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A tip of the hat to the past at Waterfront Gifts and Antiques

Dixon High School senior a standout in the field of archery

P.O. Box 498 Sterling, IL 61081

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SPRING 2018

Publisher Don T. Bricker Advertising Director Jennifer Heintzelman Editor Jeff Rogers Magazine Editors Lucas Pauley Rusty Schrader Page Design Lucas Pauley Published by Sauk Valley Media 3200 E. Lincolnway Sterling, IL 61081 815-625-3600 Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of Dixon Living Magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher.

Ad content is not the responsibility of Sauk Valley Media. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, Sauk Valley Media cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. Sauk Valley Media cannot and will not be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertisers listed in any portion of this magazine.

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Inside 5 Dixon archery standout

20 Waterfront Gifts and Antiques

High school senior has her sights set on success on the national stage

Business owners put pride and purpose behind items in local store

9 Balance Body Massage & Yoga

25 Rockin’ Nutrition and Wellness

Dixon High graduate is happy to be back in the home stretch

New business offers sustenance and helps customers build stamina

17 Kitzman’s Lumber

33 Crystal Blue Artistic Expressions

Businessman followed his instincts, adapted to the changing times

Rock Falls artist heavily involved in popular Dixon events

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B

atsch ows est

At 16, Dusti Batsch became the youngest archer in Illinois to turn pro in the National Field Archery Association.

Now 18, she’ll graduate from Dixon High this spring.

Straight-shooting Dixon teen’s talents made her the youngest archer in the state to go pro Story By Cody Cutter & Photos By Peter Balser • For Dixon Living

W

ho would have thought that the little 3-year-old girl who played with a recurve bow and some arrows one day at Sauk Valley Archers would turn out to be a pro some day?

Dusti Batsch remembers her arrows going in all different directions at the SVA range when she first tried out a bow. Her parents, Dan and Christi, were regulars at the club and got their daughter involved at a young age.

The shots became more accurate a couple of weeks after Dusti’s first try, and her precision has become sharp enough to where many people can see just how good she has become.

At 16, Dusti became the youngest archer in Illinois to turn professional in the National Field Archery Association. Now 18, she will graduate from Dixon High School this spring.

“Everybody keeps saying I’m a natural,” Dusti said. “The NFAA didn’t know what to do. They never had that young of a person become a pro.”

Since December, the Batsches have traveled all over the United States to participate in archery tournaments and Dusti’s already won four events in that time: the Kansas City Shootout, Midwest Triple Crown, NFAA Great Lakes Indoor Sectional, and in guest competition at the NFAA Indians State Championships.

“One Saturday we came over, and Ray Thompson (former president of Sauk Valley Archers) had a bow for me and a bow for her,” Christi said about her daughter’s first try at a

Decked out

Dusti Batsch won her first regional archery tournament at 10 years old, and has added to her impressive resume since.

• 2010 – Kishwaukee Archers 3D, Kids Class • 2012 – Kishwaukee Archers ProAm, Cub Class • 2012 – Tri-Star Tour, Youth Female Freestyle • 2013 – Tri-Star Tour, Youth Female Freestyle • 2013 – Illinois Archery Association Indoor Aggregate, Youth Female Freestyle • 2013 – Presley’s Midwest Open, Youth Female Freestyle • 2014 – Tri-Star Tour, Youth Female Freestyle • 2014 – Midwest Archery Championship 3D, Female Youth • 2015 – NFAA State Championship, Youth Femal Freestyle • 2015 – Kishwaukee Archers NFAA 360, JOAD Cadet • 2015 – Kishwaukee Archers NFAA Vegas 330, Adult Money Class • 2016 – Illinois Archery Association Indoor Aggregate, Pro Money Female Freestyle • 2016 – ITAA 18-meter State Championship, Compound Junior Female* • 2016 – ITAA 25-meter State Championship, Compound Junior Female* • 2016 – ITAA 18- and 25-meter State Championship, Compound Junior Female* • 2017 – NFAA State Championship, Pro Money Female Freestyle • 2017 – Illinois Archery Association Championships, Pro Female Freestyle • 2017 – NFAA Great Lakes Indoor Sectionals, Pro Female Freestyle • 2017 – ITAA State Championship, Pro Female Freestyle • 2017 – ITAA Summer Game, Pro Female Freestyle • 2018 – Kansas City Shootout, Pro Female Freestyle • 2018 – Midwest Triple Crown, Pro Female Freestyle • 2018 – NFAA Great Lakes Indoor Sectionals, Pro Female Freestyle • 2018 – NFAA Indiana State Championships (guest competitor), Pro Female Freestyle *– state record bow and arrow. “We just started on a couple of recurves, and she has just taken off.”

