Michigan Made


I love to find products made in Michigan and support local companies. I'd like to share some of my favorite and most recent products that I've found.

I noticed Third Coast Keys while making some extra keys at a Gilbert's True Value Hardware in Dewitt, Michigan.
Third Coast sells keys that are in the shape of the state of Michigan. I think the keys are adorable and offer a fun alternative for those that add identifiers to keys so they can distinguish keys from each other.

This spring, while visiting some of our family and friends at the Vermontville Maple SyrupFestival, my mom and also went to the Arts and Craft Show to purchase products from some of our favorite companies, we also found a new product line by MickeyT's.
Mickey T's is a company that I've never seen before this year. Mickey T's is located in Davisburg, Michigan. They have many flavors of rubs, spices and garlics with fresh ingredients, no salt, no MSG or preservatives in any of their products. Flavors offered are Chicken, Beef, Fish, Rib, Vegetable, Wild Game, Louisiana, Thailand, Mexico, Jamaica, India, Italy, and France.  On their Salt Free Rub website you can order products, check the show schedule to see where they will be next, and find recipes.

 
SP Fine Bath and Body is one of our favorites. We love the vegan, eco-friend products which are chemical free, and come in great scents. SP sells bath & body, laundry products, bug spray, sunscreen, hand sanitizer as well as products for dogs. There are many scent selections including Cool Water, Drakkar, Cucumber Melon, Lovespell, Vanilla, Clean Cotton, Coconut Lime Verbena, and many others. My favorite products are the lotion bar and the body lotion, liquid soap (body wash) and body spray combo. The scents are strong at first, but fade quite quickly.

Who doesn't love dip mixes? Pam's Panty sells the best mixes for dips, salsas, no bake cheesecakes, and more. The extensive product line with so many flavors is outstanding. My favorites are Spinach Surprise, Definitely Dill, Funfetti, Mellie's Mexi Mix, and Caramel Nutter Butter. They always offer great deals at shows and if you sign up for their email newsletter, you'll periodically receive offers.



Michigan Pure Maple Syrup
One of the items that you can find anywhere when you go to the Vermontville Syrup Festival is pure Maple Syrup.  If you are looking for Maple Syrup outside of the Vermontville Syrup Festival, check out BennedictFamily Farms located in Vermontville, Michigan.  
Benedict Family Farm: 517-230-5083

We came across Lush Nuts while shopping at October Moon in Old Town, Lansing.
I tried the coconut lavender, which was very good. The lavender was very mild and coconut was not overly sweet. It was a great combination. As I looked further into the LushNuts company, I found that the it was started by Bisera Urdarevik who created the product while studying culinary arts in Chicago at Kendall College. In 2011, Bisera launched Lush Gourmet Foods, a specialty nut wholesale business in Kalamazoo.





I am very impressed with the vegan purses designed by Michigan State Graduate, Jenna Kator. Each of her purses are named after a Michigan City. Jenna's line include a variety of sizes of purses, wallets, and wristlets. Jenna is also a supporter of Philanthropy through the Handbags of Hope program. 100% of the proceeds for the Philanthropy Tawas Point Handbag goes to Handbags of Hope.



I love the Hasting's Candle Company Candles. They have more scents that I can list. You'll find traditional candle scents you'd come to expect as well as fun scents like Monkey Butt, Blueberry Cobbler, Sun-Ripened Tomato, and Sweet Potato and Brown Sugar. The candles are produced by the Hastings Pewter Company. I've found Hasting's Candles in Lake Odessa at ConsignmentsBy Sherry as well as in Hastings at The Hanger. 

On my way to a seminar at University of Phoenix in Southfield,Michigan, I stopped in Beyond Juicery +Eatery, a Michigan based company offering fresh juices, smoothies, sandwiches and other treats. To my surprise, found many Michigan Made products featured, including YumBitz, Detroit cookie company that gives back, as well as Living Zen and Carlo's products.

YumBitz come in three flavors and they are very tasty, not overly sweet … but that's not why you'll buy these cookies. For every purchase, 10% of the proceeds go to a community organization to help combat child hunger in the metro Detroit area. Monica Marks-Martin, co-founder and owner, is on mission to combat  hunger by giving back money to help support local Detroit food banks.


