few garden stepping stones this past summer, and I have a decoupage bathroom shelf

collecting dust on its glossy surface for want of one last coat of spray. The pattern of the paper I glued to the shelf is amazing — if a little off-kilter — but I lost steam on the project because installing it would also entail repainting my bathroom to match it.

No time for regrets, though — I have plans to move on to paper making. A friend gave me a recipe and instructions for the process, and I bought an extra blender at a garage sale this past summer that my preschool-aged son and I can use to make pulp. I just need to acquire a screen and find some wood pieces to build a frame. This is going to be great!

Maybe I’ll start a paper-making business

on the side, unless I find a rock tumbler at an estate sale first, in which case I can finally pursue my pent-up lapidary dreams. Goodness knows my children collect enough rocks to keep a polisher cranking full-tilt.

It’s probably time to be honest and realistic about the nature and consequences of my crafting habits: I’ll have to add another wing to my house, because a mere room isn’t going to provide enough space. Perhaps I’ll start collecting a few tips and ideas on how to build it myself and peruse a lumberyard or two.

As luck would have it, Bob Vila just appeared on my shoulder.

Gifts Continued from Page 32

whole wheat flour, add oatmeal, ground flaxseed or wheat germ or add some dried fruit and/or dark chocolate.

• Fill mason jars with a dry baking mix (again, look for a healthier recipe or make your own substitutions). Tie a small card or large tag around the top of the jar with a pretty ribbon, with the directions for preparing and baking on the card or tag.

• Decorate bags or jars of your favorite homemade trail mix or homemade granola. Some trail mix ingredient ideas are nuts, dried fruit, popcorn, whole grain cereal and dark chocolate.

• Buy a basket or other container that could be re-used, decorate if desired and fill with an assortment of your gift recipient’s favorite treats: fruits and vegetables, homemade canned goods or breads, specialty hot sauces, gourmet candies or cheeses.

Remember to be creative, individualize each gift for the recipient and think health consciously. Sanitize your food preparation area, wash your hands often and use fresh ingredients and clean cooking utensils. Express yourself and have fun in gift-giving, and your thoughtfulness will not be forgotten!

FIND US ON

JAN/FEB 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 61

events calendar Friday, January 3

‘The Art

of

Habit’

• 147 N. Broadway • When: 6 p.m.-9 p.m.

Where: Marion Ross Performing Arts Center Cost: $20 adults, $12 students More info: National Theatre Live is now broadcast in Albert Lea. This play is part of the National Theatre’s 50th anniversary celebration. This play, by Alan Bennett, is about the unsettling desires of difficult men and is as much about the theater as it is about poetry or music.

Saturday, January 11

‘Tribute to Johnny Cash’ • 147 N. Broadway • When: 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Where: Marion Ross Performing Arts Center Cost: $15 More info: Billed as the “most authentic tribute to Johnny Cash,” Plymouth band Boss Grant & the Johnny Cash Revue impersonates Johnny Cash & the Tennessee Three.

Beth Atz, who cooks for Desperate Housewives Retreat in Lake Mills, uses a butane torch to caramelize sugar on top of crème brûlée at the Gourmet Food Auction in 2010.

Sunday, January 26

Ice Classic

• 300 Johnson St. • When: 1-2:30 p.m.

Where: City Beach Cost: $5 per hole More info: Fishermen compete in this ice fishing tournament hosted by the Fountain lake Sportsmen Club. There is a bucket raffle and food and beverage is provided by the local VFW chapter and the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon group.

Saturday, January 25

Wrestling: Owatonna at Albert Lea • 2000 Tiger Lane • When: 7 p.m.

Where: Albert Lea High School Cost: $7 adults, $5 students More info: This classic rivalry between two of the best wrestling programs in southern Minnesota takes place in Albert Lea this year. It is always a high point of the winter sports season and brings out a good crowd.

62 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

Wednesday, January 30

‘Coriolanus’

• 147 N. Broadway • When: 6 p.m.

Where: Marion Ross Performing Arts Center Cost: $20 adults, $12 students More info: National Theatre Live broadcasts the Donmar Warehouse’s production of William Shakespeare’s searing tragedy of political manipulation and revenge in Rome.

Friday, January 31

Gourmet Food Auction • 2200 W. Ninth St. • When: 5-9 p.m.

