Touch of glassThis winter, pay a visit to Jordan Valley Glassworks. Watch the fireside show – artisans Glenna Haney and Jay Bavers blowing molten glass into kaleidoscope-color vases, lighting fixtures and bowls – then take home a showpiece. Bowl shown here, $285. East Jordan. 231-536-0539, jordanvalleyglassworks.com.
Wright StyleLight up your living room with a Prairie Vase handcrafted by local artist and former architect Charles Pflukeft. Each vase is fit with up to 70 hand-blown and hand-cut glass pieces per side and cast in the Prairie Style of fellow Midwest architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Oil-burning candles inside not included. Small and medium (shown), are $95 and $185. Large, $315. Sheffield’s, Traverse City. 231-933-0960, sheffieldsgallery.com.
Don’t Sit Up StraightSleek lines stretch the length of a gently swayed but square back, making for a standout seat – and a funky and functional statement. Put a single chair in the foyer so guests can pop a squat while pulling on their boots or buy a set and park them at the dining room table. $240, Bali Living Imports, Boyne City. 231-582-2663, balilivingimports.com.
Wrap StarShuffling about the house in a shabby sweatshirt is your divine winter-weekend right. But the moment you bundle into this fuzzy wrap, you’ll never go back to Schlubsville. Most important: Two pockets that are perfectly sized to fit a paperback book and a bar of dark chocolate. Coincidence? We think not. $40, Oliver’s Trendz, Gaylord. 989-732-2115, oliverstrendz.com.
Great Balls of FireRegal yet refreshingly non frou-frou, this enlightened ceiling fan from Minka’s Kovacs collection swirls a little avant-garde attitude into any space. The glass orbs are made of European topaz and can be arranged in a stack of two, three or four to accommodate low, medium and high ceilings. $743 at All-Phase Electric Supply Co., Petoskey. 231-347-1050. for more local dealers see minkagroup.net.
On a Mission
Your Craftsman has the low-pitched roof, the overhanging eaves, the gabled dormers. Now here’s the stately, stylish doorknocker it needs. Five standard finishes – aged bronze, aged iron, aged silver, matte black or natural bronze – plus custom finishes (forged brass shown here), and complementing handles, hinges, knobs, locks and more are available. $119, Russell Hardware Company, Petoskey. 231-348-8100, russellhardware.com.
Winter craft idea:
Cozy up to a quilt classThe best excuse we know to spend a dozen winter days curled up under a quilt is to spend those days making one. Think about it: You can lounge and be productive all at once. Whether you’re a newbie or longtime member of a quilting bee, you’ll find dozens of cozy classes at Northern quilt shops like these:
Bellaire: Cousin’s Quilt Shop, 222 N. Bridge St., 231-533-4661Beulah: Quilts by the Lake, 194 S. Benzie Blvd., 231-882-4024
Cedar: Liberty Quilt Shop, 9027 Kasson, 231-228-6689
East Jordan: The Quilt Cottage, 301 Water St., 231-536-3363, thequiltcottage.net
Grayling: The Icehouse Quilt Shop, 509 Norway St., 989-348-4821, theicehouse
quiltshop.com
Lewiston: Pine Tree Quilt Shoppe, 3060 Kneeland St., 989-786-2804, pinetreequiltshoppe.com
Petoskey: Calico Crafts, 1691 U.S. 131 S., 231-347-1511
Traverse City: Quilt-n-Bee, 425-C S. Airport Rd., 231-922-6766 or quiltnbee.com
Traverse City: Material Girl Quilt Shop, 956 S. Airport Rd., 231-933-4060Williamsburg: Renee’s House of Quilting, 8995 M 72 East, 231-267-5895
Lynda Twardowski is assistant editor at Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine.lmt@traversemagazine.com
NoteThis article was first published in January 2007 and was updated for the web February 2008.