Weekend Happenings: November 13-15

Autumn Festival

Canterbury Park

Thursday, Nov. 12, to Sunday, Nov. 15th, 2015

Cost: Adults $9; Seniors $8; Children Under 10 are Free.

* Use promo code afshow2015 for $1 off Shakopee advance purchase tickets

Hundreds of the nation’s finest artists and crafters come together at Canterbury Park in Shakopee to display and sell their handcrafted works. Consistently voted one of the Top 100 Shows in the Country, Autumn Festival offers patrons the opportunity to enjoy shopping the handcrafted wares for artwork, unique home décor and furniture, gifts personalized right at the shows, holiday furnishings, or baby and children’s treasures. Stage entertainment, hourly gift certificate winners, plenty of food and drink, lots of family fun, and free parking! 

A Nordic Christmas: Myths, Legends and Fairytales

Saturday, Nov. 14th - Jan. 10th.

American Swedish Institute
2600 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55407
Holiday Museum Admission: $10 adults, $7 ages 62+, $5 ages 6-18 and students with ID.


The American Swedish Institute's 2015 holiday season highlights the joyful yet mischievous stories of tomte from Sweden, nisse  fromDenmark and Norway, joulupukki  from Finland, and of coursejólasveinar (13 yule lads) of Iceland. Years ago, many people truly believed in the power of these netherworld figures of the dark forests and foggy lakes and islands. Their stories have been passed down from generation to generation as honored tales that have become interwoven with Nordic wintertime celebrations. Each country’s myths, legends, and fairytales are showcased in the ASI Christmas Rooms – elaborately decorated rooms throughout the historic Turnblad Mansion.

For the 2015 holiday season, ASI collaborates with The Museum of Russian Art (TMORA) to share holiday traditions and fairytales from across the Baltic Sea in a sixth Christmas Room. Winter folklore lives on in the Russian legend of Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost) and his little helper, Snegurochka, a blue and silver clad snow-maiden (the daughter of Winter and Spring). The pair delivers holiday gifts to children across the vast country in celebration of the New Year – the honored time for merrymaking and singing.  TMORA docents will be on site each Saturday (1-3 p.m.) to share these stories and traditions.

Media Rooms For Today's Families

For a few years, home theaters were the rage.  It was cool to have a big screen showing the latest movies, rows of seats and dim lighting.  And they are great if you are a huge movie buff.

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But many families have found that they want to use the space for more than just watching movies.  Kids like to have their friends over for gaming, and families like to invite people over for the big game.  A home theater set-up isn't ideal for those situations.

As a result, many people have started converting their home theaters to more entertainment-friendly media rooms.

How is a media room different from a home theater?

Seating Is Flexible

Instead of rows of seats all facing the screen, media rooms have more flexible seating.  They may still have rows, but at least one of those rows will have the chairs facing each other so conversation can take place.  Other options include chairs and couches that all form a U-shape around the screen to allow for viewing and conversing.  Still others opt for seating that you can move around where you want it.

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Let In Some Light

Home theaters are notorious for their windowless dimness.  But when people are trying to hang out together and talk, they would appreciate actually seeing the faces that they are talking to.  Media rooms have ample lighting which can even include (gasp) windows.

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Cutting Edge Technology

Gone are the days of TVs with a DVD player.  With the cloud and streaming technology, the way we watch TV on any given night has drastically changed from even 10 years ago.  Today's media room should be outfitted with the latest in connectivity.  You may still have your gaming devices and DVD players, but you can just as easily stream the latest game and use your phone as your remote.

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Whether you have a home theater or a flexible media room, the main idea is to enjoy time with family and friends.  This is the perfect room for a quiet family night or entertain.

Source:  Michelle Schwake for Stafford Family Realtors

Daylight Savings Time Ends Tonight

Daylight savings time ends tonight (technically tomorrow - Nov. 1) at 2:00 AM.  Don't forget to set your clocks back one hour before you go to bed.

We hope you had a safe and fun Halloween!

Sharla & Eric Stafford

Don't Rake This Fall

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Every season has it's beauty, but, in my opinion, none beat the glory of autumn at its peak.  Maybe it has something to do with the short span weeks that limit this beauty.  It makes it all the more precious.