Dusti’s first major regional award came when she was 8, when she hit enough foam animal

stands to take third in the Cub Class at the Plug and Pellet 3D meet in Rockford.

Continued on page 7

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Timber Lake Playhouse (TLP), the professional summer theatre of northwestern Illinois, has the shows you will love: hot new shows just leaving Broadway, great American plays, everyone’s “old favorite” musicals, and the best in country, pop, and rock-n-roll revues in our “JukeBox Series.”

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Continued from page 5

All of the sessions at SVA, as well as times spent shooting out on the Batsches’ rural home near Ashton, eventually paid off. So did earning a lot of quarters. Dusti’s parents would give her quarters each time she hit a bull’s-eye during practice. With the money, new bows became more complex.

“At one point, they were giving me so many quarters, they were like, ‘You can either keep getting quarters, or you can just get a new bow,’” Dusti said. “I’m like, ‘New bow, hands down!’”

The awards kept coming. At one 3D tournament at Kishwaukee Archers in Sycamore, she was the only girl and competed against 12 other boys her age.

“They were all sitting there saying, ‘We can beat her, she’s a girl.’ I came back and won it,” Dusti said with a huge laugh. “They got so mad at me.”

Batsch won the Kids Class at the Kishwaukee 3D meet in 2010, and finished fourth the following year. She pinned down firsts in the Cub Class at the Kishwaukee ProAm and in the Youth Female Freestyle division of the Tri-Star Tour in 2012.

The Batsches moved to Dixon by that time, and all eyes would be on Dusti when the P.E. unit schedule turned to archery. However, the classes were designed for beginners – recurved bows and large targets – and it seemed so different to someone who was used to much more advanced equipment. Eventually, she would try to get kids together to start an archery club at Dixon High School. It didn’t quite pan out.

Batsch believes archery is a lot of fun, and uses that as the primary selling point to try and get more people involved.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Dusti said. “For me, it is a stress reliever. If I’m upset, or angry, I’ll come [to Sauk Valley Archers] and shoot, and then I feel a lot better.”

Professionals need to average an X-score of 45, and Batsch currently shoots around 57-58 at her best. The awards kept coming, and after earning her pro card, so did money, sponsors,

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Dusti says archery is “a lot of fun. [It’s] a stress reliever.

If I’m upset, or angry, I’ll come [to Sauk Valley Archers] and shoot, and then I feel a lot better.”

and the opportunity to compete at much larger tournaments, such as the Vegas Shoot in Las Vegas, and the Indoor Nationals in Cincinnati.

Dusti recalled her first trip to Vegas as being somewhat more relaxing than she had thought.

She placed 14th in the Female Compound Championship division, and thought the next time around was going to be much better. That didn’t happen, Dusti said, owing to her overconfidence. She placed 23rd.

“It was definitely nerve-wracking,” Dusti said.

“The first year I shot it, I thought I would have a lot more nerves than I did. This year, it was more nerve-wracking because I went in thinking that I could do better than I did last year.”

At Indoor Nationals in February, Dusti earned her first perfect score – an X-score of 60. She had done it three times previously in practice rounds.

She finished in fourth place in her division, competing against members of Team USA. “You have to make sure you’re doing the same shot every time,” Dusti said. “It’s got to be very consistent. One little minute thing will throw you off.”

Archery will no doubt be in her future, but it won’t be the only thing she will do after she

graduates from high school. Dusti plans to attend Sauk Valley Community College, and then transfer to a 4-year school with aspirations of becoming a game warden.

For some archery is a means for hunting, but not for Dusti.

“I’m big into protecting wildlife,” Dusti said. “I really don’t care to kill them. I know someone who was breaking hunting laws, and it really bothered me.”

Being a rising star on the national archery scene, who knows what her ultimate target will be in her career. But wherever she goes, she won’t forget where it all began.

“We’ve had a lot of ups and downs with members; we’re trying to grow and trying to bring more people in,” Dusti said of Sauk Valley Archers. “With all these archery tournaments I go to, I’m trying to draw more people into archery.

“There are a lot of great members who are very supportive. They’ve known me since I was little, and they’re amazed. They’ve watched me grow, not just as a person, but as an archer.

Honestly, if it wasn’t for the big support group I have there, I don’t think I could have done what I do now.” s

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Keeping her balance Dixon grad brings yoga, massage business to town K

Story By Andrea Mills & Photos By Alex T. Paschal For Dixon Living

ate Johnson, 24, never planned to begin her career in her hometown. The horizon stretched out before her, but something drew her back home to start Balance Body Massage & Yoga.

