Bold Photography from Big Jim

Some people just have talent.  In his previous life, Big Jim Harris never thought he would become a photographer – this was just a fun hobby he decided to pick up a couple years ago.  But the amazing images he has captured in such a short amount of time have given him a new passion in life.

Personally, my favorite thing about his photography is that it is simple & he focuses on the subject at hand.  I love how the brown grizzly bear in this photo contrasts so well against the green foliage – you know absolutely that this is the focal point of the photographer.  His work is just different from many of the photographers I have seen in my part of the country who try to be more “artistic” with animals & landscapes.  It is special.

“Picture This Montana” is a Bozeman based business that is still in development, but with the right marketing & exposure I foresee it taking off in a big way.  Jim’s natural talent plus his fortunate luck of living in Big Sky Country outside of Yellowstone National Park is a winning combination.

For more examples of his work, check out:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/PictureThisMT

Creative Symbolism

Remember how much fun it was as a kid to make up a language that only you & your best friend could understand?

Well, over the years, this mother & daughter team have done just that – however, they share their secret symbol language with the world in the form of creative jewelry.  Developed to honor the artistic language of primitive cultures, this work is one of a kind.

The imagination of Q. Millar Design has been cultivated over many years in a studio outside of Bozeman, Montana.  Each piece is handmade & uniquely crafted using red brass, copper & sterling silver as well as semi precious stones, glass & metal beads to convey a symbolic message.  The earrings pictured here are called “Carry On” – one of hundreds if not thousands of messages developed over the past 25 years.

Be careful.  Buying a Q. Miller piece can be addicting – it is hard to own just one!  Tempt yourself today:  www.qmillerjewelry.com

 

 

Kirsten Fire is on Facebook

Want another way to access the local small business product reveiws you see on this blog?  Friend me on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/KirstenFire

Food – Gifts – Books – and more!

Made in the USA

Lip Oinkment

One of the best parts of going to trade shows is meeting start-up companies with creativitiy.  They may not know quite what they are doing, they may or may not succeed, but man are they having fun trying!

“Sig the Pig’s” Peppermint Lip Oinkment is the newest flavor made by “Rooster Magee’s Lipbalm” – a husband & wife team from a small town in Montana.  When I asked them about the name, they hinted that it was an inside joke… as they looked at each other and laughed.  Things became more clear as I researched further… BEWARE – “Redneck Humor” ahead (no offense intended!)…

The business started like many – the wife decided to make humorous, yet functional gifts for her family.  She developed such an amazing reciepe & creative tag line, her husband coaxed her into starting a business.  Completely all natural, this lipbalm is a mix of six oils including organic soybean & olive oil, cocoa butter, and beeswax.  The peppermint is perfect – not overpowering with just the slightest mint tingle, and so soft – not waxy or greasy like some lipbalms.  As it says on the label, it is a “natural squealer healer”!

Support a start up business & buy some at  www.roostermageeslipbalm.com today… as the rooster says “keep your pecker happy”.

(Tag line may be slightly inappropriate for my blog, however it is essential to their marketing!)

😉

Nature’s Bliss

When I was younger, I was not a fan of lavender.  I thought it was strong & smelled too much like old people.  Well, now I am becoming one of those old people – and lavender is one of my favorites!

Now I am not talking about that faux, chemically processed lavender that can smell really sugary or have a strong tang.  I am talking about all natural lavender that grows in the garden – the kind that you rub the leaves and one whiff makes you relax almost instantly.

Nature’s Bliss from Bozeman, Montana uses that all natural property to its full advantage in their Lavender Fields Goat’s Milk & Shea Butter soap.  Made with all natural ingredients, this soap has a scent of lavender that is soft & fresh.  The bar I purchased also had a sprinkling of oatmeal in the center to give just the slightest exfoliant while scrubbing.

Packaged in recycled materials, this product is all natural inside & out.  Check out their extensive line of other handcrafted body products including lotions, body butters, & facials in a variety of scents from “Orange Delight Olive Oil Lotion” to “Rose Hip & Hibiscus Facial Creme” at  http://www.naturesblissshop.com.

Stroopwafels

“Stroopwafel” = Dutch for Caramel Cookie Waffle

Caramel Cookie Waffles, by Dutch Brothers Bakery Goods in Billings, Montana was opened by two brothers from Utrecht, the Netherlands in 1981.  These remarkably thin & delicious cookies are made by using a recipe handed down over the generations – closely guarded by a select group of specialty bakers.  Vanilla & cinnamon dough is pressed & baked between flame-heated waffle irons, then split & filled with a fine layer of homemade caramel.  Best when eaten fresh from the chef.

