Jessica Guyant believes giving and receiving are universal threads in life; she is, in fact, very familiar with thread, running her own second-hand thrift shop in Summit County.

The Gold Mine Thrift store in Dillon is expanding to include more antiques and furniture inventory. Guyant said she loves visiting estate and garage sales to pick out pieces for her store.

Im very passionate about recycling and reusing, she said. I see things in the trash and think, Why would someone throw that away? In todays economy, you have to be more thoughtful.

When she started the thrift business a year ago, Guyant worked with her brother, who specialized in buying and selling gold and silver. Once he returned to the Midwest, however, Guyant who wasnt comfortable buying gold wanted to focus on expanding from clothing items. Now, shes opening a separate warehouse next to her current location to focus specifically on furniture bed frames, couches, dressers and more.

Guyant said while there are plenty of other great thrift stores in Summit County, her business goes one step further because she not only accepts donations, but buys much of her own merchandise.

Were not a traditional thrift store, she said. I am very picky I hand-pick a lot of fun, nice things.

Originally from Hawaii, Guyant used to serve as a boat captain in the Coast Guard. She said the community in her home state prepared her for business in the High Country shopping was expensive, and a lot of the population was transient.

My philosophy is really that someone elses junk is someone elses treasure, she said.

Among the most popular items, the ones that fly off the shelves, Guyant said, are old wooden skis and snowshoes antique, collectible items people tend to gravitate toward.

Theres a super strong, faithful crowd of locals that comes in, and a lot of visitors who maybe dont ski, and so theyre shopping while their friends or family ski, she said.

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Gold Mine Thrift store expands to more antiques, furniture in Dillon

Historic charm -- that's the first thought that comes to mind when describing downtown Stillwater along the banks of the St. Croix River. With a closer look, it's clear the river town's tradition mixes well with contemporary finds for anyone spending an afternoon here.

Stillwater not only boasts some of the best antique hunting in the metro, it also is home to trendy apparel and gift stores dotted mostly along Main Street.

With more than 40 stores to choose from, it's best to decide what type of shopping you're in the mood for first. Fine jewelers, antique malls, boutiques as well as home and gift stores abound.

There are plenty of places to dine, as well.

Jim Harris, left, and friend Larry Nelson eat lunch at Marx Fusion Bistro in downtown Stillwater. (Pioneer Press: Jean Pieri)

Several places offer apparel. Highlights include Mainstream Boutique, which moved into larger digs in the Brick Alley Building earlier this year. The women's apparel shop with several Twin Cities locations offers a mix of sophisticated clothing and accessories at mid-range prices. In the same building, style mavens will find Betty June's, which recently moved out of its New Richmond, Wis., digs to its current downtown spot. It's worth a stop for the variety of tasteful jewelry, bags and gift items. Note that the front of the store now houses Trade Winds Spice Company, which in the past year moved from a nearby spot.

Continue north to the St. Croix River Exchange Building, where a few more shops await. The designer-inspired Lori's New York Fashions offers a more affordable, fast-fashion version of handbags, jewelry and other accessories seen on runways. The shop is big on pre-packaged matching necklace and earring sets, which makes piecing your outfit together that much easier.

Along Main Street, Urban Violet co-owner Jessamine Elkington arranges a display that includes an alpaca vest and floral skirt. (Pioneer Press: Jean Pieri)

In the same building, Jade's Addiction apparel for women and men emphasizes pieces that are upcycled, recycled or produced by local artists. New clothing and accessories are in one room, while consignment items are in another. A few doors down, bargain-hunters should stop at Bronze, which prides itself on the fact that every item in the store costs less than $10. The shop also offers beachwear, but the best steal is the pretty handmade jewelry from India.

Outdoor enthusiasts looking for style won't want to miss 45 Degrees for its quality active wear as well as coveted brands such as Prana clothing and Uggs footwear.

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Day trip: Stillwater, where old-fashioned meets contemporary

New year, same challenges; how do you make your garden better? Start with some simple winter tasks (including a few for indoors):

Get a calendar or start a journal. If you dont already do it, start keeping track of your garden activity and observations, especially any additions (you will plant something in 2014) or subtractions (tree removal, dead shrubs, summer annuals, etc.) plus seasonal chores such as pruning and spraying. This will help in future planning and decision making. The squares on a large new 2014 calendar are enough space for many garden notes. Hang the calendar in a handy spot (such as a shed or garage door) where youre sure to see it often. You also can post reminders (feed the lawn, spray the fruit trees, etc.). A journal (which can be digital) allows for photos and more notes.

