Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Meet Lilly. This is our new kiln. She just came this week. Brook and I are learning to work with precious metal clay (PMC). We are trained in traditional silversmithing techniques. But, we love to keep learning new things. This was an obvious choice of what to learn next. PMC is fine silver particles in a clay form. When the clay is fired, the binder burns away leaving only fine silver, 99.9% pure fine silver. It is not so easy to work glass into the metal clay. There are some finicky rules, like melting points! Not every experiment is yielding perfect results. But, overall we are pleased. We are going to be introducing several lines of PMC jewelry at the Rosen Show this February… we’re developing them now as we experiment. Brook was more ambitious than me… He took some photos of his exciting new experiments. Wanna see?
Denise comes to many of the craft shows that we do. Actually, we don’t “do” many craft shows. When it comes to retail, we pretty much only do the PA Guild shows, and a home show. Denise frequents the PA Guild Shows. She had visited our website (http://haydenbrook.com), and she wanted to buy a heart like the one on our home page. But alas, I didn’t have any. She is so sweet… she found something else she liked. Still, I couldn’t resist offering to make a batch of the candy hearts. I wanted to have a load prepared for the next show anyway. They sell very well!!!
(I have entered the candy heart on the home page of haydenbrook.com into a contest I’m NOT likely to win, The Niche Awards, so I can’t sell that piece anyway. I have never entered the Niche Awards contest because our designs are meant to be affordable to the general public, not super fancy and higher priced because of all the expensive materials and hand-skills we have access to but don’t always use because it would mean that many normal people couldn’t have really fun, well-crafted jewelry at an affordable price, like $20-ish. I LOVE the idea that everyone should be able to leave a craft show with something in their hands. I sell to a lot of children and young adults… THE NEXT GENERATION!!! Wooo-Hooooo~!)
I told Denise to send me an email… that she should feel comfortable reminding me to make the heart; I wouldn’t mind~! So, she did… and I made a kiln-load… 9 hearts. I told Denise that I would photograph them on a pure white back ground in white photo lighting… no fancy photography… purely documentary. I sent her this photo, and she chose heart number 3, across the top row. Was she right???
I will be taking the rest of these hearts with my to the Montgomery County Community College for the PA Guild show this October 16 & 17… a good show! Fine Craft Fair Information. Well, I’ll have the hearts with me, unless I sell them before I get to the show…. that could happen. If you want one of them, give us a call…… #3 is sold.
What an exciting day… well, that is the last 3 days. We have been playing around with our new photo equipment. We have taken photos of most of the HBS Line Boards, and we have taken some new jury slide shots as well. Overall, I am pleased. I love what computer technology has made available to regular old people like me. Cropping, adjusting the exposure… good stuff! Make sure to reallllly explore the updated web-page. There are changes on most of the pages.
We head to the Rosen Wholesale show this weekend to meet with our stores (www.buyersmarketofamericancraft.com)… then off to the Poconos the next week to sell to the public (www.poconocrafts.com)! Always a good time! Come visit us!
Say a prayer for Hayden Brook Studios as we delve deeper into cyber space. We have made an investment into some photo equipment so that we can take better photos of our work. See our “Design Line Board” inside this white tent. The tent will help to eliminate hot-spots from bright lights needed to illuminate our work for photography. This provides an even and consistent light. (EZ Cube Link). We also got a gorilla pod tripod for our camera. We now need to get busy snapping off the shots of our work. GorillaPod link
WHOLESALE CRAFTS.COM – We are looking into selling our work on this website…. wholesale of course. It should be a great addition to our wholesale shows. We have been exploring their web-site and talking to them this week. It looks like it could be a “fit”. Visit the link: wholesalecrafts.com.
I have been creating my own hand crafted chocolates for a few years now. I have recently purchased some new tools and supplies. I am having a lot of fun making some really delicious treats. Go visit my chocolate blog (listed in my blog pages until I buy a domain for it) to see some very fun recipes, tools, and techniques.
