Life in the Crafts Lane

In Memory

2010-03-29T07:13:00.000-07:00

Nan Bolstad with granddaughter Amelia Vermeulen, February 2009.

Nan Bolstad passed away on March 2, 2010. Below is her obituary written by her daughter, Erika Bolstad.

NANCY HARASETH BOLSTAD

Nancy H. Bolstad of Jefferson died Tuesday evening of heart failure. She was 63.

She was raised in Helena, Mont., a granddaughter of Norwegian homesteaders and a daughter of World War II veterans. A lifetime in Oregon helped diminish – but never fully extinguish – her belief that Montana is God’s country.

Nancy, who took on the nickname "Nan” in college, met her husband, William D.Bolstad, at Montana State University; they celebrated 42 years of marriage this fall. Nan had an English degree from Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minn.

She worked as an editor, a gallery owner and a partner in her husband’s woodworking business. She was a role model to many craftspeople who sought to make a living from their art.

Nan and Bill raised their two daughters in Willamina and Salem, Ore. Each year, on May Day, Nan's daughters picked a bouquet of wild irises, placed it at the front door, rang the doorbell, and ran away. They still believe she was surprised.

Endlessly nosy and curious, Nan brought up a journalist and a teacher. She taught them to ride bikes without training wheels, to roll lefse so thin you could read newsprint through it, and to drive a stick shift.

She coached hundreds of students in creativity, taking three teams to the Odyssey of the Mind world championships.

As a Camp Fire Girls troop leader, Nan decided country girls who’d never stayed in hotels had no need for additional camping skills. Instead, she took them on an urban adventure in Portland. They departed the city with the ability to read a map, catch a bus and leave a tip.

When it came time to be a grandmother, Nan offered this child-rearing advice: vacuum while the babies are sleeping. That way, they’ll sleep through anything. Two generations of sound sleepers proved her right.

Her daughters thank her for their small-town childhood – as well as for their preference for wide-open spaces and their belief in the promise of faraway places.

Her husband will remember her by his side, in the passenger seat of one of their red convertibles, roaming Oregon’s back roads and coast.

Nan is survived by her husband; her brother, Ron Haraseth of Stevensville, Mont.; her daughters Erika Bolstad of Washington D.C. and Stephanie Bolstad of Miami, Fla.; and three grandchildren.

The family will have a private memorial in May, when the wild irises are in bloom. Please honor her with a contribution to Craft Emergency Relief Fund, PO Box 838, Montpelier, Vt., 05601

New Table Coming.

2010-01-09T16:33:00.001-08:00

Bill Bolstad likes to have a newly designed table each year for the Guild of Oregon Woodworkers/Northwest Fine Woodworkers Spring showcase. This year the show will be held April 30--May2 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. His planning and designing of a new table is underway. The other day I went into our kitchen, and he was playing around with large pieces of cardboard, taping them together. Before the night was over he had made a cardboard table. Not very sturdy, but it was his first concept of a new table.

Today once again he worked on it, this time adding dowels, asking for my input on the design. I liked the addition of the dowels, even looked up where he could get different sizes. I also convinced him to make the base out of walnut. (He was going to have it stained black.) The top is a one-of-a-kind piece of beautiful Spalted Maple. Now he's off to Home Depot to get some "practice" dowels to use in his planning. He is documenting all the steps in the design/building process. I will hopefully share some of his photos with you. (This is a big deal--I am the photographer in our .)eam, but he's giving it a try,

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T08:28:00.000-08:00

Bill and Nan Bolstad both wish everyone the Best of Holidays!
we are going to have a great 2010--hopefully no trips to the hospital.

How I spent my summer . . .

2009-11-16T23:52:00.000-08:00

Well, we did not make it to San Francisco. I ended up in the hospital and rehab for over two months. And I had to have kidney dialysis for 3 months. My kidneys quit working. I have had to learn to walk again. But things are looking up--today I went up our stairs all by myself for the first time again--and I did it twice just to prove to myself I could do it. Bill has been working hard gettting out the orders we have plus we has had to learn how to use the computer. Good thing hee's a fast learner--he's done real well, and even learned some things about Quickbooks that I didn't know. Stephanie has been a great help for him, via the web and phone..

I will try to write some more in the coming days--my concentration level just isn't all that great.

San Francisco, here we come!

2009-08-05T03:03:00.000-07:00

Bill and I will leave a week from today (Wednesday the 12th) for San Francisco and the ACC craft fair. It has been 20 years since we participated in this show! And we were even able to identify several names on the list.