I'm not sure the extent of the Living Zen Organics product line, but I've tried the Flax Crackers and the Garlic Chipotle Pumpkin Seeds. Both of these snacks are great.  I've seen that they sell Kale Chips, which are available at Whole Foods. The company website lists all the places their products are available.
  

Carlo's Grain Free products include three flavors of granola, original, dark chocolate cherry, and key lime macadamia. The full list of where you can purchase their granola is on their company website.
Carlo Vivio, owner, also describes his journey with struggling with his weight which led him to create these healthy, portable snacks. His goal was to create a granola without grain, dairy, refined sugars, corn, hydrogenated oils, preservatives, peanuts, or soy that tastes great too … he succeeded!
His product was recently featured on a segment on a local Detroit news sharing great weight-loss snacks: http://www.clickondetroit.com/live-in-the-d/live-in-the-d-weight-loss-snacks-to-try?searchType=ALL&compId=316565310

Recently, I came across a list of Michigan companies online. Visit Buy Michigan Now, 

More to come from the mind of ...
Posted by 4 comments:

Meandering Michigan Series: Grand River Avenue Towns, Williamston

The first stop on the Michigan Meandering of Grand River Avenue is Williamston Michigan. Until my mom moved into the Williamston area about 9 years ago, I hadn't really spent much time there. I had visited some friends once and also been there to eat at Spags (Spagnuolo's Restaurant and Spag's Bar & Grill), a longstanding Williamston eatery.  Since my mom's move, Williamston is now a frequent stop for us.


Shopping
One of our favorite stops is the Michigan Market located in the Keller Building. This store offers a wide variety of Michigan made gifts including jams, snacks. jewelry, cards, and scarves. There are always finding new items to keep you coming back to see what they will have.
If you are looking for a one of a kind gift or piece for you home, stop in to Fireworks Glass Studio. You can watch artists Rhonda Baker and Dave Porter make one of a kind hanging lampshades, vases, and other creative and colorful pieces. Of course, they also offer glassblowing classes for those that are interested in making pieces.


Barrett's is a family owned clothing store in downtown that has been there since 1928. While it many in Williamston visit the store today for Williamston clothing and varsity jackets or school clothing, you can also find both men's and women's clothing and shoes. You can find apparel from Carhart, Stormy Kromer, Dickies, Levi's, Woolrich,  Columbia, Red Wing Shoes, Merrell, Toad & Co., and The Mitten State along with other brands.

On the edge of town, near I-96, near the Antique Market of Williamtson, is Meridorf Meats Market. Like many of the other Williamston businesses, Merindorf's is a family owned business. They have two locations, one in Williamston and one in Mason. They have been in business since 1997. Merindorf's carries a wide selection of beef , specialty smoked meats, and chicken, pork, buffalo, elk, venison items, cheeses, and specialty foods. They offer meat processing for farmers and hunters as well as meat bundles for those that want to purchase a larger amount for better deal. Keep an eye out on their website for weekly deals.

Dinning
Gracie's Place
 Gracie's Place is a great lunch or dinner spot. The food is farm to table with quality ingredients and changes every couple of weeks. They have an vast beer, wine and signature cocktail offering.  While eating, you can also admire the paintings, each month a different artist is featured. If you sit in the back of the restaurant, you can watch the food be prepared.  The last time my mom was there, she said she had to tip the chef because she enjoyed her lunch so much. She had the Jack Donnelly sandwich (turkey, bacon, cranberry and horseradish) with creamy Tomato Basil soup, one of my favorites. Gracie's offers great food in a creative atmosphere. If you are interested in cooking classes, you contact the Gracie's for more information and to reserve a spot in their monthly cooking classes.
Gracie's Brick Wall that features different artists every couple of weeks.
When people think of dining in Williamston, many think of the Red Cedar Grill. Red Cedar Grill is New American cuisine described as Big City Tastes in a Small Town.  The menu at Red Cedar changes seasonally. If you are intrested in a having a drink with your dinner, they have Michigan craft brews on tap, a seasonal cocktails, and an expansive wine list.

