Make It Minnesota
2017 SHOP LOCAL GUIDE
Welcome. Throughout 2017, we had the honor of featuring a wide range of fantastic Minnesota makers, artists, beekeepers, brewers, community-builders, chefs, photographers, farmers, and beyond. Every story told inspires us to find another. Every new follower or subscriber lets us know that we’re connecting with our community in impactful ways. Every conversation we have about why shopping local is important fuels our passion to create a magazine that celebrates Minnesota craft and community. We’re doing what we love here, and we hope you enjoy this collection of some of our most gift-able features of 2017!
— Kara Larson
In This Guide: 4
Travel & Adventure
8
Life & Home
14
Jewelry
18
Repurposed Goods
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TRAVEL & ADVENTURE 4
SHOP LOCAL GUIDE 2017
Anywhere Apparel Founded by Kelly Koster and Nick Hansen Minneapolis, MN www.anywhereapparel.com “When we started Anywhere, it was just myself, my husband, and a big idea. We were sketching designs on the backs of napkins during our trips. A lot happened during train rides especially in Japan, or transatlantic flights. It was always the moments of transit that allowed the best thinking.� - Kelly Koster
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LES BAGS Made by Laurie Sorenson Minneapolis, MN www.les-bags.com
Duluth Pack Handmade in Duluth, MN since 1882 www.duluthpack.com “When someone tells me that sending our work overseas will see our profit margins go through the roof, my response is ‘Really? I have to get up and look at myself in the mirror every morning.’ We have to be a company of integrity. The bottom line is that about 80% of all the cost in our products is labor, but we don’t apologize for it. Your friends, your family, your neighbors are the ones we hire here. Our core values will never change even though we evolve...We tell people no a lot if it doesn’t fit into our core values and who we are.” - Tom Sega, Duluth Pack President
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“I never go into my workroom saying, “This is exactly what I am going to do.” I love experimenting – seeing what works and what does not. I do not know how much they inspire my process, but I also love period films and old Hollywood cinema, Christian Dior designs and clothing, and classic elegant design.” - Laurie Sorenson
SHOP LOCAL GUIDE 2017
Urban Undercover Owned by Sairey Gernes Minneapolis, MN www.urbanundercover.com
Shore Boards
“As your go-to staples for your go-anywhere lifestyle, UrbanUndercover underwear are designed to take you from coffee to cocktails, from the barre to the bar and from Texas to Tahiti. Each pair tucks into a pocket discreetly placed on the inside of the waistband in the back. Wear a pair and throw an extra pair in any bag, beach, gym, purse, carry-on, etc. Change into fresh undies, roll up the worn pair Photo by Kara Marie Photography (ya know, to keep anything they touch clean), throw ’em in your bag and off you go, worry free. You’ll always be prepared for whatever adventure awaits.” - Sairey Gernes
Handmade by Tim Shore Minneapolis, MN www.shore-boards.com “Shore Boards is constantly looking for ways to contribute and give back to the communities we live and work in. This year we donated a Shore Board and raised some funds for the Lindsey Vonn Foundation which focuses on building young women’s confidence in all facets of their life. It’s a great organization, and we were so happy to be able to contribute.” - Tim Shore
Photo by Russell Heeter 7
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LIFE & HOME
Photo by Nylon Saddle Photography
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SHOP LOCAL GUIDE 2017
WAAM Industries Owned by Hanna and Andrew Vomhof Minneapolis, MN www.waamindustries.com
“We Are Always Moving—I mean, that was it. Moving forward, transitioning spaces. It also holds true in the portability in a lot of our products. Everything is built so it doesn’t have to be stationary. It can transition with you.” - Hanna Vomhof
Photos by Nylon Saddle Photography 9
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Auslandish Artist/Owner Sarah Nelson St. Paul, MN www.auslandishcompany.com
Felled Woodcrafts Handmade by Jessica Reno Minneapolis, MN www.felledwoodcrafts.com
“Minnesota has a wonderful culture of artists and makers, who have been crucial in supporting me in my endeavor to continue to grow as a woodworker. I have become deeply connected to the maker community in Minnesota and plan to continue to participate in it, in the hopes that I can encourage other young craftsman to follow their passions.” - Jessica Reno
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“I grew up overseas. My parents were humanitarian workers with refugees in Vienna, Austria. So I was born and raised there and moved to America when I was 15. Auslander in German means foreigner, so I took that word and did a literal German-English translation, which brought me to outlander or outlandlish. It’s the perfect combination for this style of work. It’s a little wild and weird and has some of my upbringing mixed into it.” - Sarah Nelson
SHOP LOCAL GUIDE 2017
Smoothhills Weaving Handmade by Mandi Smethells Minneapolis, MN www.smoothhillsweaving.com
Essence One Handmade by Lauren VanScoy St. Paul, MN www.essenceone.life
“With every piece I make, I try to find a way to innovate. That may be with scale, material, color, or design. Early on in my weaving work, I was challenged by my limited and new skills, and as I have become more proficient, my personal style evolved naturally.” - Mandi Smethells
“It’s nice to be able to honestly say my products are safe to use, all natural, and smell amazing. My favorite part about working with essential oils is that I get to make customized blends of oils that can have a therapeutic effect. Because they are 100% pure, the scents promote a calm, invigorating, grounded, focused, or content feeling. I love creating something with a certain intension for people and then hearing they love things so much they shower twice a day or want to rub the natural deodorant all over their body because they love the smell so much.” - Lauren VanScoy
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Herbal Beauty Soap Handmade my Melissa Kruse Mankato, MN herbalbeautysoap.com
“I think about my kids and want them to experience the beauty in the world that has been so inspiring to me. As business owners, we are in a position to have an impact on the ecosystems from which our products are derived. We use organic and sustainable palm oil to protect Orangutan habitat. We also use fair trade shea butter, recycled plastic bottles, and local and organic ingredients.”