It will take us a day to drive down there, a day to set up, then three show days, and 1 day to return home. Then the Bolstad Boxes summer tour will be finished! For the next week Bill will be finishing off a couple of tables, then it's load the van again, and set off on I-5.

Even artists need a vacation.

2009-08-04T03:12:00.000-07:00

We just spent a week in Montana. Both Bill and I are originally from Montana and have family living there. Our daughter from Miami took her family to a sorority reunion in Bozeman, so we planned a mini-family reunion in Bigfork the following week. It's easy to forget how beautiful the mountains, rivers, lakes and areas inbetween really are,

We visited with Bill's 89 year old mother, Marge, and her 92 year old sister, Dorothy O'Flynn. They live together in Kalispell during the summer months. Our nephew Kyle was also there, taking a breather from his nationwide trip with an Airstream. Steph, Jacques, Elliott, Amelia and Samone, and Erika rounded out our family. Bill's sister, Sandy Walker and her husband Larry, decided they should join everyone. The group managed to leave lots of empty wine bottles around!

Bigfork, Montana is one place you never have to say "What can I do?" It's full of great outdoor activities. We went swimming at the family cabin on Flathead Lake. Kayakking on the Swan River and Flathead Lake. Hiking, or just walking, along old haunts in Ferndale MT, celebrating Sandy's 70th birthday (she's the big sister). It was a very relaxing and refreshing week.

But I forgot--our most important function all week was enjoying our grandchildren. Elliott (almost four) kept his grandpa entertained, But Samone and Amelia (age 7 months) kept us all with smiles on. The girls are just learning to crawl, they smile at everything, and their grandpa and grandma took turns hugging them a lot.

Our trip home took us first to Stevensville MT where we visited with my brother Ron and Judy. They live in the Bitteroot Valley, a very beautiful place. Then we set out for Oregon over Lolo Pass (Lewis and Clark travled through here.) We picked the hottest day of the century--in Orofino Idaho the bank sigh said "117".
Our car thermometer said 115. I said "That's hot!" At Lewistown ID we went south to Joseph OR. Or rather I should say we went south, then we went north, then we went east, then we went south, then we went . . . Get the picture? It was upgrade, down grade, switchback after switchback. But more beautiful sights, The area around Joseph has been on our "Places to See" list for a long time. we saw Enterprise, stayed overnight in Wallawa, saw where Chief Joseph was buried, went to Hell's Canyon (Snake River was w...a...y... down there). Then it was time to jump onto I-80 and I-5 and head for home. It was loverly!

Bellvue Art Fair

2009-08-04T03:06:00.000-07:00

We have finished 2/3 of our summer tour--so far we have made it through okay. Our daughter Erika flew to Seattle and helped out in Bellvue. And I even took off one afternoon to see a movie! Thank goodness the show was the weekend before the Big Heat Wave. The show was about what we had experience there before. We left some tables at Elements Gallery. Then we were off for a weeks vacation.

Salem Art Fair

2009-07-15T02:57:00.000-07:00

We start our summer "tour" this weekend with the hometown Salem Art Fair. This is the fair we have exhibited in the most, since it's near by. This year Bill gets to do it by himself. I am going to stay home and save up energy for Bellevue next weekend.

The Salem Art Fair has a wonderful location, Bush Park, under many majestic oak trees. For us, it is the only show we do that is truly outdoors. We're borrowing the white artisan tent; we got some cheapo waver board for the floor (need it to be level) and finished some tables and boxes. This is Salem's summer social event--everybody who is anybody volunteers in some way. I used to say I saw everyone I ever knew in Salem at the Art Fair. Just hope they're willing to part with some $$$ this year.

My favorite thing at the Salem Art Fair is when "the fat lady sings", or in this case, the bagpipe band marches through the park squealing away at 5 pm Sunday. It means its all over for another year.

The Retail Side of Business

2009-07-02T02:36:00.000-07:00

Our summer of retail shows has arrived. Last summer we decided to apply to one retail show--and that later translated into four. We are scheduled to take part in the Salem Art Fair, Bellevue ArtFair, and San Francisco ACC. We are on the waiting list for Art in the Pearl. This will be augmented by a week in Montana visiting family, with both daughters coming . The nice part--Erika is going to meet us in Bellevue, help with the show, then ride to Kalispell with us. Steph, Jacques and the three grandkids are going to Montana for a reunion of Steph's sorority, then driving up to Kalispell. We are excited about seeing Elliott, Amelia and Samone. The girls are just starting to crawl.