“I wasn’t planning on coming back here,” she said. “... But you always do what you say you’re never going to do, and I’m so happy I did. I feel like I am definitely supposed to be here doing this.”

Johnson grew up in Dixon and graduated from Dixon High School in 2012. Then, she headed over to Iowa City and started massage classes. She graduated from the year-long program in 2013.

Then, she opened her massage business at 404 N. Galena Ave. The site also houses Johnson Chiropractic, owned by her father, Dr. Robert Johnson. She hadn’t planned on that either, but thought things would be easy because her father could send his clients to her.

“That did not happen,” she said. “He wanted me to build up my own business on my own and he said once I have a good name, then he would start giving me clients, which I did not appreciate at the time. I’m really happy Dad did it that way, because it felt like I built my

TOP: Jessica Fair gets some helping hands from Kate Johnson to maintain the proper form for the Child’s Pose. ABOVE: Johnson teaches a class at her Dixon studio.

own practice then.” These days, she gets occasional referrals from her father.

Once her massage business was on its feet, it was time to do more.

“I had my business for massage flowing and everything was good,” Johnson said. “Then, I

wanted to add on some things, and working out has always been huge in my life. I was actually training for a competition, so I thought I could help other people train.”

Continued on page 11

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Continued from page 9

Yoga student Angela Haws shows the tree pose.

She added personal training to her business, taking a 2-week program at Sauk Valley Community College, and had a few clients. Something wasn’t right though. She was too nice.

“My family members and friends said, “You know what you sound like? You sound like a yoga instructor.’ ... That was when the light bulb came on,” she said.

“My yoga training (Hatha Yoga) was in 2016 in California,” she said.

“I went for a 2-week, intensive program, so I did yoga from the time I woke up to the time I went to bed every day. It was intense, but it was one of the best decisions I’d ever made. It was awesome. You just learn so much about your body. Yoga is the study of self and it’s all about selfawareness and self-acceptance. In yoga, it’s accepting where you’re at on that day. I believe that yoga is for all and what we say is for everybody.”

She said yoga is a good way to balance out any activity that people do in their daily lives.

“Yoga does the opposite,” Johnson said. “It opens up, balances up the body in the opposite of what we do every day. So there’s lots of balancing of the front and back and the side to side. And that’s what makes it so healthy for people that just have a daily life where they’re doing a lot of repetitive motion, which we all do. We’re all creatures of habit, so it’s really good to get out of that habit.”

Continued on page 13

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Continued from page 11

She’s found yoga does more than just help physically.

“It’s making me feel so good, not only physically, but I started noticing how it works mentally and spiritually for you as well,” Johnson said. “Just creating more of a clear mind, bringing you back to the natural state of peace and happiness in the mind, which is bizarre to me that that’s the natural state of our mind.

Johnson offers something for all experience and age levels.

“It’s kind of just a start-where-you-are program,” she said. “Walk-ins are welcome. The first one is free. Beginners are welcome. ... There’s so many variations that I’m able to teach a class from children to senior citizens all in one class.”

She helps clients work within their own abilities.

“There’s so many different struggles they’re going through,” Johnson said. “Some people have knee injuries; some people have insecurities with their bodies and we’re able to work around that and find what’s best for them in their practice.”

Johnson added that those attending classes are concentrating more on themselves than on what those around them are doing.

Johnson’s work also has helped athletes. She’s taught classes for Dixon High School wrestlers

Shari Piller holds the Balance Warrior pose.

and the Reagan Middle School cross country team. She teaches Yoga on the Riverfront on Fridays during the summer, works with Florissa Center for children with special needs, and offers one-on-one yoga for people who are injured or training.

“I just love that I can bring this to the Dixon community because I think it’s good to focus on physical health and mental well-being,” she said. “I’m glad I can share it with people.”

Continued on page 15

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Massages increase the blood flow to the body and are extremely therapeutic for the muscles, Johnson said. She gives relaxation as well as deep-tissue sports and medical massages, working with athletes and clients with injuries and chronic issues.

All of her massages are designed for each person’s needs and can include addons, such as hot stones. Those worried about disrobing can relax. Massages are done privately and Johnson discusses them first, and those who would like to can remain completely dressed can do so.

Massages are by appointment only.

“Massage is great,” she said, “Not only for the relaxation, which I think a lot of people know that, but also the pain relief as well.”

Among her talents is reiki, energy work.