The first time my mom invited me to eat at a Golf Course, I was surprised, but pleasantly surprised after dinning there. The menu is fairly extensive with appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, pizza and flatbreads, Mexican selections, steaks, pasta, and fish. The prices are very reasonable. Be sure to check their website for specials, like all you can eat fish on Friday nights for $11.99 and a lasagna dinner special on Sundays for $9.99 where you can choose from homemade meat or vegetable lasagna.

For more information on Tavern 109, see my past blog post:

Antiques
If you are interested in Antiques, Williamston is the town for you. There are several antique stores in town, our favorites are The Antiques Market, Red Cedar Antiques, and Old Plank Road.

The Antiques Marketof Williamston is a huge building located just off I-96 on the south end of Williamston.  Since 1995 the owners have managed to keep this large building loaded with a variety of items. This antique market is very well known. Be sure to check out their website for monthly specials, photos from booths, and pictures of what's new.

Red Cedar Antiques is a unique and interesting building located on the west side of town. It's divided into small rooms and there are plenty of antiques and vintage collectibles. This is a great place to walk around and shop. 


Old Plank Road Antiques is located right downtown.
Do not let this small store fool you.
They have plenty of good quality antiques.
New pieces come in frequently.









Stay tuned for the other stops on the Meandering Grand River Avenue Towns Series.

More to come from the mind of ...
Posted by 2 comments:

Meandering Michigan Series: Grand River Avenue Towns


If you are from the Lansing or Detroit areas, you are familiar with the Grand River and Grand River Avenue. Between Detroit and Lansing there are several Michigan down towns that are worth a visit for restaurants, art, unique stores, and Michigan Made products.

Since my mom lives in the area, we are frequenters to many of these down towns. From East to West the towns you don't want to miss are Brighton, Howell, and Williamston.

Stay tuned for upcoming posts for each of these towns and my favorites stops. I'll also share additional pictures on the Michigan Girl Facebook page.

More to come from the mind of ...
Posted by No comments:

2016 Michigan Spring and Summer Events

Keep an eye out for updates on 2016 Michigan Spring and Summer Events. I'm posting them on the Michigan Girl Facebook page. You can also find information on the sidebar to the right of the From the Mind of a Michigan Girl Blog Page.

Some of the events I can't wait to attend are the Shed 5 Flea Market, 14th Annual Michigan Lavender Festival , Old Town Scrapfest , and Bay City Tall Ships Celebration. Hope to see you there!

Also, you can look forward to my upcoming posts, sharing information and pictures from recent meanders to Mason, Williamston, and Howell. These downtowns are Michigan Girl Favorites. Stay tuned!

More to come from the mind of ...
Posted by No comments:

Where in Michigan would you like to see Michigan Girl Meander to next?

For those that are fans of the Meandering Michigan Series, thank you. I have received a tremendous amount of feedback recently. I've created a poll so that you can now tell me where in Michigan you'd like to see Michigan Girl Meander to and then blog about. The poll is located on the side bar on the right side of this page or you can use the link below. Please take a moment and share your thoughts, feel free to write in your own place. Looking forward to your suggestions!

Survey Link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q8VGTYD


 More to come from the mind of ...


Posted by No comments:

Meandering Michigan Series: Upcoming Event, 14th Annual Michigan Lavender Festival at Blake's Orchard, Armada



The Annual Michigan Lavender Festival is an event that we rarely miss. This year will the be the 14th year for the festival. The festival offers unique gifts, plants for sale, gourmet food, workshops, arts & crafts for kids, natural health booths, and a variety of options for lunch. A full festival itinerary is located on the Michigan Lavender Festival Website as well as the vendor list. There are currently just under 70 vendors on the list.

The festival is located in Armada, Michigan  Friday, Saturday & Sunday, July 15, 16 & 17, 2016 (10am – 5pm). It's located at Blake Farms and Orchard and this year it's sponsored by Blake's Hard Cider Co., located at the Orchard as well. The Brewery is a new addition to Blake's in the last year.