Bill is busy getting new work for Bellevue and San Francisco. We had planned to have several bright colored tables, but . . . they all were sold at our Las Vegas show, so he is making all new ones. On Monday we picked up our wood that had been infused. He is currently cutting out tables and has several commissions to finish up also.

The Salem Art Fair is the first. While it is pretty close by, I am not going to go to it; Bill will handle it himself. I will stay home and store up energy for the next week in Bellevue and trip to Montana. San Francisco is two weeks later; we will have time to come home and wash our clothes before we are off again. So lots of things to look forward to in the next 6 weeks.

The Bridge

2009-06-13T00:45:00.000-07:00

Hoover Dam has served as a bridge between Nevada and Arizona since it was built. As a child, I had always heard of this manmade wonder, and three years ago I finally got to see it. But the wonder to see is high in the sky above the river and dam--a bridge.

The four lane freeway leading to the bridge is complete. They are still working on the bridge. Two years ago just the parts near the edge were visible and could be seen. Last year, tall masts and a bit of the curved portion were there. This year, it actually ooked like it would one day be a bridge. It is massive! It is high! (I don't know if I will be able to cross over on it--I am afraid of heights.) But it is a piece of our engineering that will rank up there with the Hoover Dam and Golden Gate Bridge. And we saw it being built!

Sin City, here we come!

2009-06-12T14:31:00.000-07:00

We off. Las Vegas, ready or not, we are coming.

Down I-5 to Eugene. Take a left, over Willamet Pass, right to Klamath Falls. Now which exit did we take to find the Fred Meyer Fuel Stop? Where's the closest restroom? Let's splurge with a maple bar for Nan, a cherry turnover for Bill. On the road again.

Into California, down lonely roads with little traffic, but beautiful scenery to Susanville, then on to Reno.
Quick stop for gas, then desert driving to Hawthorne and our stop for the night, El Capitan Motel. This army depot town has nothing to redeem it but the McDonalds where we had breakfast last year, and will again this year. The locals are what make it worth visiting. They each bring their own coffee cup, the manager brings out a pot of coffee for them to share, and they solve the world's problems. This year they were worried about how many miles they would have to go to have their GM or Chrysler car repaired. Seven elderly men and one women who appeared to work in a local clinic. My question. . .why would anyone live in such a desolute place?

But we are on to Las Vegas to see the lights and hopefully make some money, the non-gambling kind.
We arrive about 1:30 pm, get in line at the convention center to unload. At exactly 2pm, as promised, they begin to let us in, unload our displays and merchandise onto a fork lift, take it to our booth. Now it's up to us to make it look presentable. We get things set up, lights up, and decide it's time for our annual trip to Hoover Dam. Stay tuned for the next installment . . .

Getting Ready for Las Vegas

2009-06-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

On May 28th we leave for Las Vegas to participate in the ACRE (American Craft RetailersExpo) show. It is a for-the -trade only show. This is the third year for the show, and we have been there each year. So we sort of know our way around, have favorite places to go, to see.

Preparing for a show takes aot of work from both of us. I make lists of everything we make, make price cards for them, make sure all our office stuff is in the backback, the cords to charge the phones, the camera,lots of essential little things. Bill makes sure we have every sample, packs them up in the van. We get the van washed, get the oil changed, plan our itenerary, make hotel reservaations. Whew! I am going to be busy.

The weeks in between shows . . . .

2009-06-12T13:20:00.000-07:00

These two lovlies are the latest additions to our family. Meet Samone and Amelia!
They are our grandaughters, now six months old. We first met them in February after the Philadelphia show (they live in Miami) and now are looking forward to seeing them and their brother, Elliott, in Montana in July.

Besides photos of tables and boxes, the girls and Elliott have their photos taken alot, and then sent to Grandma and Grandpa.

Off to the Photographer!

2009-06-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

After the Portland show, it was time to have photos taken of the new items we had completed.
DAN KVITKA is our photographer of choice. He's good; knows what he's doing, takes photos
so we can use them many ways, and we have a history with him. In his former life Dan was a world-class wood turner, and a friend.

Photos are the lifeblood of today's artists and craftspeople. We post our photos on our web page, on wholesalecrafts.com, send them to customers to use in advertising, for selling, and they are a must for applying to shows, submitting for publication. It is so nce to be able to call up a photo of something someone wants to see. The teal boxes shown, Limited Edition Toledo, are made with a handcrafted slumped glass handle. The box has been made from spalted maple that is infused with an acrylic and color. The blue box is the Beaver, another Limited Edition.