This plate is by one of my favorite potters. We buy a piece or two from many of the D.Lasser collections, and from many other craftsmen, too. We don’t have 2 alike of anything in our kitchen, including our flatware. So fun! Having problems deciding on your dinnerware? Ha! Get one of everything! You’ll never have to worry about having an incomplete set.And, the table is always so colorful and pretty. People who don’t live like this are delighted and amazed when they come to our house for dinner. Friends have spent a half hour picking out their fork, knife & spoon combination. Visit: D. Lasser Ceramics
To visit my fun chocolate blog click here: amateur chocolatier blog.
YES! Chocolate! That is all that has been on my mind for weeks. I have a passion for crazy chocolate recipes! I want to write a book on chocolate. I think maybe God will make a way for this to happen, so I am taking a LOT of notes and developing recipes. This weeks’ chocolate has poprocks, cayenne pepper and salt! I need to perfect my tempering technique. My chocolate didn’t have that SNAP. It needed more of the secret ingredients, too. I am so fired up about chocolate. Here is a source of inspiration of mine: Vosges Haut Chocolat! Very good stuff!
Meet Terry, on the right. She is the person on the Hayden Brook Team whom most of our shoppers never get to meet. She isn’t usually present at any but the Home Show. AHhhh Terry! She makes my life run smoothly. She has been with us for years. She knows all the lines, and makes some of everything that we do. Plus, we have our very own special language that only we can read and write! HBS code. She is the only one we can talk to about exciting new glass patterns and colors. She understands my excitement when we have ordered a new kind of glass, but have to wait 3 weeks for it to get here. GAH!
When Terry was considering sub-contracting with us, she made it clear that she would need the freedom to go on her annual missions trip to Haiti, which usually heads out in early March. We agreed without hesitation. Terry’s priorities become our priorities. We adore her!
Terry is getting ready to head back to Haiti this coming Saturday. This trip is more urgent than usual. The earthquake hit exactly where she stays. A lot has changed since last year. The missions team from our church, which always includes Terry, has always stayed with the other woman in this photo. She would make sure they would eat well and be kept safe while they would sleep each night, tucked in tight. This lovely saint is named Setata. She is now numbered among the saints who are permanently dwelling in Heaven. During the earthquake, Setata’s Safe House collapsed on her. She did not survive. Terry will be heading down to the same neighborhood as usual… but the church and many of the key leaders are no longer standing.
Bless you Terry! And… come home safe & well! We need you here at HBS!
I LOVE SOCKS ! FUN COLORFUL SOCKS! HURRAY FOR GOOD SOCKS!
HERE IS A LINK TO ONE OF MY FAVORITE SITES! ozonesocks.com
Time is flying! I mean really fast! We just spent a week set up in the Philadelphia Convention Center, meeting with shop owners who would like to buy our jewelry throughout the year. I love it there! We do so well in Phiily! Even in a blizzard we sold tons of jewelry. We still have a little bit of room in our schedule a few months from now. Overall, we were VERY pleased with the show. I love my job.
The calendar in the photo above is by a company named “Sticks”. One of these days I’d love to have one of these. But, we have so many painters in the family that there isn’t a lot of room left on the walls. We do still have a tiny bit of floor space though. We are looking at having them craft an ottoman, just for us… made to order. Sticks.com
Today is my first day back in the studio. The first day sorting out the new 2010 lines. It is going quite well. No snags yet! We have low stock on a few items. The good news is that I get to get back to fusing my glass tomorrow. Yep! I do love my job. 2010 is a very good year.
We headed down to Philadelphia a day early to beat the weather. We were able to set up the show during the storm on Wednesday. Then the fun part…. watching the snow come down, and taxis sliding around the corner in front of the Hard Rock Cafe, as the sun was setting. Our hotel has the most fabulous wrap around window in the Sole Food Restaurant. We sat with hor d’ouevres, meeting others who were trapped in Philly.
The first night of the show was slow. Not all of the vendors were set up. Many buyers have had trouble getting here. But now they are rolling in from all over the country. Funnily enough, the Canadians have had no problem getting here! Many people thought ahead, like us, and came early. Everyone has a story about how they have gotten here. It is a fun place to be. We’re having a great time… but then… we always do!
Let Friday begin! We are set up, and ready to make a living!