The Michigan Lavender Festival was voted the best festival in Michigan in 2014. Vendors include lots of lavender made and inspired products as well as other scents. One of my favorites is the lavender popcorn that Whole Foods brings, but you have to get there early for that, they usually run out of popcorn about half-way through the day. I also recommend the lavender lemonade. Pam's Pantry is usually there with an assortment of dips to try and purchase, I don't see them on the vendor list yet though. You don't have to worry about not finding soaps and lotions, there are several great vendors offering bath and body products, All Things Lavender is one of our favorites.

Each year that we've went, there has been a man that brings his Alpacas. He also brings all the clothes, hats, gloves, etc. that he makes from the Alpaca's wool. Since it's mid-July and very hot, it's hard to think of buying items made of Alpaca wool, but the products are high quality for a good price. It's also fun to see the Alpacas!

This is truly a family event as Blake Farms and Orchard has lots of fun things for the kids to do. Last year my ten-year old nephew, who was up for his annual summer break vacation with his aunt and uncle in Michigan, joined us. He had a great time at the orchard with all the activities.

Everyday activities include:
Train Rides
Hayrides to the Pumpkin Patch
Haunted Village and Black Hole
Barnyard Funland:
Cornstalk Maze
Giant Straw Mountain
Water Duck Race
Barnyard 500 Tricycle Race Track
Pumpkin Jump Balloon
Storybook Barn

You can also pick your own fruit from the farm. Blake's Store has many treats including homemade doughnuts, pies, fudge, and caramel apples. The store has fruit, vegetables, jams, salsa, BBQ sauce, and other quality packaged treats. If you are interested in special events and activities, or for more information, see Blake Farms Website.

More to come from the mind of ...
Posted by No comments:

Meandering Michigan Series: Lake Odessa


I remember playing Lake Odessa in sports in High School, driving through it when we took the back road to Grand Rapids, and hearing stories of people fishing at the Jordan Lake in Lake Odessa. I'm sure prior to 2015, I hadn't actually been near Lake Odessa in over 20 years. My mother and I were heading to a baby shower between Ionia and Lake Odessa. We were quite early, and decided to drive through Lake Odessa. I was surprised at the stores downtown. It was late, so everything was closed, but we made plans to come back.

We ended up having a girls day with my Great Aunt, and my cousins in Lake Odessa in November of last year (2015). The two antique stores, Lake Odessa Antique Mall and Regal Rooster at Bonanza Antiques, were having a huge sale. I've never been that interested in antique stores, but I had such a great time. I was very surprised at how large the stores were and how much fun it was too look around. 

Wandering through an antique store can be like walking down memory lane when you see items that remind you of your childhood, or younger years. You never know what you might find. Some of my favorite things to look at are jewelry, postcards, and clothing. 

These are pictures of two necklaces that I bought at the Lake Odessa Antique Mall. I've zoomed in a little so you can see more of the details. One is a gold chain with red beads with blue flowers. The second necklace is sliver with little black beads. I don't have any details on when or where they were made, but I only paid a few dollars for each and love them both!

Just down the street from the Antique Stores, you can also shop for new and consigned clothing, home décor, jewelry and handmade chocolates. We visited So Simply, Consignments By Sherry, Endless Expressions, AllyMade Jewelry, and I made a quick stop at Delectable Delights.

So Simply offers home décor, furniture, jewelry, gourmet food, lotions and soaps, and women's clothing. The jewelry is hand-made by American designers including Anne Koplik, Treska and Shari Dixon. There website usually has coupons, recipes, and information about store events.

The consignment shop, Consignments By Sherry, while having a nice selection of gently used clothing, shoes, and jewelry, had many other items for sale. I like the trend right now in stores of mixing clothing, jewelry, furniture, home décor, and other items. Each of the stores in Lake Odessa, including the consignment shop, follows this trend. 
Endless Expressions Boutique was another favorite. While listed as an interior designer, the store is filled with clothing, jewelry, purses, and other unique items. I recently visited the stores Facebook page and it looks like they have added quite an inventory since I was there. In addition to women's clothes and jewelry, there is a selection of clothing for children and babies as well as other items for babies.