“Energy work is a Japanese technique for stress reduction, relaxing and promoting healing,” Johnson said. “It’s a laying of hands technique. With energy work – and it’s not like I can go around and feel people’s auras of energy – I’m able to lay hands on certain areas. We are taught to

help reduce anxiety or help with depression, help regulate emotions, because a lot of us run around, obviously not regulated, and nobody ever comes in perfectly balanced like, ‘Here I am, a glowing beam of light.’ That’s why it’s really good for everybody to get energy work done once in a while.”

In the future, she hopes to add some staff.

“I think that I would like to expand, especially in yoga, and have more instructors so there’s more variation of different classes to offer and more times to offer eventually and maybe we would change buildings. It would be a dream to have a nice, overlooking-the-water yoga studio, but we can all dream. With massage, it’s really just about finding the right person, but I could definitely use somebody working with me with massage as well.”

Doing her best is what’s gotten her this far.

“I guess, my dad has always told me if you’re doing your best, that’s all you can do,” Johnson said. “People will notice and it will grow. As a healer or as a person that works with people and helping people, you’re always wondering, ‘Am I doing good?’ ... I just go on with the intention of helping and healing people and I hope I do that for them.” s

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Built to last

Diversification has been key for Dixon business

Steve Kitzman, owner of Kitzman’s Lumber, says diversification is key to his business’ continued success.

“We have always relied on multiple revenue streams.”

Story By Andrea Mills & Photos

By Peter Balser For Dixon Living

K

itzman’s Lumber came to Dixon as part of a family business based in Rockford.

“We bought this business in 1998, so this year represents our 20th year in this building,” owner Steve Kitzman said. “When I graduated from college, we were expanding, so I was chosen out of the family members to move to Dixon.”

In 2010, things took an unusual turn.

“I was fired from my partners,” he said. “Family members decided to fire me. They got rid of me.”

He was given the opportunity to buy them out, which he did.

“We split, and we went our own ways,” Kitzman said. “I purchased the assets and the company Aug. 31, 2010.”

The decision turned out to be good for him. The family’s Rockford store closed in 2011.

“This is the only remaining store,” he said. “I haven’t made any changes. Everything is operating as is.”

The reason for his firing was his partners didn’t like the direction he was taking the Dixon company.

“And that direction is our diversification,” he said. “When the ’08 economic crash hit it was devastating to our industry. New construction housing came to a halt. Essentially meaning, if you were supplying new construction, you weren’t supplying that anymore. And we, in Dixon ... have always been diversified to where our sales remained strong even during the down time, so we were unaffected by the ’08 economic crash because of the diversification.”

He said they were able to weather the storm.

“My partners didn’t like our direction, however, they didn’t see what I saw, and ultimately it put them out of business,” Kitzman said.

He continues to keep his business diversified.

“We have always relied on multiple revenue streams.” Kitzman said. “We have supplied a lot of industrial and commercial accounts that have offset the new construction downturn. We do a lot of vertical integration, meaning getting the most out of what we can with what we’ve got.”

In 2008, he introduced a wood pellet line, which took leftover scraps of wood and turned them into something useful that could make money.

The wood pellet line has recycled more than 3 million pounds of waste wood in the past 10 years, Kitzman said. It’s material that would have went out to the landfill in Lee County.

“They [customers] use it for heating in the winter time and horse bedding,” he said. “It makes the best horse bedding.”

Evidence of the vertical integration continued to show up in 2015 when Kitzman began a trucking company to allow him to buy lumber mill-direct and transport it to Dixon on his own trucks.

“It has saved us transportation fees and time,” he said. “The trucking industry is in a little bit of disarray and turmoil at the moment due to ELD [electric logging device] mandates and government regulations, which put a strain on the available trucks to ship product. So we took that into our own hands and solved that problem.”

Kitzman’s trucks mostly go south to lumber mills in South Carolina, Texas and Arkansas. They can haul goods for themselves and other people, so they try to carry material in both directions.

“We haul material from the North to the South and then find a lumber mill that will get us what we need to bring back home,” he said.

“They call them deadhead miles where a truck drives empty. We try to minimize the deadhead miles. Deadhead miles are very costly. We haul a lot for James Hardy out of Peru (a building material supplier), and they’re able to keep us busy.”

Their trucks have satellite GPS, which keeps them in constant contact with the truck and driver.

“I can see exactly where he’s at at any time of the day,” Kitzman said. “And it’s not snooping, it’s part of what he and I need to do to make sure that he’s on time, to make sure that he’s doing his job, to make sure that our customer gets his load delivered when they need it. It’s a good tool to have. And if there’s trouble, we know exactly where he’s at. And then he brings our wood back and we know when – we almost have a guaranteed delivery time. Where if we relied on the mills or other distributors, that’s out of our control.”