Need a calendar? Local master gardeners offer great calendars/garden guides with loads of useful tips. Look for them at area nurseries or contact your local UC Cooperative Extension office.

Let yourself dream. Allow time to browse garden catalogs (in print or online) for seeds and supplies. For a Burpee catalog, go to http://www.burpee.com and follow the request a catalog link. Or call 800-888-1447.

Prune, prune, prune! This is rose-pruning season. Trim back bushes. Need advice? Attend a local rose society event (see Garden Activities or Garden Calendar).

Clean up leaves and debris around fruit trees and rose bushes to prevent the spread of disease.

Apply oil to fruit trees soon after a rain to control scale, mites and aphids. Oils need 24 hours of dry weather after application to be effective. Dont apply on foggy days.

Spray a copper-based oil on peach and nectarine trees to fight leaf curl.

In the vegetable garden, plant fava beans, head lettuce, mustard, onion sets, radicchio and radishes.

Plant bare-root asparagus and root divisions of rhubarb.

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Start new year with a garden-minded calendar

Historic District Commission wants to see old building preserved

The Historic District Commission has raised concerns about the demolition of this building because of historical significance.Jeff McMenemy photo

EXETER A longtime local businessman's efforts to demolish an abandoned downtown garage to create a new mixed-use development has run into opposition from the town's Historic District Commission.

Pam Gjettum, chairwoman of the commission, told Allen Lampert, owner of the garage at 1 Franklin St., she is opposed to having the building demolished because she believes it is "historically significant."

"They would be tearing down something that means something to Exeter," Gjettum said during the commission's recent meeting in the Town Offices.

The commission eventually deadlocked 2-2 on a vote to demolish the building.

But Gjettum said in an interview earlier this week that a recent tour of the site the first garage and auto dealership in Exeter has her hopeful that commission members can work with Lampert's architect to save at least some elements of the garage.

"They're thinking about (putting) a restaurant there," Gjettum said. "At least if we could save a wall or save a facade so people could look at it and know there was a garage there once."

Gjettum said she is "cautiously optimistic" that something can be worked out.

"Al is a really, really nice guy and he does a lot for the town," Gjettum said.

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Exeter garage developer meets opposition

Historic District Commission wants old structure preserved

The Historic District Commission has raised concerns about the demolition of this building because of historical significance.Jeff Mcmenemy photo

EXETER A long-time local businessman's efforts to demolish an abandoned garage in the downtown to put up a new mixed-use development has run into opposition from the town's Historic District Commission.

Pam Gjettum, the chairman of the commission, told Allen Lampert, the owner of the garage at 1 Franklin St., she is opposed to having the building demolished because she believes it is "historically significant."

"They would be tearing down something that means something to Exeter," Gjettum said during the commission's recent meeting in Town Offices.

The commission eventually deadlocked 2-2 on a vote to demolish the building.

But Gjettum said in an interview earlier this week that a recent tour of the site the first garage and car dealership in Exeter has her hopeful that commission members can work with Lampert's architect to save at least some elements of the garage.

"They're thinking about (putting) a restaurant there," Gjettum said. "At least if we could save a wall or save a facade so people could look at it and know there was a garage there once."

Gjettum said she is "cautiously optimistic" that something could be worked out.

"Al is a really, really nice guy and he does a lot for the town," Gjettum said.

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Developer meets opposition on garage demolition

BY GARY GOULD

810-452-2650

A look down Main Street in Davison following the completion of the makeover project. File photo It has been a busy and eventful year in the Davison area, so here are just some of the news events we thought were important to readers of The Davison Index.

Main Street resur facing

Work began July 8 on what Davison City Manager Michael Hart called the Main Street Makeover project. At a total cost of $1.248 million (funded primarily through federal grant money) it included replacement of the old water main, widening about a half-mile stretch of the street between Clark and Flint streets, and lighting and landscaping improvements.

About half of the funding, more than $616,000, is federal transportation grant money and the remainder of projects price tag including about $134,000 in overruns came from the citys capital improvement fund.

Some overruns arose due to unexpected issues which cropped up during underground work to install a new water main on Main Street.

Bob and Geraldine Callis at the unveiling of plans for Lake Callis at the new 40-acres being added to the Jack Abernathy Regional Park. File photos The first issue was a 30-plus year old water main which broke during construction at Main and Rising streets. The broken main flooded and damaged an old sewer line which collapsed and resulted in a small sinkhole.

That was $35,000 just to fix, said Chris Brinks of Wade Trim on Oct. 14. Another $7,000 for the emergency repair to the main.