AllyMade Jewelry has handmade jewelry, a wide variety of beads, and locally made gifts. There are pictures, paintings, stained glass, cards, bags, handmade wooden boxes and other wooden items, bath and body products, books, candles, and gourmet snacks.  There is a craft room in the back where jewelry and craft making events are held.

Of course, after all the shopping, if you are hungry, you can stop by Delectable Delights for handmade chocolates and other treats. The chocolate shop had just opened, so they had many samples out to try before you purchased. I also ate the items before I could remember to take pictures ... they were great! If you are looking for lunch or dinner, I recommend Penny's Pizza.


More to come from the mind of ...
Posted by 2 comments:

New look for the Michigan Girl

First, I want to thank my good friend, and graphic artist, Amanda Brown for the Michigan Girl logos. She did a great job. I love it and I hope you do too. Amanda is a very talented artist, if you are interested in working with her, let me know and I can connect you.


Second, I want to invite everyone to like the new Michigan Girl Facebook page. This is yet another place that you can connect with me. I'll be sharing information like upcoming events in Michigan, lots of pictures from Michigan, features on great Michigan products and lots of other information.

You can also connect with Michigan Girl through Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram. See the "Connect with Michigan Girl" section on the website to connect.

I've been doing a lot of traveling ... so stay tuned for upcoming posts.

More to come from the mind of ...
Posted by 1 comment:

Meandering Michigan Series: The General Store, Downtown Hastings

Although I have been to Hastings when I was younger, it has been a very long time and I had never really spent much time downtown. I have to say, I was very surprised at how much the downtown had to offer for shopping and restaurants. My mother and I spent a warm Saturday in December tooling around town and doing some holiday shopping.

The General Store South Jefferson Street
What turned out to be my favorite stop, The General Store, was a big surprise. At first, we thought it was a hardware until I spotted a bunch of greeting cards through the window. This store had a little bit of everything. This store has a large selection of locally made products.

The front of the store was loaded with toys and games. Although I didn't have any kids to buy toys for, games are a favorite in our house, so I did spend some time. I found many games that I had never seen. The store also had candy, snacks, books, soaps, lotions, and a large selection of cards. Their Facebook says that they have largest greeting card selection in Barry County, I believe it. There is a section of the store with gifts and home items like picture frames, and candles




There are also shirts, jewelry, scarves, bags, and purses. We were very impressed with vegan purses designed by a Michigan State Graduate, Jenna Kator. Each of her purses are named after a Michigan City. Jenna's line include a variety of sizes of purses, wallets, and wristlets. Jenna is also a supporter of Philanthropy through the Handbags of Hope program. 100% of the proceeds for the Philanthropy Tawas Point Handbag goes to Handbags of Hope.


We also found some fun bags that were made by a local women in Hastings and they were only $10.




In the specialty food and kitchen section, I was introduced to Mrs. Meyers. My mom was familiar with the products but I wasn't. Mrs. Meyers products are made with essential oils and organic ingredients. My favorite scents are lavender and watermelon. Since this trip, I have started using the air fresher, multipurpose cleaning spray, hand soap, and dishwasher tabs.

Other notable locally brands/made products: Cherry Republic, Coyer Candle Co. handmade soy candles and air fresheners, hand-made wooden bowls by JM Woodworking, Jewelry by Lake Effects Studios, Detroit Coaster Company, Heritage Beard Company, Gee Dee Bee's Honey by Maple Leaf Farm, handmade wooden kitchen utensils from Clarksville, Michigan, Cellar Door Soap, books by local authors, University of Michigan and Michigan State items, and lots of products promoting Michigan.

The prices in the store were very reasonable and to our surprise, everything in the store turned out to be 10% off that day. Bonus!! Looking at their Facebook page, it appears that often have sales, especially around the holidays.

Keep an eye out for more on Downtown Hastings including shopping and restaurants in my Meandering Michigan Series!