Continued on page 19

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Kitzman’s in downtown Dixon has a little bit of everything, from lumber to hardware.

Continued from page 17

This won’t be the only diversification for the company.

“We’ve had to maximize profit potential out of the current business that we’ve got, so every day I look at trying to change or to make better what we’re currently doing,” Kitzman said. “In today’s environment, if you want to survive, you have to be innovative. And it’s not like we’re migrating from the lumber industry. Everything is correlated with the lumber industry. Everything we do revolves around lumber.”

No specific plans are in the works for this year.

“We are waiting to see what the city’s development is with the Viaduct 1 project, which is taking place next door to us,” Kitzman said.

“Other than that, we can maintain current operations currently with what we have.”

The company is affiliated with Do it Best Corp. as its lumber and hardware co-operative, and has been for 30 years.

“They have been instrumental in our growth,” he said. “The Midwest distribution center is here in Dixon, which acts as our second warehouse. We can utilize all of the products at their facility, usually picking up material the next day. That’s very nice.”

A visit to Kitzman’s in downtown Dixon will reveal that they have a little of everything from lumber to hardware.

“We have windows and doors, Sheetrock and insulation, and what we don’t have, we kind of specialize in special ordering. So we can get anything for you basically,” he said. “We go through a tremendous amount of wood.”

They do business with contractors, as well as those who do it themselves.

Kitzman’s Lumber

Address: 411 W. First St. Phone: 815-288-2255 Hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; and 8 a.m. to noon Saturday Online: kitzmanlumber.doitbest.com and Facebook “We are very friendly,” Kitzman said. “We’re very easygoing. We like to think we’re easy to work with and hopefully convenient if you’re working in Dixon. Our pricing is commodity based, so we somewhat don’t have control over prices, but it’s all dictated by the lumber market. We’re competitive. I like to think we have a better quality.”

All that wood they go through is dimensional wood and lumber, as well as plywood. They have southern yellow pine (SYP), and spruce from Canada. Also on hand are ponderosa pine, western red cedar from the West Coast and treated lumber.

An added gem is the wood shop that has grown over the years.

“The wood shop out back, where we cut material to the customer’s specs, supplies all of our industrial accounts,” Kitzman said. “I didn’t go to college for this venture. It’s just turned out that way. I went to college for business, and when you look at my background, with a business degree, everything that we do here revolves around my education, so it has helped.”

Clearly, that move from Rockford early in his business career has turned out to be a good one for Kitzman.

“I think Dixon’s been fantastic for my business, my family,” he said. “It’s a wonderful place to live.” s

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This metal purse and the globe shown below are just two of the countless items at Waterfront Gifts and Antiques.

W

aterfront onderland

What began as a gift shop is now a unique antique stop Story By Lucinda Hall & Photos By Alex T. Paschal For Dixon Living

A

ntiques can be as cozy as a comforter, beckoning memories of bygone eras, or they can leave you perplexed on how an outrageous looking item could ever have been considered stylish.

Eclectic. That’s what Chris Morgan, coowner of Waterfront Gifts and Antiques, calls it. And the diverse range of styles and tastes in the Dixon store are just that.

Antique soda fountain stools welcome customers entering the store and are the just the beginning of a nostalgic tour as visitors are encouraged to wander through the business’ two levels. Items can span a century or as little as just a few decades, with everything from primitives, to mid-century modern classics, to the new.

It all started on a whim one day in 2005 when Chris and her husband, Larry, were driving by and became intrigued by a small gift shop on the Rock River.

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“Wouldn’t it be cool to own our own business?” Chris said. She was surprised to have her husband agree.

Turns out Chris’ parents were thinking the same thing, at the same time, and there began their adventure.

Shortly thereafter, they pulled the trigger and started at their first location. They have since move on to their third building. Chris and her husband own the building at 212 W. First St., while Chris and her mother, Virginia Weitzel, own the business.

“It was really kind of interesting that we had all been going down that same path,” Chris continued. “I guess it was just meant to be.”

The business originally started as more of a gift shop, but as Chris saw antiques becoming more and more popular, a transition was made to include antiques. On a personal level, she finds antiques as an opportunity to learn about items and their history. She has an affinity for the farmhouse French style.

“We have always just loved the old – anything that sparks a memory. I sometimes feel like a misplaced soul because I love the old so much,” she said. “The craftsmanship is so charming and the stories they tell. Items were created to be functional and yet they each have their own style. It’s nice to learn things and pass it on.”

While Chris does much of the antique hunting at estate sales, auctions, and private sales, the store also has seven supporting dealers, who have designated areas within the store. Each one stages their space, often incorporating furniture, glassware, textiles, pottery and galvanized pieces. The items are refreshed almost weekly, so there is always something new for customers to see.

