Up North

Dear Photography Diary,

Up North.
It is as much a geographic region, as it is a state of mind.

 (Hints of fall were beginning to invade my summer escape.)

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The Crayola Experience - Mall of America

Dear Diary,

Armed with a Groupon, we got in for half price and embarked on a creative adventure to color the cloudy weather outside with a little spontaneity.

And go Sweden!

(How about America's Olympic medal tally, eh?)

I've seen these popping up across the country, and our curiosity was piqued when one moved in at the Mall. There were plenty of hands-on activities for the kids, like creating your own crayon label (Maddie's were Licker and Pinkie, and Landen labeled his crayons Awesome and Dude) and adding a picture of yourself to a coloring sheet.

There was dancing, and interactive displays, and painting. We made our own puzzles, and there was a playground inside (Nick and I joked it was the most expensive playground we've been to). Some of it was a little too young for 'too-cool' Landen, but no one can resist a little coloring.

Yes, even Daddy can attest to that.

The Color Wall, with Crayola swatches.

They did a good job breaking down the history of Crayola for a child to read and understand, and Landen was surprised to learn these iconic crayons were first created in the late 1800s. We were surrounded by old print ads from the 50s, 60s and 70s. And now, the crayons are staples of school supply lists and our own coloring cabinet.

This exhibit was adorable - we made paper fairies (held up by binder clips) and when music was played, the fairies seemed to dance to the beat!

 Making spin art from melted crayons ...

I can smell the crayons in the background in this picture, and it smells like childhood.

 Favorite picture of the day!

Madelyn's spin art

Landen's spin art, and he was getting annoyed with my picture-taking.

Madelyn was melting crayons into a mold, and was mesmerized by the process, as you can see by the pose! She chose a diamond ring mold, so to freak out Nick I told him she got engaged.

Now for a little truth serum - without the Groupon, the Experience for the 4 of us would have been an $80 admission fee. We went through the entire Experience within 3 hours, and though it was fun, I don't think it would have been worth the original price. If you're interested (and I do recommend), definitely wait for the half-price Groupon!

In conclusion, The Crayola Experience - CONQUERED.

Handcrafted Swedish Clogs by Sandgrens

Dear Travel Diary,

I felt compelled to share these photos, because at its surface, few things encapsulate Swedish culture like a pair of wooden clogs.

Deep-rooted in tradition and paired with an effortless sensibility that has withstood many a passing trend, there is a factory in Payrd, Sweden that has been making clogs by hand for over 100 years.

And while these iconic wooden shoes seemingly burst onto the international fashion scene in the 1970s, they are making a comeback in closets around the world thanks to sightings of Kate Moss wearing a pair.

As I snapped these images, the master clog maker at Sandgrens was kind enough to yell over the mechanics of his machinery so I knew what he was doing. To consider footwear an art, is a privilege. To have your hand in it, a calling. To stand within the four walls of this place, I may as well had been in a museum.

For this is the first chapter: Christer, fine-tuning and finishing and refining these fine leathers and wooden bases into footwear. Then, it is packaged up and shipped to the doorsteps and storefronts of the world where the second chapter is written. Sweden's influence is immediately felt in the four corners of the world until it is joined with that of the consumer. When a Sandgrens box arrives, a third chapter is written. It harmonizes with the footsteps, the movements, the lifestyle of the wearer. This pulls forward that tradition, only by now, it has been shared with the world. The legacy is everlasting, and I was so honored to witness its "once upon a time."

This is the last of my Sweden recaps, but certainly not the last time I will visit. 

A Walk Through Swedish Pines

Dear Travel Diary,

Twice I walked within the pristine forests of Payrd, Sweden. Twice I had my camera with me. And twice, I was reminded of the landscapes of the northern Midwest - where the woods creep up to the roadside, the schedules are less stringent, and the "real world" is but a distant memory.

Until I arrived upon this scene -

Sweden is rich in granite, and there are these massive boulders everywhere you look. It reminded me of the trolls from Frozen (thanks Maddie!) which instantly affirmed the fact I was in a Nordic country.

The path was pretty easy to follow, so though I was alone, I was confident I wouldn't get lost. Plus my camera roll held enough evidence to help retrace my steps!