More to come from the mind of ...
Posted by 2 comments:

Personalized hair color and great products delivered to a girl’s door

I’ve been coloring my own hair for a very long time. It’s not something I necessarily enjoy, but I do all-over color and it’s not very difficult, so it’s not a service I feel I need to pay for. I’ve been using the same color for quite some time, until recently. While scrolling through Facebook one day, I read a review for eSalon. eSalon offers personalized hair color that you order online and have shipped to your door. Allure Magazine recognized eSalon with the 2014 Best of Beauty award.

eSalon offers not only custom color, but also shampoo, conditioner, color touch-up and enhancing products, as well as styling products and tools. You can order products as needed or through an auto-delivery subscription service. The subscription service is great. For first time subscribers, there is a significantly discounted rate. Once you join, you can skip shipments, adjust shipment dates, or cancel at any time. It’s all very easy to manage. I’m always leery when you are asked to sign up and is says you can cancel at any time. It always seems that you end up having trouble canceling, end up with extra fees, or pay a lot more than you planned. There’s no gimmick here, it’s really very simple.

Custom Color
To select your custom color, you start with a survey about you and your hair. You then move to picking the color you are looking for. The options are much more than I expected. You can really mix to get hues that go past your basic blonde, brown, red, and back. The palette is quite extensive including coppers, golds, rich auburns, and violets just to name a few.

Once you’ve chosen your color, you can free-form type information for your expert colorist that is going to mix your color. The colorists profiles and pictures are listed on the website. You can also upload pictures before and after your coloring. Once you’ve used the product, they ask you to go back online and let them know if you like it or not. You can also request changes for next time. Maybe it was too dark, too light, too copper, not enough gray coverage? Just let them know and they will adjust before they send the next delivery.

Your package comes in a very nice, personalized box. It includes color, developer, a single use packet of  sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner,  2 pairs of non-latex gloves, applicator brush, stain guard, stain remover, an personalized directions. The standard price is $19.95, however if you use my referral link below, you’ll receive $10.00 off your first order. Shipping is $4.95.

If you are looking for more shine, you can add in the Color Enhancing Gloss, also “Made for You.” This is an accompaniment to the color that you add to your hair shortly after you’ve started your coloring process.

After my first color, I asked for an adjustment and it was very clear on the next shipment that they made the adjustment as requested. I like the gloss. It seems to add quite of bit of shine and my hair seems to really reflect light. My hair is very shiny anyway. I’ve used it both times, however, for my next color, I’m going to try it without it. I'm thinking it might be something I use with every other color.

Tinted Love and Devoted to Hue
I’m loving two products that are used for Color Enhancing, Tinted Love Treatment and Devoted to Hue Mask. These products help extend and enhance your color. Tinted Love is a treatment that you use between shampooing and conditioning. You leave it on for 2-3 minutes. Devoted to Hue is used as replacement to your conditioner. You leave it on for 10 minutes. You can use them together or separately and they really add shine and enhance your color. I think that these products could potentially eliminate the need for the gloss, or the need to use the gloss each time.

I have a powdered root cover that I love, so I have not tried eSalon’s Color Kiss. Color Kiss is a temporary root touch-up. It the style that come in a tube with a small brush like mascara. It has good reviews on the site.

The Match-Up
If you like the additional products that eSalon sells, The Match-Up is the way to go, it can save you up to 45%. It’s an auto-delivery subscription service for the products. You select three products for $30 and the products are delivered at the frequency you select. Again, you can adjust at any time. You can swap in and out products; you can delay, skip, or cancel.

I’ve used the Heart Lock It Color Safe Shampoo and the Love Unconditionally Color Safe Conditioner and like both products. I'm going to try the Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner next time. I’ve also used the Get Lifted Root Lift Spray. You can see my review of this product here: Turn up the volume ... a girl's suggestions for thicker, fuller hair!

With the busy world that we live in, convenience can be so important. How can I save time without spending a ton of money? eSalon is here to help with that. These are great products, for good prices, that come right to your door … my favorite … our mailman loves us!

If you are interested, please click here and select this link and give it a try. You’ll also get a discount!  

More to come from the mind of …

Posted by No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)