CLyons Creations
- Melissa Kruse
Handmade by Chris Lyons Minneapolis, MN clyonscreations.com
“Some people find fulfillment in one step or area, but I found that I truly love every step. From cutting lumber, to shaping, sanding, finishing, trying new techniques and machines. Seeing someone else’s reaction to a piece that I have a different connection or experience with is all fulfilling to me.” - Chris Lyons
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SHOP LOCAL GUIDE 2017
Minny & Paul Curated in Minneapolis, MN minnyandpaul.com
“Our vision is to share high quality local products through thoughtful gift giving. The local aspect is hugely important because we have such beautifully crafted products right here in our backyard, and we simply want to highlight these products and make them easier to discover and share with loved ones.”
Worker B Handmade in Minneapolis, MN worker-b.com
“We are a group of passionate beekeepers and artisanal skincare formulators who have harnessed the potency of bee-created ingredients straight from the hive. Our hard working formulas blend the very best of what nature, and the bees, have to offer, resulting in a powerful skin-loving addiction regimen that actually works.”
- Laura Waldman
- Michael Sedlachek
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Photo by Lydia Jane Photography
SHOP LOCAL GUIDE 2017
JEWELRY
Larissa Loden Jewelry Handmade in Minneapolis, MN www.larissaloden.com
“I have been creating/making things since I can remember. I think for a lot of people creating and being creative is all about the process whether it is cooking or sewing or soldering. For me the process is the creative part. My work allows me to express myself in a way that not only do I get to express myself but the person who is wearing it gets to express themselves as well and there is something amazing about that.� - Larissa Loden Photo by Lydia Jane Photography 15
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My Naptime Jewelry Handmade by Michelle Stangl White Bear Lake, MN mynaptimejewelry.com
“When you buy local, you are supporting your community, but you’re also supporting a stay at home mom like myself to help provide for their family and for their future. You are helping accomplish something for herself in the midst of giving her all to her family, all the while giving her children an even better reason to look up to their mom, who had a dream, went with it, and is successful!” - Michelle Stangl
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SHOP LOCAL GUIDE 2017
Britta Kauppila Metalsmith
Melinda Wolff Jewelry Handmade by Melinda Wolff St. Paul, MN www.melindawolff.com
Handmade by Britta Kauppila Duluth, MN www.brittalynndesign.com “Beyond the natural world, what’s really inspiring to me are powerful women. And I think my great great grandma is a big part of that— someone whom I’ve never met before, but just reading about her life and the strength that she had—I like to try to translate that into jewelry. I think about how jewelry interacts with the body and how it makes the wearer feel. I always want it to be a bold, empowered feeling.”
“My creativity stems from nature. I grew up playing in the woods, climbing trees, collecting toads, finding 4-leaf clovers, and picking wild flowers. My sisters, childhood friends, and I would play for hours outside, using our imagination within nature to create castles, forts, farms, and anything our little minds could envision. Growing up with nature introduced creative thinking and an appreciation for nature’s beauty.”
- Britta Kauppila - Melinda Wolff
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REPURPOSED GOODS Makeshift Accessories Handmade in Northfield, MN http://www.makeshiftaccessories.com/ “I enjoy being, and am proud to be, a link in the chain which moves each piece and its rich history into the future for others to experience. The experience of working with a raw piece of history allows me to take an intimate view into the moment in time when that material was first created or altered to its present state. I have a better understanding of the people that came before us and of the experiences they had and the decisions they made, which now shape our lives today.� - Devin Johnson
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SHOP LOCAL GUIDE 2017
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Steller Handcrafted Goods Handmade in Minneapolis, MN www.stellergoods.com “I love that these sweaters come from all over the world. Different sheep produce different types of wool and I have learned what sweaters I can use and which should be passed by. There is such a story of hopefulness and redemption to be able to take a sweater that is no longer loved or is damaged and give it new life. Isn’t that great?” - Julie Steller
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Moth Oddities Founded by Yana Pietras and Ian O’Neill Minneapolis, MN www.mothoddities.com
“As vintage connoisseurs, we emphasize the importance of purchasing vintage or recycled fashion. There are already enough clothes on this planet! Every time a person purchases something recycled rather than new, they are helping to minimize the carbon footprint. These purchases can be made the most economically at thrift stores, but if the idea of spending time digging through used clothes isn’t your thing, there are many curated vintage shops out there!” - Yana Pietras & Ian O’Neill
SHOP LOCAL GUIDE 2017
Lucky Devil Guitars Handmade by Gipson Shoemaker Medina, MN www.gipsonshoemaker.com
“At the end of the day the real reward in being a maker is knowing that my product lives on without me. The guitar I make today is probably going to end up in the hands of someone more musically talented than me and bring joy to those who hear them play. And who knows, in turn they might be inspired to learn to play a guitar, or make one. And the cycle continues. Just like repurposing what might be considered trash into something functional and beautiful. Art doesn’t have to end with it’s maker to live on as art. That’s a really powerful way to get to make a living.” - Gipson Shoemaker
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We tell stories of craft, community, and connecting to this place. We invite you to read every past issue at makeitmn.com.