Woodworkers Show in Portland

2009-06-12T12:38:00.001-07:00

The Guild of Oregon Woodworkers and the Northwest Fine Woodworkers held a show at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland along with shows by the potters, metal artists, fiber artist, bead makers. It was a wonderful showing of what Oregon's craftspeople design and make.

We made several good sales, and even concluded one good commission for a table. The show encouraged Bill to design, make, and finish several tables, including the one shown here, "Ruffled Feathers." It is a new design for him, has new leg shapes, is made from wood he had never worked with.

I'm back!

2009-06-12T12:31:00.001-07:00

I've come back--sorry for the interruption. but for several months I just kind of let the blog fade in the back ground. But now Bill tells me we are doing many things I can tell everyone about. So, I'll start back at the end of April, and take you through our road trips this summer to Las Vegas, Salem, Bellevue, Montana, and the to the San Francisco ACC show.

More fall colors

2008-11-09T22:30:00.000-08:00

Erika sent us this beautiful photo she took along the Appalaction Trail.

I had to share it.

Fall Colors

2008-10-24T10:42:00.000-07:00

Our workshop is located in Oregon's wine country. Two vineyards are just north of us, both 2-3miles away. One is Willamette Vineyards, the state's largest. Our favorite is Ankey Vineyards, one of the state's oldest and smallest. The ploto above shows Ankeny Vineyards yesterday. At the base of the evergreen trees at the right is an old community cemetary. One day the winery guy loaded me into his "mule" (a small John Deere truck) and drove me up there. Very interesting!
This winery's official greeter is a chocolate labrador named appropriately, Hershey. And Hershey Red is one of their bottled wines.

My favorite visit to a winery was one fall day, when the grapes were still on the vines. We were invited to dinner at Grant and Elizabeth's. They owned a vineyard in West Salem, and Elizabeth oversaw the making of about a thousand bottles of wine each year; most of their grapes were sold to other wineries. But driving up to their house that beautiful September afternoon was one of the most beautiful sights I have seen. Purple grapes hung heavily of the vines, the hills were shouting out their fall colors, and then we sampled some of Elizabeth's wine from the barrel before dinner.
Our favorite wine of all time is "Elizabeth"--what we called the no-label bottles.

Hunting Season

2008-09-21T11:59:00.000-07:00

The ebb and flow of the seasons is happening. And we are now into . . . Hunting Season
In my earlier years, hunting season was a big deal. I am not a hunter (usually), but as a sixteen year old, it meant I got to drive. Yep--I drove our '57 Chevy pickup up one valley and dropped off my Dad and brother. They proceeded to hike over to the next valley loooking for deer and elk. My job was to find my way over to that next valley and pick them up. Great experience for a learning driver. I learned the curves of many of Montana's back roads! And I can remember being ordered home from college one weekend to go antelope hunting. Yep--ordered. Seems my dad had put my name along with my mom, my brother and himself in a drawing for permits to antelope hunt. When the drawing was held, everyone but my dad won a permit. I had to go home to round out the hunting party.

Now our hunting expeditions are of a different kind. Bill is always looking for The Big Burl.
You know, those growths on trees, the sight of rare figured wood. They make Bolstad Boxes beautiful! In August we received a call from a guy we had met last February at the Philadelphia show. He lives in Klamath Falls, and he sells wood. He had some "burl" for sale. So we planned an "expedition". Over several rivers and thru lots of woods we would go. Yesterday was our big "hunt".

It's about a 4 hour drive to Klamath Falls in south central Oregon. I charged our cell phones, packed for an overnight stay if needed, and at 6 am we left. Right now in Oregon there are several forest fires. They affect most of the roads going over the Cascades to central Oregon.
One pass opened up that morning, and we were able to go the route over Willamette Pass. We went right through where the fire had gone, on both sides of the road. We saw many "fire camps" where fire fighters had set up their tents, and they were still putting out "hot spots".
The little community of Crescent Lake was alive and getting back to normal after being evacuated. Our call to "511" (road hotline) had warned us to be on the watch for "fire apparatus." Saw plenty of those. We continued on our journey looking for the illusive Big Burl.