Raking up all these little wonders and stuffing them into a plastic bag seems almost sacrilegious.  So I wanted to find out ways of preserving a little of this beauty or at least, putting it to better use.  Lucky for you, I'm gonna share all my finds.

1.  Make Flowers

For all you crafty crafters, you're gonna love this!  Find the most colorful leaves you can, and fold them into roses and other flowers.  Who knew?  I love this idea and think it would look beautiful on a Thanksgiving table centerpiece.

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2.  Pressed Leaves

Yeah, you probably remember doing this as a kid.  This will bring back memories for you, then.  You flatten some leaves between newspaper and some books overnight.  The next day, lay the leaves between two sheets of wax paper and press with a hot iron.  This preserves the beautiful color and prevents them from crumbling.  Then the fun really begins.  Frame them, use them as book marks, or do just about whatever you want with them.  

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3.  Give The Fish A Present

Did you know that old leaves are great for an aquarium?  They lower the pH of the water making a more healthy environment for the fish.  They fight bacteria and fungi and reduce the heavy metal content of the water.  The leaves can serve as habitat for the fish and some fish may even eat them.  Give it a try.  Your fish will thank you.

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4.  Be Artsy

Leaves can be used like any other artistic medium.  It just requires you to be creative and come up with the idea.  I love this beautiful dried leaf display that simply uses leaves, a stick and a stained piece of plywood.

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5.  Have Fun

The kids will love you to death when you pile up a bunch of leaves for jumping in (okay, I realize this will require a little raking, but hey, it's a great idea!)

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6.  Be Nice To Your Yard & Garden

Okay, so maybe you haven't used up all the leaves not to mention that big pile you have to contend with that they kids were jumping in.  I still urge you not to rake.  Leaves make amazing compost and mulch for your yard and gardens. 

To help fertilize your yard, mow over the leaves with a mulching mower.  The small bits of leaves will add nutrients to your grass making it lush come springtime.  

To help your gardens, attach a collection bag onto your mulching mower.  Then simply mulch your garden with your leaves.  Throw any extra into the compost pile.  Your plants will be so happy.

Source:  Michelle Schwake for Stafford Family Realtors

What $250,000 Looks Like

Ever wonder what kind of house $250,000 will get you in different parts of Minnesota?  We thought we'd highlight some metro areas and then some of the larger out-state towns in Minnesota and see how much house you can get at this price.

Minneapolis
888 SqFt
2 Bed/2 Bath
0.13 Acres



This charming home is located in the Linden Hills area of Minneapolis.  It's a tight squeeze but it does offer a garage and a deck out back.  So it's a big step up from apartment living.  It also is located near lakes and walking/biking paths.

Minnetonka
1,978 SqFt
3 Bed/2 Bath
0.34 Acres



Move out to the suburbs and you get a bigger lot, another bedroom and bath.  Located in an area of excellent schools and a quiet neighborhood.


Victoria
2,341 SqFt
3 Bed/4 Bath
Townhome



Victoria is an affluent suburb of the Twin Cities, surrounded by lakes and nature with a quaint but thriving downtown.  While you get more square footage and a newer footprint, you'll have to settle for a townhome in this price range.


Rochester
3,060 SqFt
4 Bed/4 Bath
0.2 Acres



In Rochester, this amount of money will buy you a decent-sized family home in a nice neighborhood, although the lot will be fairly small.


Duluth
2,723 SqFt
4 Bed/2 Bath
0.5 Acres



In historic Duluth, you can buy this beautiful painted lady.  This home has a decent-sized lot but comes with some of the hassels of an older home like small closets, leaky windows and closed off rooms.

St. Cloud
1,705 SqFt
3 Bed/2 Bath
0.18 Acres



In St. Cloud, you can get a nice sized home with new construction.  This means granite countertops, a 3-car garage, and all the bells and whistles.


Mankato, MN
2,937 SqFt
5 Bed/3 Bath
0.31 Acres




Mankato is a nice college town on the Minnesota River.  You can get a lot of house for your money in a great neighborhood.


Moorhead
2,590 SqFt
4 Bed/2 Bath
0.6 Acres




There's a lot going on in the Fargo/Moorhead area.  And there are a lot of nice homes to choose from.  This one is in a great neighborhood and boasts over a half acre lot.