The décor of the store itself is warm and welcoming, avoiding the sometimes-crowded, flea market feeling of other antiques stores. There is a flow of merchandise that helps tell the story of the treasures by giving eras and genres their own space.

Chris credits her mother for the store’s friendly atmosphere.

“She just has a quiet touch that makes everything feel inviting,” she said. “I couldn’t do it without her. It takes her to bring it all together.

She just has that special touch that adds warmth wherever she goes. One of her favorite sayings as she is decorating is ‘We’re creating.’”

Perhaps some of the most interesting items are considered mid-century modern. While it may be hard for baby boomers to think of the style of their youth as antiques, the mid-century décor dates only as far back as the period from 1935 to 1965. It is considered a significant design movement featuring clean, simple lines. There can also be a zaniness to it, with pops of color, and it was one of the first styles to introduce chrome as a design element.

Continued on page 23

This vintage pinball machine and vintage billiards ball set (below) should bring back memories for many customers.

Waterfront Gifts and Antiques

Address: 212 West First St., Dixon Phone: 815-288-4500 Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday Online: Find the store on Facebook

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Continued from page 21

The store features more than just antiques. Two of the dealers offer handcrafted items.

Will Aberle of Rock Falls created his own line of candles: Smelly Kids Candles.

“When I asked him about the name, he said it was ‘because candles smell and I act like a kid,’” laughed Chris.

The soy-based candles feature lead free wicks and come in jar and tart sizes with pleasing herb, floral and food scents.

Another designer, Jan Orgen of Dixon, has created fanciful scarf-type necklaces in vibrant fabrics, textures and colors.

The magnetic clasps make putting on and taking off the necklaces simple.

Chris finds her customers entertaining and enjoys the reminiscing that frequently accompanies their visits. Their ages range from older teens looking to furnish apartments, to great-grandmothers. She has even had visits from groups of Red Hat Ladies.

“I do like listening to older customers,” she shared. “I hear them visiting about remembered items from their grandmothers’ home. I hear so many great

Since 2002

childhood memories.”

It can also be a quirky business. One dealer couple decided to try displaying taxidermy items such as quail and deer. It was not a crowd-pleaser. They even had a full mounted antelope that eventually ended up in a gun store.

Perhaps even quirkier is the Morgans’ own decorating style at home, where their carpet of choice is actually a camouflage motif – a nod to her husband’s love for hunting.

“Believe it or not, it works with our antiques and it works for us! To each their own!” she said with a chuckle.

The Morgans will also search for special request items at sales and auctions for customers and are always pleased when they are able to find a wished-for item.

Gift certificates are also available.

It’s so much more than a business for Chris. She is quick to praise her husband and mother for the time they are able to spend together doing something for which they have a shared passion.

“My husband is such a go-getter and so supportive. I couldn’t do it without him.” she said, adding that the time with her mom is special. “I won’t ever give it up.” s

Many interesting glassware pieces are for sale at the shop.

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BRAND NEW BEAT There’s a whole lot of shaking going on at new business

Story By Lucinda Hall & Photos By Peter Balser and Alex T. Paschal For Dixon Living

T

here’s a whole lot of shakin’ going on at Rockin’ Nutrition and Wellness in downtown Dixon. And, if you dance to the beat of a different drummer, you’re in for a totally new workout experience.

The shake shop, which opened in December 2017, is the creation of Angie and Jeremy Adams of Rochelle. It offers literally hundreds of combinations of protein

DixonFurniture Mart

shakes, teas and aloe beverages during the day. In the evening, it’s time for fitness fun with DrumFit – an innovative cardio workout program using drumsticks and exercise balls.

The business oozes the positive side of healthy eating and keeping fit. The décor is a cheery, with black and white checkered walls, reminiscent of sodas shops from a past era.

Rochelle native Angie Adams leads a DrumFit class at Rockin’ Nutrition and Wellness in Dixon.

A chalk board listing beverage combination spans the wall along with motivational phases welcoming customers to “Our Happy Place.” The beverage powders are blended with ice to a luscious smoothie consistency and served with a cheerful hand-written note on each cup.

Continued on page 27

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Angie and Jeremy Adams own and operate Rockin’ Nutrition and Wellness in Dixon. Their sons, Josh (center), 15, and Zach, 13, also help at the business.

Even their 6-year-old daughter Alexa likes to be involved.

Continued from page 25

“It’s a fun environment. Even the kids love being here and enjoy the atmosphere and shakes,” Angie said.

The couple, both 42, began their journey when they attended a fitness class hosted by Herbalife coaches in Rochelle.