With a short detour, we made it to Oregon's one National Park--Crater Lake. Crater Lake was on my list of "Places I Have To See" at one time. We did go see it once, but it was winter. And snow there gets pretty deep; the park is only opened for a few short miles at the south entrance during the winter, so we hadn't really "seen" all of it. We entered at the north entrance, and exited out the south. The area had two big forest fires, so there was lots of smoke in the air. It also was slightly foggy, so for awhile viewing distance was not great. One area had big road signs explaing the fire was a "natural burn" and they were letting it burn. I took a couple nice photos of Wizard Island and Crater Lake, just to provwe I was there!

Now we were on our way. No more detours. We found our burl man, and Bill "hunted" through his orderly piles of beautiful wood. An hour later we drove away with some beautiful Madrone Burl. Plans are to make them into tables. Our hunt was successful--this year!

Our return trip was over the moun tians on a route from Klamath Falls to Ashland to the interstate. It was a beautiful drive, and a new route for us. It goes through a very remote part of Oregon. We stopped and had dinner with our friends Ned and Susan in Roseburg, then arrived home about 9:30pm. Didn't need our back pack of "in case we stay overnight".

The moral of this story is -- it's not the outcome of the hunt that counts, but the journey. We had a great day.

Oktoberfest in Mt. Angel

2008-09-09T11:03:00.000-07:00

It's already September; although our nice weather is here for a stay for awhile longer, The slight tinge of color on the trees, earlier twilight, etc. let us know fall is nearby.
One sign that fall's near for those of us in Oregon is Oktoberfest in Mt. Angel. We traveled to Mt. Angel yesterday. It's such a beautiful place, I have to tell you about it.

Mt. Angel, Oregon is located northeast of Salem about 15 miles. It is a quaint (yes!) little farming community. The nearby Mt.Angel Abbey is a beautiful place, with a spectular view of the Willamette Valley, the many fields, the hops fields ready for harvest, the foothills of the Cascades, and Mt. Hood towering above it all.

Back to the town of Mt. Angel. Mt. Angel was originally settled by Germans. They keep their ancestory in the forefront. Each September the whole town holds an Oktoberfest. Many charitable organizations are recepients of the receipts from beer gardens, food vendors, arts and craft vendors. There's "chicken dancing" in the streets, polka music coming from the loud speakers throughout downtown. Oktoberfest starts on Friday, and the town was getting ready for the thousands of visitors. All the yards were being manicured; flower boxes and pots of flowers are blooming at their best. The town's new glockenspiel shines in its central location. Even the public restrooms boast a new coat of paint!

We went to Mt. Angel to deliver some jewelry boxes to the Mt. Angel Woodcarvers Association gallery. This is a brand new gallery spearheaded by woodcarvers from nearby areas. Many of them are over 70! They have taken an old pizza location, cleaned it up, painted, added some tables and a few borrowed displays and added some beautiful products. They will be open for Oktoberfest. This is the arts community doing its best to bring the wooden items of the area to the public. They are planning for this to be a permanent gallery, with a coop selling team of gallery members. (The permanent part of this may be a challenge once Mt. Angel returns to it's normal qiet farming community.) With a wonderful weather forcast this weekend, the Grand Opening for The Mt.ANgel Woodcarvers Assn. Gallery should be great!

THANKS, and I will be back--that's a warning!

2008-08-02T17:58:00.000-07:00

I need to extend a "THANK YOU" to my pool pals. Their help, thoughts, and prayers have helped me get through the heart atack and its aftermath. Angie was responsible for getting me out of the pool when I didn't look so good. She and Louise were the ones who contacted Bill, went to the hospital, and then helped Bill get my car back home. (I think Angie really enjoyed driving the convertible!) Azhar and her husband Mike's thoughts were with me. They had a barbeque last weekend, and it was my first "social" outing. (It was nice to see everyone! Many from the Courthouse Athetic Club.) And Peggy Johnson found the time to send me several cards (along with many others, but she consistantly sent at least one per week).

Our many crafts friends also need to be thanked--Chuck and Mona Elkan sent beautiful flowers, as did Mitch and Sheryl Patton. I was so excited to get to use my new pen and pencil set from Mitch--my occupational therapist had me practice my writing, and I had new instruments made by Mitch to do it with.

There were several people who called and kept in touch with Bill while I was in the hospital. I don't know who all they were, but a bunch of guys from the Guild of Oregon Woodworkers, our great friends Ned and Susan Landis, Doug Hively, Chuck Elkan, to mention just a few. And our neighbor, Peggy , who sent over supper for the "crew" who gathered.

To all of you--some un-named--a great big

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

(That's as big as Blogger lets me print!)