Where: Wedgewood Cove Golf Club Cost: $20 per person, $35 per couple Albert Lea High School wrestling manager Brooke Swanson puts her hands to her face as she watches the dual meet between Albert Lea’s Bryce DeBoer and Owatonna’s Spencer Sorenson in 2012.

More info: Fifteen chefs from local and regional eateries, caterers and kitchens show off their best work for the sake of discerning diners.

Saturday, February 8

‘Rusalka’

• 147 N. Broadway • When: noon-2 p.m.

Where: Marion Ross Performing Arts Center Cost: $20 adults More info: This Czeck opera by Antonin Dvorák is based on a Slavic fairy tale. A Rusalka is a water sprite or mermaid inhabiting a body of water. This one gives her voice to a wicked witch in exchange for a chance to win a human prince she loves. Sound familiar? This one ends a bit differently, though.

Saturday & Sunday, February 8 & 9

Historical Fair

• 2510 Bridge Ave • When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Feb. 8, noon-4 p.m., Feb. 9 Where: Northbridge Mall Cost: Free More info: Re-enactors create the past with cowboys, yarn spinners, musicians and other aspects of the pioneer days.

Vendors with about 40 tables sell their wares. Some say this is a miniature Big Island Rendezvous.

February 13-16, 19-22

‘Guys

on Ice’

• 147 N. Broadway • When: 7:30 p.m. most nights, 2 p.m.

Feb. 16 Where: Marion Ross Performing Arts Center Cost: $18 adults, $10 students More info: This comedic musical tells the story of two ice-fishing buddies from northern Wisconsin who talk and sing about life, love and the one that got away.

Saturday, February 15

The Big Freeze • 1600 Edgewater Drive •

Two participants in the Polar Plunge at The Big Freeze take a cold dip in February 2012.

When: all day Where: Edgewater Park Cost: price varies by event More info: This festival celebrates things to do in Albert Lea during the winter and aims to get folks out of their houses and into the great outdoors.

Event, time and cost: • Take a Kid Ice Fishing, 9 a.m.-noon, nonperishable food item • Snowshoe shuffle, 11 a.m., nonperishable food item • Big Freeze Ice Bowl (disc golf), 10 a.m.,

5 nonperishable food items • Chili cookoff, noon-3 p.m., $5 per spoon • Snowmobile radar runs, noon-3 p.m., $10 for 3 runs then $5 per run (free to spectate) • Geocaching bingo, noon-3 p.m., nonperishable food item • Polar Plunge, 1 p.m., nonperishable food item • Kids winter carnival, 1-4 p.m., nonperishable food item • Sleigh rides, 1-3 p.m., nonperishable food item JAN/FEB 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 63

INSIDE ALBERT LEA MAGAZINE

behind the scenes

Advertising Director Catherine Buboltz laughs as she swats away cobwebs in the basement of her Albert Lea home during the photo shoot of Heidi Blankenship. On the left is photographer Brandi Hagen, and on the right is Blankenship’s son, Dusty.

Kelli Lageson edits magazine stories in the newsroom. She had been editor of our magazine since the Winter 2012 issue of Southern Minnesota and worked on the magazine staff since March 2010. Most notably, she helped launch Albert Lea Magazine. Lageson left in November for another job editing copy and designing pages. We wish her well in her adventure.

64 | ALBERT LEA | JAN/FEB 2014

Photographer Brandi Hagen checks her camera after shooting photos of some of the jewelry that Ruth De Haan has on display at her home.

Like the Albert Lea Magazine page on Facebook for insider info, unseen photos and prizes!

We don’t just love bacon because it’s trendy right now. We’ve been in a state of bacon mania for over 100 years. We bust our butts over the perfect blend of flavors, smoke and ingredients. We always go with our gut, and our gut loves bacon. We’re Hormel® Black Label® Bacon and we’re bacon to the core.

Join us at facebook.com/hormelbacon ©2013 Hormel Foods, LLC

The new student housing is surrounded by beautiful lakes and features a recreational trail into town. The grounds also include basketball, sand volleyball, and tennis courts.

We invite you to live at NIACC and join our vibrant campus community. There’s no better way to become connected to the college, the campus, and the student body. You’ll experience college life as it’s meant to be, and build friendships that will last a lifetime.