Two Great Local Snowboard Shops

My boys love to snowboard.  They both quit playing basketball because it was cutting into their snowboard time!  Finding quality gear that is reasonably priced has been a challenge but we have found two local snowboard shops that not only offer good prices but great, friendly service too.

Pinewski's Ski & Board shop is located in Anoka, MN.  From them, we have purchased snowboards, wake board shoes, gloves, sweatshirts, a long board, helmets, socks, board shoes, snowboard bindings, t-shirts, stickers, goggles, sunglasses, a wax iron (with waxing supplies) and a host of other things I'm sure I've forgotten.  We've also had them tune snowboards and assemble a long board.  They've answered all of my questions and haven't laughed at me once!!!  They sponsor snowboard competitions, give long board demonstrations and have ski/snowboard exchanges.  Whenever we've had to return anything, they're just as pleasant as when we purchased it. 

Examples of the great customer service at Pinewski's happened twice to me within a week.  Last Friday I took my son Trent to buy some new snowboard gear.  When we got home, he decided the boots he got weren't exactly what he wanted so I took them back to return them and I ended up buying some other items while at the store.  I was really confused at how they were handling my account with the return and the new purchases.  The young guy helping me asked (not sarcastically) if it would help if he could draw me a picture.  I said, "Yes!  I'm a visual learner so that would help."  He drew a little diagram and I instantly understood that my account was being properly handled.

Tonight, I stopped in at Pinewski's to get a snowboard helmet as a Christmas gift for one of my sons.  The young guy helping me asked all the pertinent questions and when it was apparent that they didn't have what I wanted in stock, he said he would order what I needed, "right now", and I would get it within a week.

Check out Pinewski's website at:  www.pinewski.com.  They don't do internet orders as they are a small neighborhood shop but their website will give you all the information on the gear they carry and the events with which they are associated.

The other great local snowboard shop is The House located in Little Canada, MN.  The House has a showroom and an outlet.  They also have a website and they do internet orders.  Here's a link to their site:  www.the-house.com.

At The House, we are greeted like friends.  Not because we are a high buck customers.  Lots of times we go there "just to look".  The employees are just really friendly and get to know whoever comes into the store.  That has definitely created loyalty from us!  It's not every day you walk into a store and one of the employees genuinely wants to know how your Thanksgiving was!

We've purchased things in the store and online and have had great results with both.  We had an issue with a snowboard that cracked and they gave us a new one without a receipt.  They keep your purchase history online so they just looked us up and saw that it was a recent purchase.  We walked out with a new board and a renewed sense of LIKE for The House.

They too have answered question and given advice because choosing a snowboard isn't just picking one that looks cool.  They point you to the right ones based on whether you are a big hill rider or a terrain park person AND based on your height/weight.  We've bought snowboards, snowboard jackets & pants, gloves, hats, sweatshirts and a million other things here.  In the summer season they have everything you'd need for wakeboarding - right down to some pretty cool swimsuits!

We've also shopped extensively at the outlet.  It's where we go to do our school shopping.  They have hundreds of t-shirts for $10 and sweatshirts for $25.  Jeans, sweaters,shoes, backpacks and bike gear are also sold here.  They have winter gear - snowboard jackets/pants, hats, gloves, mittens, etc.  The quality is great and name brand (Burton, Sessions, Thirty Two, DC, etc).  They have a variety of sizes - even kids' sizes.  We've found things for the boys, their sister and even me!

Check out both places AND Happy Shopping!

Beaded Jelly Spoon & Butter Knife

While looking at our December calendar, I made note as to how many hostess gifts we will need this year.  I like to bring little gifts of handmade gifts.  This year is no exception.  I will be adding these beaded little spoons and butter knives to homemade jams and flavored butters.

I start with small butter knife or jam/jelly spoon.

You'll need a stiff but bendable wire and a few beads of multiple shapes and colors.

Cut a piece of the wire about 8 inches long.