You don'tknow how pleased I am that I'm here to extend that.

Summer . . .

2008-08-02T17:15:00.000-07:00

Where has the summer gone? I guess when you spend three weeks of it in the hospital, that would explain why June and July went by so fast!

Our days here are filled with lots of activities. I just finished designing, printing, mailing a newsletter to about 250 stores and galleries. It felt good to actually finish a real project again--there was a time when I wondered if I would ever do that again. Bill has finally been able to finish most of the tables he was working on. And then we have medical appointment--we try to reserve our late afternoons for them. For the next three weeks, I note that our calendar has 2 per week.

I am enjoying the fruits of Stephanie's (our daughter) labor. While I was in the hospital, she got my computer all set up with a new internet provider. We had been using a dial-up; it was so slow! But technology has found it's way to our part of the Valley, and we now have a satellite broadband. Music, videos, etc, come in great. Right now I'm listening to my favorite Portland radoio station "streaming".

The bookwork for Bolstad Boxes seems to be in pretty good shape. Once again, I have Steph to thank for doing the work for three weeks. It has paid off having our kids help us when they were younger. They can both pretty much remember how we do things, how we make things. Of course, they still show up at shows like BMAC in Philadelphia to help out.

Besides helping us, Erika and Stephanie lead very full lives. Stephanie takes wonderful care of Elliott and Jacques and tutors several students. She is expecting twins in December! Erika is a Washington DC correspondant for McClatchy newspapers, writing mainly for the Boice Idaho Statesman and the Ancorage Daily News. Both places have senators that create lots of news--and give her lots to write about. She is planning to take time out to visit us over Labor Day weekend!

Our grandson, Elliott, was here for three weeks too. While I didn't get to visit with him as much as his grandpa, BBB (for Big Bad Bill). This 2-1/2 year old increased his knowledge of woodworking and trucks on the road. He and his mama woud go on long walks (he was usually in the stroller) everyday. One of his favorite places was the "rain forest"--his name for the wooded area in the Ankeny Wildlife Refuge about a mile north of our house/workshop. But every evening he came to the hospital to see me and tell me about his adventures. He became so much more friendly towards me when I was no longer bed-ridden and had on clothes. The first time he came and I was sitting up in real clothes, he shouted out, "Are you better now?" Just seeing him made me feel better! Yesterday we "talked" via the computer, and the webcam. We had fun waving to each other, throwing kisses, etc. Need I say, I love playing Grandma!

Life is a Bowl of Cherries!

2008-07-12T10:05:00.000-07:00

I just spent three weeks in the hospital after having a heart attack. I am on the road to recovery. (This cat has several lives left yet!)

I just finished the last of the Cherries we got on Wednesday. We took the ferry across the river (just 2 miles from home) and when we got off, the sign said "Cherries $1.50". So up the driveway we went for our share! It was 8:30am; they did not have any picked yet for the day, were just heading out to the orchard to do it. The nice lady said, "Give me 5 minutes; I"ll pick some just for you." So we got the freshest possible! The cherry trees were so beautiful; their bright green leaves with lots of red cherries and beautiful blue skies. I love cherries; Bill loves cherries! So I think another trip on the ferry is instore for us.

But Blueberries and Raspberries are on the menu too!
We have it made this time of year--strawberry season just over, though our strawberries last the whole summer. And we live midst farms where they have blueberries (yum!) and raspberries. It has been an education seeing how they are harvested.

Desert sightings

2008-05-21T14:51:00.000-07:00

Prehistoric elephant in Borrego Springs CA

Desert sightings

2008-05-21T14:48:00.000-07:00

Our trip to ACRE--Las Vegas also included a side trip to Borrego Springs CA. They have begun installing a collection of prehistoric animals. Here is one of the first.

Preview of ACRE show in Las Vegas

2008-04-20T23:28:00.000-07:00

We leave for Las Vegas and ACRE on Wednesday. Here are some new limited edition boxes we will show for the first time. The ACRE show is April 26--28 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Farewell, George.

2008-04-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

A very dear friend and woodworker died this weekend. George DuBois was an inspiriation for those who watched his struggle with cancer. He showed us how to die with dignity. He contributed to his woodworking community right to the end. George has gone from our neighborhood, but he has left a legacy to be remembered. For many years George was the Guild of Oregon Woodworkers; he was the visible sign of the organization. Through the efforts of George the organization was able to flurish.

Good bye, George. You will be missed, and not just for the gourmet meals you fed us.