“We started on our nutrition program and lost 75 pounds together,” Angie said. “I have always loved the shake shop theme but wanted it to be healthy. This is why we chose the name Rockin’ Nutrition. We decided to come to Dixon after so many people said they would love this type of business in their town.”

The Adams have been independent Herbalife distributors and fitness coaches for 2 years.

Herbalife is a nutrition and weight management company that promotes healthy, active lifestyles.

“Our adventure has been so much fun. It’s for all

Rockin’ Nutrition and Wellness

Address: 302 W. First St. Phone: 815-739-2872 Hours: The nutrition bar is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Rockin’ DrumFit classes are at 4:45 and 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.

Online: Find the business on Facebook ages and levels. I want everyone to feel comfortable and have a positive experience,” Angie said. “It’s so rewarding seeing happy customers and hearing winning results. It makes my day to see customers’ transformations and becoming healthier.”

Their philosophy matches healthy nutritional choices with exercise through DrumFit, an energetic cardio drumming fitness program utilizing drumsticks and exercise balls.

Classes are held two evenings each week at no cost and participants are encouraged to

bring their children. Ages in the classes range from 5 to more than 80 years old.

The high-energy program features drumming to music on the exercise balls in rhythms designed to give participants a solid cardio workout. Modifications can be made to accommodate individuals of varying strength levels.

Participants provide their own drumsticks and exercise balls.

Continued on page 29

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Shown here are some of the flavors offered at the shop.

Continued from page 27

Angie, who is trained to teach the classes, believes just about everyone can benefit from the program.

“I love that children can drum with their parents as well – what a great influence for children these days,” she said.

Julia Powers of Dixon had her own motivation for joining the classes.

With an upcoming family wedding, she was looking for a healthy way to lose weight.

“I decided to try DrumFit and am so glad I did,” she said. “I love the class. Angie and Jeremy are always so positive, kind and so much fun.”

Sami Rodrigues of Dixon shared similar feelings.

“I am so very grateful that Angie and Rockin’ Nutrition and Wellness is a part of our community. It brings such a positive energy to our downtown,” she said. “The joy Angie gets from helping people achieve their health goals is evident the moment you walk in.”

Rockin’ Nutrition and Wellness is also a family affair, enlisting the help of the Adams’ three children, Josh, 15, Zach, 13 and Alexa, 6.

“Both our boys have helped out in the club, serving customers. Our daughter enjoys drumming and talking to all of the customers. We love involving our children in all that we do,” Angie said.

The Adams hope to expand their fitness programs to encourage others to find the healthy satisfaction they have achieved.

In the time being, it’s just such a joy for Angie to come to work every

day. A good example is the day five teenage boys came in.

“They sat at the bar, and I could tell they thought they were sitting in an ice cream shop. They asked if I had SpongeBob popsicles. I explained to them that we sell nutritious shakes, teas and aloes. Each shake has ½ the nutrition their bodies need in a day,” she said. “They all ordered and loved their shakes. I believe I even heard one say, ‘Is this our new hangout spot?’ That really made my day. They left satisfied and said ‘We will tell our moms all about this place.’” s

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Rock Falls artist Crystal Collinson is shown in her studio. Her style is organic and natural.

A Crystal Blue point of view

You’ll find this Rock Falls folk artist at many Dixon events

Story By Lucinda Hall & Photos By Alex T. Paschal For Sterling-Rock Falls Living

W

hether creating majestic butterflies or mystic sea creatures, masterfully knotting macramé or sketching playful caricatures, Crystal Collinson travels the imaginative journey of a multimedia artist.

“Art can take you in so many directions,” said Collinson, 37, of Rock Falls. “It’s entertainment for the eye.”

She knew at a young age that she had a passion for art and credits her now-retired Sterling High School teacher, Bruce Bley, with teaching her everything she knows.

Collinson went on to study art at Sauk Valley Community College. It’s there, at the cam-

Online

Find Crystal Blue Artistic Expression on Facebook for more information. pus book store, that she first starting selling her macramé and jewelry.

A self-described folk artist, she is adept at using both conventional and unconventional methods.

She is especially fond of using organic materials and cloth – particularly hemp for her macramé – but is also skillful with colored and watercolor pencils and has even used fine-point

colored markers to create lively pieces.

Crystal Blue Artistic Expression was launched in 2012 by Collinson as a way to promote her creations at art and craft shows. The name pays homage to a former co-worker who lightheartedly started calling her “Crystal Blue” after a popular 1960’s song, “Crystal Blue Persuasion.”

“The name just kind of stuck,” she said.