Hold the tip of the wire in a needle nose pliers and twist to make a circle at the end of the wire.

Once you have a little circle on the end, hold that circle flat in the pliers and then begin twisting the wire and turn the circle to make a spiral.

Hold the spiral at the base of the knife/spoon and wrap the end around.

Add a few beads and twist it around again.  Repeat this process, adding beads to the front, until you reach the top of the handle of the knife/spoon.

Make the same spiral at this end of the wire as was done at the bottom and press it onto the utensil.

That's all it takes to jazz up a knife/spoon.

Tie it to a homemade jar of jam with a cute ribbon and you have a fabulous hostess gift!

"A gift consists not in what is done or given, but in the intentions of the giver or doer."  -Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Great Christmas "To Do" Books

If you're looking for a good resource for Christmas crafts, baked goods, meals for the holidays, homemade gift ideas - just about anything Christmas related - check out these books.

They are just titled "Christmas" and they are by Gooseberry Patch (A Leisure Art Publication).

There are a lot of pictures in each section so you can see exactly how those cookies are supposed to look or how the place setting they're describing really is set or what the Christmas craft looks like when it's all done.

There are even patterns to the craft ideas! 

I adore these books and find something new to make each Christmas.  (Sometimes I like to page through them just to look at the pictures!)  You can order them online from Amazon or if you're ever at my house, they are coffee table books during the holiday season!

"Do give books - religious or otherwise - for Christmas.  They're never fattening, seldom sinful, and permanently personal."  -Lenore Hershey

Countdown to Christmas Wall Hanging

One of my children's favorite Christmas decorations is our "Countdown to Christmas" wall hanging. 

 My mom made one from a kit when I was really little.  When I got my own home, I wanted one for my family so I used my mom's as a template.  I got some felt, sequins and beads and went to work. 

I outlined the tree with green beads and sequins.

The base I made out of a white piece of felt, a circle of green felt for the wreath and little red beads for the berries.

The pockets are just strips of red felt that I sewed on horizontally and then I glued on numbers cut from white felt.

Each pocket (one for each day in December - to Christmas Eve) has a felt "ornament".  All of them are different - each embellished in a different way with beads and sequins.

The ornament for the 24th day of December is a star that goes on the top of the tree.  

The calendar is held up by a dowl stitched into a pocket.  I used a decorative gold trim as the hanger with a red bead glued on the end to hold it in place.

My children no longer fight over who puts up the ornaments.  It now falls to the one who gets up first in the morning.  Sometimes that's even me!  I plan on making three more of these.  One for each of my children to share with their families one day.

"Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home!"  -Charles Dickens

Ugly Lamp Upcycle

What to do with a lamp that has served its' time and no longer fits with the style of your house.....my cousin gave me a great idea in how to turn a lamp into a beautiful Christmas decoration.

First you need a lamp.  Mine is approximately 36" tall.

Take out all of the electrical parts.  I had my 16 year old son help with this part.

I bought a wreath, gold pinecones and red bulbs from Michael's.

I added them to the wreath.  The bulbs were prepackaged with wires attached so I just "twisted" them on to the wreath.

The pinecones I added by using a glue gun.  I bunched them in groups of three as well.

I cut a piece of cardboard to go where the lightbulb used to be.  This will be the base for my candle.

The candles I chose are LED flickering tea lights.  They have an on/off switch at the base and because they "flicker", they really look like a real candle.

The candle fits perfectly on the cardboard base.

Next I took some green florist wire and a wire cutter.

I strung the wire through the wreath and attached it to the screws that hold on the glass element of the lamp.  I have three screws on the lamp so the wreath is held securely by three wires.

Here is the finished product. 

I wish I had a picture that showed how great it looks in low light.  I was going to put it outside by our front door but my family wanted to be able to see it so instead, it's in our family room - where we spend the most time!

"Christmas isn't a season.  It's a feeling."  -Edna Ferber