2008-04-04T10:11:00.000-07:00

2008-04-04T09:27:00.000-07:00

I am currently putting the final touches on a new catalog for use by our wholesale customers. Right now I am awaiting two new Limitesd Editions to be finished so they can be included. This will be a new format for us. The catalog will be three separate four page catalogs, each 5-1/2"X8-1/2". Limited Editions, Jewelry boxes, and Tables and Pedestals. Each will have space on the back for the store/gallery 's name,etc. Prices of all items are on a separate sheet.

The above photos show two of the new limited editions we introduced in February.

Cherry Blossoms

2008-04-01T16:09:00.000-07:00

Bill and I love living in the Willamette Valley where spring brings blooms of all kinds. But I always have wanted to see the cherry blossoms in Washington DC. This year our daughters and grandson Elliott got to see them. The photo above was taken in front of the Jefferson Memorial/Tidal Basin. Maybe it'll be my turn next year. . .

Spring!, Beavers, Eagles and the Pool life.

2008-03-27T11:04:00.000-07:00

Our daffodils tell me it is spring; I love their smiling yellow faces. But the 3"snowflakes yesterday when I went to the pool made me think more "winter" than a"spring". They melted as soon as they hit anything; but they plus the spray from the big trucks on the freeway made seeing hard. No snow today but tomorrow has it in the forecast. (Grrr.)

We had a visitor on Monday evening. We came home from the grocery store and found a beaver in our front yard. Since we live close to OSU (the Beavers) when Bill said "Theres a beaver in the front yard." I asked, "It he playing football or basketball?" He just ate some of the tall grass, and then it got too dark for us to see him. Wildlife has been abundant lately. Several species of large hawks have been around, and we see bald eagles regularly. Living on a wildlife refuge has special times. The resident Canadian geese are making nests now, and soon we can look forward to seeing the little gooslings swimming behind Mom and Pop in the Duck Pond just north of us.

This last weekend Bill taught a class of seven guys how to make a table. They all left on Sunday with a pedestal table. Bill was really satisfied with the way the class went, and enjoyed imparting some of his knowledge to others. They managed to devour the Easter Bunny Cake I made for them.

I am continuing with my exercise program. I go to the pool four times a week, and have been doing lots of "water walking" (not walking on the water). My friend Angela and I have spent up to 1-1/2 hours just walking or marching across the pool. I enjoy my little United Nations in the pool. I have made friends with people from all over the world. Angela is from Ireland; Azhar from Iraq; Julia from England; Susie from Hong Kong; Chen from VietNam; and a little girl from Japan joined in our conversation yesterday; plus there are several from different parts of this country. Ages vary--from 32 to over 80. Learning of their life experiences has been so interesting.

Show Clean-Up

2008-02-28T09:21:00.000-08:00

BMAC is over; Vacation is over. February is almost over!

It's back to work. My work is getting the orders all entered in the computer. I also have to clean-up some data, get it so it is consistent. Bill claims he can't follow it--one time I entered B for black, then Bl, then Bk. That and a few other things that over the years have been inconsistant. So I guess that's the first job for today. I spent yesterday entering orders, answering e-mail and phone messages.

Generally when we go to a major show we have new designs. This year we had 7 new styles of boxes and 1 new table. After I had entered the orders, I did a little playing with the numbers, and discovered that this time, buyers discovered the new things, for 1/3 of the items sold were new styles! It's nice to get that kind of feedback on new work.

We have less than a month before Bill teaches a class about building tables for the Guild of Oregon Woodworkers. And it's just 7 weeks until we're off to Las Vegas for the ACRE show. Bill has to produce many items before we go so our customers have items in their stores/galleries for Mother's Day, graduations, Father's Day, weddings and anniversaries. Just thinking about all there is to do makes me wish there were more hours in the day, and maybe I should not take out three hours every other day for exercising! But that's important too, and what keeps me a able to move better and feel better, so I'll be off to the pool (20min to get there, at least 75 min in the pool, 20 to shower, then another 20 minutes to get home) at noon.

Our flowers are getting ready for their annual showcase. Daffidils have buds getting ready to open up; Crocus are blooming, and many others are poking up. Spring will be here soon! Perhaps no more cold weather for several months; I put away my gloves and scarf for the year, and now it's the light jacket! And the sun is shining!

We're back!