Overall, that emergency repair cost the city about $63,000 total when it was all completed. Other unexpected expenses arose with additional work needed to curbs and gutters, iron tree grates, the replacement of aging catch basins and removal of an underground gas tank discovered in front of Chucks Barbershop and Larsons Ace Hardware.

Continued here:
A look back at the top five stories of 2013

Building a garage addition is a great way to gain comfort, convenience, and storage space. Its also a reasonably good investment. According to Remodeling magazines latest Cost vs. Value Report, a home owner who invests the national average of $48,806 in a freestanding two-car garage addition can expect to recoup about 63,7% of the cost at resale a higher rate of return than an added-on bathroom or sunroom, and on par with a major kitchen remodel.

A garage addition makes especially good economic sense in the Pacific region of the country, where home owners can expect to get back almost 78% of the cost of a midrange project, although garage construction costs are about 20% more than the national average. Returns tend to be lowest in the countrys midsection. In Omaha, for example, the same garage recoups less than half its cost.

As a general rule, youre likely to recover a higher percentage of your investment if you build a relatively basic garage one with open walls, an unfinished concrete floor, and shelves for storage rather than one with interior drywall and trim, an epoxy floor coating, and designer storage solutions. Such an upscale project runs a national average of $80,511 and returns around $44,034, or about 54.7%, of its cost at resale.

But there are financial considerations to adding a garage that go beyond resale value. Protected from the elements, your vehicles will stay in top shape, which could make them more valuable when you sell them. If you include workshop space, youll be able to do many home repairs yourself, saving on the cost of pros. And if you outfit the garage so that its easy to access stored items, you can save leftover materials, reducing the cost of future projects.

National average cost, 26 x 26 ft. midrange garage addition:

Job cost: $48,806 Resale value: $31,091 Cost recoup: 63.7%

National average cost, 26 x 26 ft. upscale garage addition:

Job cost: $80,511 Resale value: $44,034 Cost recoup: 54.7%

Regional info:

New England

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About Garage Additions | Garage Addition Investment | HouseLogic

2013 in Philadelphia was marked by the fleeting, spontaneous phenomenon known as "pop up." From shops to beer gardens, and Orchestra performances to winter wonderlands, many of the best attractions to hit Philadelphia this year were ephemeral delights. In a year thats number signals bad luck, we can only hope that by some stroke of good fortune, many of these find a way to stick around.

We break down some of the welcome additions to Philadelphia this year, but dont be surprised if some of these hot spots dont return in 2014. Sorry triskaidekaphobes, but we're keeping our list count in theme with the year.

13. Shawmont Trail. Thanks to a $1.4 million project led by Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, Philadelphia and Montgomery counties are now safely connected via a new one mile trail renovation. Its no Panama Canal, but the expanded portion of the 23-mile Schuylkill River Trail allows runners and cyclists a safe passage away from automobile traffic.

12. SEI Innovations Studios. Just when we think the Kimmel Center cant get any cooler, it goes and opens studio space to attract and cultivate new talent. The intimate theater is aimed at a younger demographic than those in the parquet boxes, and its 200-hundred seat theatre promises to host a variety of performances. The buildings Spruce Street entrance displays a stylish 22-foot-tall glass panel structure that allows for changeable graphics.

11. Franklin Flea. Upscale flea might seem like an oxymoron, but the temporary shopping spot managed to bring some much-needed foot traffic to Market East. A veritable bazaar including art, funky fashion, live music, hot food, and eccentric wares, Franklin Flea enjoyed a November-through-December run as a weekly winter flea market at the old historic Strawbridge & Clothier building at 8th and Market. Borne from the ashes of Brooklyn Flea, this indoor market with a hometown name and feel still has room to grow, and will reopen in April 2014. Well see what effect, if any, it will have in a Market East strip starved for shopping options outside of The Gallery.

10. Hollywood Recognition. Its been a while since Philadelphia got its due respect on the big screen. Sure theres been the odd Jennifer Wiener or Alice Sebold adaptation, plus that streak of biennial efforts from M. Night Shyamalan, whose caliber of work seemed to weaken with each new film, but our fair city finally basked in the limelight of silver screen recognition when Silver Linings Playbook was up for Oscars in all the major categories in this years Academy Awards. The Llanerch Diner, a City Line staple affectionately known as The Big L provided the setting for a key scene by this years Best Actress winner Jennifer Lawrence, and Delco and city residents alike could point out familiar spots as the world watched. Major films such as World War Z with Brad Pitt, and Fanny with Richard Gere were set or filmed in Philly this year. Could more Hollywood crews be on their way?