Winona
2,200 SqFt
5 Bed/3 Bath
0.8 Acres




You can get a whopping 5 bedrooms in Winona.  But you won't have a big selection at this price...it was the only one we could find.

Owatonna
1,968 SqFt
3 Bed/3 Bath
3.44 Acres




While you may not get the newest or the biggest house, you can get a lot of acreage for a decent price in Owatonna.


Willmar
1,488 SqFt
3 Bed/1.5 Bath
1.8 Acres



In Willmar, you can get this adorable cottage home on a lake with almost 2 acres of land and 400 feet of lakeshore for $250,000.


Bemidji
4,600 SqFt
5 Bed/4 Bath
0.2 Acres



This beautiful older home sits right on the shores of Lake Bemidji and is located right in the middle of town as well.  Plus it boasts almost 5,000 square feet of living space.


Source:  Michelle Schwake for Stafford Family Realtors

A Place For Peace

It used to be that summertime was a relaxing and laid back time of year.  Days spent on the beach or at the park, picnics and outdoor concerts.  And while there are those days still, there are also sports practices that go all year round instead of one season. There are camps for your kids for everything under the sun.  There are trips to squeeze in and people to have over.  There are gardens to tend and lawns to mow.  It seems like the calendar just keeps getting busier and busier every summer.

To counter that trend, it's important to carve out time for peace in our lives.  Many recommend that you set aside a dedicated space to calm down and be at peace.  Not just a corner of one of your current rooms - because then you'll see the messes that need cleaning and you'll have people walking through making noise.  The idea is to get away while still being at home.

The space doesn't have to be big or indoors.  You can craft a space for peace in almost any space.  There are some basics that are nice to have, however:

1. It should be a feel-good space...somewhere you enjoy being.
2. A clean and uncluttered space is optimal.  
3. Have a touch of nature and fresh air.
4. Paint it a serene color.
5. No technology allowed except for music and that should be calming, contemplative music.
6. Ideally, you would have dimable lights.

Here are some ideas to get you started.

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Whether you go for quiet, for prayer, meditation or mindfulness, having a quiet serene place to do it will help you find the peace you're looking for.

Source:  Michelle Schwake for Stafford Family Realtors

Happy Independence Day 2015!

We wish everyone a very Happy 4th Of July!  We hope you're celebrating with family and friends like we are.  Enjoy the weekend!

Sharla & Eric Stafford along with everyone at Stafford Family Realtors

That's So Cool!

Today we're highlight some really cool home design ideas.  We're not saying these are affordable or even practical.  But they are cool.  So check it out and let us know what you think.

Okay, so if you live in Barra Da Tijuca, Brazil, maybe you'd be able to pull off a bathroom like this amazing one.  I love the hanging faucet and the huge mirror wall.  And of course the beautiful plants with abundant daylight pouring in.

While this is more in keeping with something we could realistically expect in Minnesota, the chances of finding something like this is next to impossible because of all the strict building codes concern lakes in our state.  But if you could find an existing boathouse and renovate it.....  Cool!

You'd have to live alone or be very comfortable with your self-image if you had this bathroom in your house.  I love how simple it is and of course the ceiling made of glass.  Very cool!

Do I even need to explain why this one is cool??!

If you've seen the Twilight movies you've probably seen a door like this in the Cullen household.  Beautiful but probably impractical on a snowy day.

This just seems so inviting!!  I'd love to just sit here with a glass of wine and listening to the birds become crickets as the night deepens.  Sigh.

Wouldn't this be the most awesome guest house ever?!  On second thought, they can have the master bedroom, and I'll head out to the guest house.

What a perfectly protected spot to be outdoors.  During the warmer months you could live out here most of the time.  Love it.

This entire set up in made of concrete with an inlaid sink.  Beautiful.  But it would be hard to clean. 

These stairs just scream cool but I have a feeling I'd be screaming every time I traversed them.  At least put in a railing on the wall side!

Would you live in a glass house?  I think it would be so cool to have unobstructed views of the outdoors at all times yet be safely ensconced within. 

Source:  Michelle Schwake for Stafford Family Realtors and Pinterest.