Woman uses old materials to create new pieces
Published 10:35 pm Wednesday, November 1, 2017
- Linda Gullikson, owner of Brush Creek Boutique and Floral Shop, makes custom sign boards out of her store in Bricelyn. - Kelly Wassenberg/Albert Lea Tribune
BRICELYN — While many start planning for the holidays, one Bricelyn business owner is traveling to art shows throughout the region to offer a one-of-a-kind gift she may not ever be able to recreate.
Linda Gullikson, owner of Brush Creek Boutique and Floral Shop, said she has already begun doing the rounds at different craft shows in South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. She carries a variety of completed projects, as well as pieces customers can pick out for make and take projects.
Gullikson’s specialty is personalized name boards that can either be hung or made to stand alone. Sometimes, the pre-made art pieces form generic words or phrases. Other times, the custom pieces spell out family names.
In either situation, Gullickson said each piece may be very difficult to reproduce.
“Other than the screws and staples, everything we use is old,” Gullikson said, so she may not have the same items available to recreate an exact replica of an earlier project.
Linda Gullikson makes one-of-a-kind sign boards that can be hung on a wall or stand alone units, depending on her customer’s needs. – Kelly Wassenberg/Albert Lea Tribune
Window frames, flooring, wood and metal scavenged from old buildings, even broken furniture pieces can be sources for her materials.
“I’ve collected things for 25 years, because I hate to throw things away,” she said.
The vintage materials are refurbished to create letters of varying sizes that customers can pick out to make their own, one-of-a-kind project.
“I do take some things to boutiques and they sell it for me, but then you don’t get the customer interaction,” Gullikson said. “You don’t see what they’re wanting and what they are liking.”
For this reason, she prefers art shows and hosting her own special events at her boutique.
Gullikson plans to have an open house later this month, or the beginning of December, that would allow customers in the area the same opportunity.
Those who attend the open house will also have the chance to make their own evergreen pot or check out new items of the Lis’n product line made by area resident Paulette Legred.
Gullikson said the exact date has not been determined, but more information will be available in the weeks to come on the Brush Creek Boutique Facebook page.
Winter hours at the store vary, so customers are encouraged to call ahead and ask for hours or make an appointment at 507-653-4483.