9. Philly Pheud. The concept is simple: A local TV game show based on the familiar format of Family Feud, but with a Philly twist. Our sports teams may not have been very competitive this year, but this new game show tests Philly groups on their knowledge of city history, culture, traditions, and sports, and provides both audiences and contestants the chance to trade trash talk and flaunt the competitive edge that defines our sports fans. The fight cards so far have showcased such heavyweight match-ups as St. Joes versus Temple, The District Attorneys office versus the Defense Attorneys, The Inquirer versus the Daily News, and of course, Pats versus Genos. Disclosure: This writer and his philly.com colleagues recently set a record for the shows highest score. Challengers are welcome.

8. The Cronut. Its not our creation. We recognize that. The delectable, calorie-count-be-damned fusion of croissant and doughnut started in New York with chef Ansel Dominique in SoHo. Thankfully, local bakeries like Swiss Haus, Potitos, and Frangellis cooked up their own versions of the glazed craze soon after to meet the growing local demand. Swiss Haus jumped on the scene early, creating a concoction of fried dough, glaze, and cinnamon with cream inside for $5 each. The taste? Who cares if we didnt invent it? Who cares if it launches us back among the ranks of fattest, ugliest cities? Theyre just that good.

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Welcome additions to Philadelphia in 2013

Musically-inclined Burnsville High School students will have an even greater opportunity to explore their talents next year now that the School Board has approved a recommendation to expand its music offerings.

At its Thursday, Dec. 19 meeting, the Board approved BHS Principal Dave Helkes recommendation to add four new music classes to the schools course catalog: Strings Chamber Orchestra, Beginning Guitar, Beginning Piano and History of Rock and Roll.

The music people have met a lot and have been engaging in really good conversation, and they really want to find ways to provide other students an opportunity to tap into music that may not be in the traditional band or traditional orchestra [setting], Helke said. We have lots of kids who are not in band or orchestra, but do have garage bands or are in bands outside of school, so it would be a way to capture those students in our own music program.

A strings program was first established at Envision Academy of the Arts, a District 191 magnet high school that was only open in the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years. After the academy closed due to enrollment and funding concerns, the strings program was revived at Harriet Bishop Elementary School and Eagle Ridge Junior High. Officials say the program has been extremely popular.

That [Strings Chamber Orchestra] course really is being proposed because we have our first small cohort of students that are coming through the Harriet Bishop [and] Eagle Ridge strings programs, Helke explained. Even though it will be a small cohort next year, I did talk to [Principal Donald] Leake at Eagle Ridge and I do understand that over the next two or three years those numbers will grow, so we need to put in place some type of a course for those students so they can continue their instruction in strings.

While the course is aimed at students who have been through the Harriet Bishop and Eagle Ridge strings programs, all students will be allowed to enroll in the class as long as they show the necessary level of proficiency in an audition.

Helke said the music teachers at BHS have been looking for more creative ways to get students interested in music education, and more new classes could be on the horizon. Long range, theyve even been talking about eventually looking at music production as an opportunity for kids, he said.

Board member Abigail Alt was pleased to see the new additions. Its really refreshing to see the addition of [these] music [courses] at BHS, said Alt. I would like to challenge us all as a district to continue thinking outside of the box as far as what we can do, not just at the high school level, but also at the other levels to offer enriching and meaningful musical experiences for all of our students.

Thats definitely the tone I get from the music teachers as were talking through new courses and new opportunities for kids, Helke responded.

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BHS offering more music choices

On a white sheet of paper, Tessa Groshoff spills hersecrets.

She swirls, lines and scribbles to tell her stories in the universal language of art that words simply cannotconvey.

Art is my way of communicating, she said. I believe a persons voice can be heard without words. Each stroke is a memory to be created or released, and each stroke has a purpose whether it is dark orlight.

To her friends, Groshoff is a groovy girl or a kumbayah girl, embodying all that was right in the 1960s, including the ideas of peace and freedom, and

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Tessa Groshoff has a passion for art, and she believes in its therapeutic value. Her work is full of memories and philosophies of life. Painting in acrylic or manipulating natural found objects, Groshoff is in a constant search ofmeaning. (Full-size photo)

of theweek

Art is the half-effaced recollection of a higher state from which we have fallen since the time ofEden.

Saint Hildegarde(1098-1179)

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Tessa Groshoff finds safety in art - Thu, 26 Dec 2013 PST