|
Temp: 48.0F |
(page 2 of 3)
Photo by Todd Buchanan
February 2011
Alex Lehr named her floral-design business after her favorite flower: a thistle. “It’s this angry flower among soft, pretty things,” she says. Its prickliness is hardly analogous to her bubbly personality, but its hardiness might be a metaphor for her decision to open Thistle solo. Lehr handles each order, from design to delivery. And not all her deliveries are romantic: Weekly office drops inject vibrancy and, she says, provide a perfect colleague thank-you. “My customers’ budgets are smaller,” she says, “but there’s room for creativity.” At this budding young shop, anything’s possible. Thistle Floral Design, 952-237-7487, thistlefloral.com
Photo by Todd Buchanan
January 2011
BlueBernice is the Etsy shop run by Colisa Lemal, an oncology nurse with an MCAD art degree. The shop is named after her grandmother—and her Grandma’s hair color—because Lemal’s love of vintage and upcycling came from her grandparents’ lifestyle of “making do.” “They lived that way out of necessity,” she says. “I like honoring that.” Her love of luggage began at a garage sale where she bought a red case for a dollar. “Vintage luggage is incredibly durable. I just wanted to freshen it up,” she says of the woodland creatures she hand-paints on the cases. This is one suitcase you’ll never lose at baggage claim. bluebernice.etsy.com
Photo by Todd Buchanan
December 2010
Anna Lee is returning to Ruby3. For the past few years, Lee has been serving as creative director of MN Fashion and producing the Voltage runway show, so her own millinery-design work has been put on hold. But she recently re-immersed herself in the endeavor. Intensely vibrant, her fascinators explode with color and texture, and put a glamorous, more-is-more touch on holiday hair. “It’s like a symphony,’ she says. “You add something a little dissonant, and it strikes a deeper chord.’ Lee loves seeing that chord resonate with her customers: “Fascinators make flirtatiousness come out,’ she says. “And that is so fun to watch.’ ruby3.com
Photo by SARA RUBiNSTEIN
November 2010
“There’s no reason you can’t dress cute even when it’s cold,” says Kedrin Likness, the crochet artist behind Atta Girl by Kedrin. Well said. Likness expertly crochets wintry must-haves with unexpected twists: ear warmers bedecked with bows, loopy scarves, and even multi-“chain” necklaces made of yarn and adorned with vintage buttons. Now, Likness is debuting a line called Hazel + Haverly, sweetly named after her grandmothers, who taught her the craft. The line will include lofty lovelies made with cashmere, silk, and leather. Minnesotans: Make a statement with your winter-weather wardrobe. Start here. Available at Corazon and attagirlbykedrin.com
Photo by TODD BUCHANAN
October 2010
Tracy Bennett started going to flea markets in search of bargain furnishings after moving into her first home. “My mom had this way of making something from nothing,” she says of her inspiration. Eventually, Bennett’s home became too crowded for all the tables and knickknacks, so she began refashioning flea-market jewelry into necklaces. Bigger is better and more is more for Bennett, who is both inventive and judicious, forging an edgy aesthetic while keeping the original spirit. “Some things I can’t tear apart,” she says. Those, she keeps for herself. Thankfully, she sells the rest. Scout Vintage is available at Ladyslipper, A. Michele, June, and 612-205-7498.
Photo by TODD BUCHANAN
September 2010
When Minneapolis architect Angie Davis lost her job, she packed up her design sensibility and set up a shop, Byrd + Belle, on Etsy.com. Design-conscious iFans, looking for something stylish with which to store their beloved Apple gadgets, began snapping up her modern-meets-J.Crew sleeves for laptops, iPods, iPads, and iPhones. Davis, who grew up on a farm, has married her upbringing with her education: “It’s a very clean, simple product, steeped in traditional materials,” she says. “The end product feels modern to me, but wool and leather are the oldest known materials. I’m evening out my two former lives.” etsy.com/shop/byrdandbelle
Photo by TODD BUCHANAN
August 2010
Meghan Elizabeth Pottery evokes a sense of place, and that place is St. Paul. Artist Meghan Lunos starts with a photograph she has taken of an interesting local setting or landmark. Then, she handpaints that image onto her pottery. The result? A spectacular, black-and-white vignette: Maybe it’s a familiar place, such as the cathedral, from an angle you’ve never considered. Or an everyday sight, such as delivery trucks making neighborhood rounds, elevated to an iconic image. Lunos’s pieces look just right on any wall, counter, or tabletop. In fact, they would make a showstopping dinner setting. mepottery.com
Photo by Terry Brennan
July 2010
Ernest Miller is a potter who creates sleek vessels with otherworldly, crystalline finishes in his northeast Minneapolis studio (see page 77). We’re drawn to them because of the resemblance to Minnesota windshields on December mornings, and because of the almost-three-dimensional depth that adorned this piece’s surface. “We have strong traditions of classic shapes, so I like to push the finish to a contemporary level,” Miller says. So is it a sculpture? A vase? “It’s more of a sculpture, meant to be looked at and appreciated,” he says. We’d appreciate it in our living room. Ernest Miller Studios, Northrup King Building, Mpls., 612-386-2291, ernestmiller.com
June 2010
Sculptor-turned-goldsmith Emily Johnson has been producing gorgeous wearable art part-time since 2006, but 2010 marks her first year full-time, on her own. Her mixed-metal stackable rings, earrings, necklaces, and cuffs, have a tough, yet feminine style—a connection to her sculpting past, and a perfect accent for this season’s girly-meets-biker style. (P.S. She makes great wedding and commitment rings.) Pictured: Bud Rings, sterling silver, 14K pink gold, and rose-cut champagne diamonds. $475 each, Ecdesignstudios.com.
Photo by Todd Buchanan
May 2010
After years of developing beauty products for other companies, local chemist Teresa Andrys became disenchanted with their use of synthetic ingredients and excessive packaging—so she launched SunLeaf Naturals. The plant-based products for home and body are biodegradable and preservative-and petrochemical-free. Because they’re scented with 100 percent essential-oil blends, like Grapefruit Ginger and Lemon Vetiver, they smell just as good for you as they actually are. Visit sunleafnaturals.com for retail locations.
 |
 |
 |
|
Copyright 2013 Greenspring Media Group Inc - 600 US Trust Building - 730 2nd Avenue South - Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