Not surprising, she has found other artistic niches to expand her outreach. Collinson teaches both children and adult art classes at the Woodland Arts Academy.

Continued on page 33

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She has also become a much sought-after face painter and is regularly featured at both the Twin City Farmers Market in Sterling and the Dixon City Market. She even did caricatures for students at Rock Falls High School’s prom.

One of her favorite gigs is Gardenstock, hosted each year at Distinctive Gardens in Dixon. It was also where she nourished her love for Monarch butterflies.

“Crystal is a long-standing Gardenstock artist and has exhibited inside Distinctive Gardens for our yearly Shop Stories,” said Lisa LeFevre, who, with her husband Bud, own the business.

“In 2016, we focused on her Monarch Mandalas for the Spring “Transform” Shop Story. She has been raising Monarchs for a few years now and is passionate about them, her art and community.”

Mandala is an artform dating backing to Hindu and Buddhist traditions that focuses on repeating colors, shapes and patterns radiating from the center. They are thought to be objects of meditation and spirituality.

Collinson’s mandala depicts eight monarch butterflies radiating geometrically from a circular center. It is an intriguing and bold piece

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“I enjoy just looking at it and visualizing what direction to go with it next,” she said.

Charmed by a Monarch caterpillar feasting on her backyard milkweed plant, Collinson was moved to learn more about them and added more milkweed plants for the evolving butterflies to feast on.

Macramé is another of her favorite mediums.

Macramé is an ancient form of textile art using organic hemp fibers. Its popularity has diminished over centuries. Collinson practices

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This Native American statue, passed down from Crystal’s grandfather, has become a bit of a talisman in her studio.

this ancient knotting art and incorporates it into jewelry and decorative accent pieces.

Among her pieces are glass candle holders, plant pots and jars.

Continued on page 35

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“I enjoy keeping an artform alive and giving a fresh face to it. The more I see things going away, the more I am drawn to them,” she shared. “I love macramé, just because.”

Her mother brings her jars so she can repurpose items that are both artistic and useful to give them a second life.

“My mom is really good and she’s really thrifty. I make them pretty,” she laughed. “And I appreciate her contributions.”

It is a labor-intensive art and she does up to 30 items at a time. First, she positions colored glass stones, grouts around the stones, allows them to dry and finally weaves the intricate hemp designs around the stones. The results are beautifully rustic and reminiscence of popular fad items in the 1960s and ’70s.

Collinson currently has items on display at Baked by Liz in Morrison.

Her artistic endeavors took a quirky turn in 2014. On a whim, she contacted Dixon Main Street after seeing an ad for the annual Venetian Night, hoping to display her crafts.

While there were no craft opportunities, she was asked if she would do face painting. She’d never done it.

“I just said to myself, ‘You know what. I

think I’ll give it a shot!’” she laughed.

Using her daughter, Emmaliah, now age 6, as her test subject, she realized there was a lot to learn.

“Let’s just say the first attempts were not so successful,” she reflected with a smile.

She had a lot to learn about and the first thing she did was source the right types of paint.

“Live art is so interesting and creative,” she said.

Since her initial attempts, she has gone on to be a much sought-after face painter.

“At just about any event, you’ll find a line of people waiting to see her, both young and old,” shared Lauren Mills, event and sponsorship director for the Dixon Chamber and Dixon Main Street. “She has painted children, parents, grandparents, band members and other entertainers, and even myself.”

Her designs are bold and authentic. Sometimes, her subjects know what they want to be or bring pictures on their phones. Other times she just improvises. She also has a book of examples people can chose from. One girl even asked to have her face painted to accessorize with her outfit. The most popular requests are for action figures. One of Collinson’s most detailed and quirkiest was a request for The

Joker of Batman fame.

“Crystal has grown to be a staple at all of our Dixon Chamber and Main Street events throughout the past few years,” added Mills.

Face painting is no longer reserved for school fun fairs, nor is it reserved for just children. Collinson has taken it to a whole new level, including participating in a fashion art show at The Next Picture Show in Dixon. It involved whole body painting of exposed skin – akin to washable tattoos.

She currently takes reservations for face painting parties for children and adults.

Collinson also does paint parties hosted at The Rusty Fox in Sterling. Participants are guided step-by-step to create their own masterpieces.

If all that isn’t enough, she also is the singer for the rock band Nova, performing with two instructor musicians she met at the Woodland Arts Academy.

She works from her cozy home studio, where daughter, Emmaliah, also has her own child-sized drawing table.

Collinson feels blessed to have found a career that allows her to stay at home and focus exclusively on her art with encouragement from husband, Kelly, her daughter, son, Ezra, and stepson, Bud. s

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