However, they are good later as well!  Place a stroopwafel over a hot cup of coffee or tea, and warm the caramel center before taking your first bite.  The soft waffle cookie melts in your mouth giving way to the smooth caramel center.

Next time you are reaching for that biscotti or tea cookie to go with your morning cup of joe, think about changing up your routine and try a stroopwafel instead!

http://www.caramelcookiewaffles.com

Concerns Regarding the Origins of a Dark Chocolate Pu’erh Tea

While I was at a conference in a neighboring town few months ago, I visited a small gift shop that among other things had a large selection bulk of tea.  I was amazed at their variety & ended up selecting four different flavors, my favorite being a dark chocolate pu’erh that is honestly to die for.  If you love dark chocolate, this tea has dark chocolate curls mixed with chinese pu’erh (otherwise known as unoxidized green tea) that makes for a smooth, bitter, & sweet taste that totally satisfies a chocolate craving – without the calories!

However, I was disappointed to find out that the shop I bought the tea from does not blend any of their own teas.  If I hadn’t asked, I would never have known that they actually buy all their teas in bulk from a variety of other vendors (and not large distributors mind you), repackage it OR open each individual packet & pour them into a bulk container, and then label it as their own – giving absolutely no credit to the actual blender on the label.  To be perfectly honest, this rubs me the wrong way.  One of the companies that was mentioned to me in particular while I was at the store is a local company from the midwest who is well-known, yet there is no mention anywhere on any of the packaging that is was one of their products.

Just to make sure I heard the sales person right the first time, I called the shop in question last week to ask if the dark chocolate pu’erh was blended in-house.  The sales person again said no, and was very elusive when I asked “if you don’t blend your tea, then who does?”  I never got a straight answer.  I appreciate small business (and retailers not wanting to lose sales by telling me their distributors), but I also appreciate giving credit where credit is due.  I feel like excluding that information is misrepresentation of goods, especially when you are getting it from other small businesses who deserve the recognition for creating a superb product.  Therefore, I can’t mention or recommend this business – or personally buy from them again.

So if anyone knows who does make a delicious, in-house blend of dark chocolate pu’erh tea, please let me know!  I only have enough for one last glass… 😦

Prairie Peppermint Caramels

When I first heard the name Prairie Peppermint Caramel, honestly I was skeptical.  How can you combine peppermint & caramel in such a way that it actually tastes good?  Well, I don’t know how Martinson’s does it, but wow.  The buttery caramel is completely infused with oil of peppermint, to the point that it leaves a cool blast of mint in your mouth, as strong as a high quality peppermint patty. If you like mint, this is one delicacy you do not want to miss out on.

As you can see from the photo, this caramel is also completely enrobed in a thick layer of milk chocolate and then rolled in chocolate sprinkles to give it a delectable texture.  There is no peppermint in the chocolate, it is all in the soft caramel center.  Cool, minty, chewy, amazing!

Martinson’s Ranch Chocolates makes six varieties of candy on a small ranch outside of Huntley, Montana using all natural & local ingredients such as dairy cream & sugar beet sugar.  Taste them for yourself at www.ranchchocolates.com.

 

Functional Nature

Every year, the small town I live in has a fall festival, with about 100 local vendors.  I love to walk from my house & scope all the artists from the area displaying their wears.  This year, I found a vendor from Great Falls, Montana whose passion is actually photography… but does a little woodworking on the side.  He uses pieces nature that he finds on his ranch (such as the section of birch tree shown), old fence posts, or just cool pieces of leftover wood that the local lumber yard wants to get rid of to make toothpick holders, vases… even replicas of old-fashioned telephones!

This vendor will remain anonymous for now, as he is so small I don’t believe he is quite ready for the larger market.  But just wanted to share another great example of the unique treasures that you can find from your small town, local artisans.

Sterling Jules

Montana State University produces an amazing amount of talented alumni in fields from engineering to agriculture.  But did you know you can also get a degree in Fine Arts there?  Julie Shoemaker graduated from MSU with a BS in Fine Arts & concentration in Metalsmithing, and from there created Sterling Jules – hip sterling silver jewelry that can transcend style from casual to formal wear.  Her style is organic & earthy and wonderfully unique.  Every piece is made by hand, so no two pieces are every alike.

In addition to straight sterling silver pieces, Sterling Jules also carries items with rough cut semi precious stones such as sunstone & aquamarine, as well as pieces made with vaseline glass – an antique glass which has not been manufactured since WWII as uranium was required in the production process.  (no radiation suit is required to handle these pieces, however, you might notice that they slightly glow in the dark!)

One of Julie’s signature charms is a delicate bird’s nest.  Completely wire wrapped by hand, with little freshwater pearls as eggs, the detail is intricate and incredible.

Take a closer look at her work and you will agree, she is a standout artist in her field.

www.sterlingjules.com