2008-02-26T15:27:00.000-08:00

We've been to Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Miami. The Philadelphia BMAC was a good show. We saw lots of our buyers, and even signed up some new ones. We enjoyed our time with our daughter, Erika. Her help made the show a very pleasant event. We went out to dfinner one evening with Liz and Mike Mikotowski; they helped us celebrate the award Erika was given for writing stories about ... that favorite congressional laughing stock, Larry Craig. Mike and Liz, Bill and Nan, and Erika toasted the congressman and enjoyed the Italian dinner.

<--Ghirabaldi Limited Edition

After the show was over Erika drove us to Washington DC. we enjoyed our chauffer's tour of the sights--visited the American Indian Museum, had a lunch of native Indian food, enjoyed the orchids and other plants at the conservatory near the capital, and then we drove around the neighborhoods near where Erika lives and visited the National Cathedral.

Then we were off to Miami. Elliott, Stephanie and Jacques entertained us for 4 days. The time was filled with sunshine, alligators, meeting their friends, eating, and exploring Miami. We enjoyed being grandparents; Ellliott had us wrapped around his finger.

Now it'sback to work. I even went to the pool today and "swam" for 1-1/2 hours.

Our Archives

2008-01-31T09:37:00.000-08:00

For over 30 years I have been having photos taken of our work. I have more than a file drawer full of slides, transperancies, photos, tear sheets, etc. I have taken some of them out into the light of day, and gathered them together for exhibit in what I term "The Bill Museum". What fun it was going through everything.

The photo here is what I call "The Dust Collector That Ate Bill". One summer day he was cleaning it out, got up there, reached in, and looked like he was being gobbled up. I had a digital photo made of it so I could share it. We are now using the third generation dust collector, but the ol' forklift is still plugging along.

I spent half a day reviewing our philopsophy for our business; seeing how our work had evolved over the years; remembering some of the older things we made; noting the climb in prices. (A three-drawer chest was priced (wholesale) at $60.00 thirty years ago; today a much refined similiar chest is $350.00) I discovered our first printed wholesale price list; it's printed in black and white, but very professionally done (for 1978). The terms, descripitions, photos are similiar to what we use today, just today we are a bit more eleborate, and have a few more "rules" for doing business.

I have put many of the old photos, price lists and catalogs in a notebook to have on exhibit at the Buyers Market in Philadelphia. I think our customers--current and past--will enjoy seeing them. It's fun celebrating Bill's 50 years of making sawdust!

BMAC here we come!

2008-01-29T09:34:00.001-08:00

Bill and I are both busy at work getting ready for the BMAC show. We leave for Philadelphia two weeks from tomorrow. The samples were packed and are off on their journey. New work is still being done; it will go via UPS or a suitcase--Bill is still working on several boxes. As soon as they are finished, they get brought in for a photo session. (One kitchen countertop has been tured into a detailing/photo space.)

The photo shown is of our new table. We call it a "V5" style; V for version, 5 for fifth table style. Bill designed it using the computer to draw it out. The top features spaltedmape that has been infused with acrylic. The table structure below the top features ovals on all four sides. It is very elegant. The table is now on its way to Philly.

I put linings in one of our new designs the other day. Bill and I have an on-going conversation about the gender of our boxes. I am always after him to make more feminine boxes. I think he did this time! He worked on a handle and feet that give a very feminine look, yet the box does not have an overly delicate look. No photos yet--waiting for the others to be finished.

Bill just complete a commission for a customer in Portland. It looked right at home with another table the gentleman had purchased. Before delivering it he made at stop at the studio of our favorite photographer, Dan Kvitka. The photos turned out great! (I will post it soon.)

Travel Agent Hat

2008-01-11T09:24:00.000-08:00

Today I am wearing my travel agent hat. I made our reservations for the ACRE show in Las Vegas. It seems like a long time away, but is only three months.

I reminded myself of all the things I don't like about Vegas--the smells, the constant sounds in hotel/casinos. So to get away from all of that I made hotel reservations at a non-smoking hotel that is just a hotel--no casino. It's right next to the south end of the convention center, so very conveinient. (Not like it will be in Philadelphia--where it's a short 3 blocks to the Convention Center, but February weather in Philly can be windy and chilly--and sometimes snowy!)

When we go to a show, we try to take good care of ourselves. We try to stay in a hotel that provides some creature comforts. We always eat a good breakfast, then often skip lunch, but always have a good dinner. This place in Vegas fits the bill. I thought about The Residence Inn across the street from the convention center. They have kitchens and dishes etc. But this is a business trip--and my business is not fixing food! I would rather order it.

We are planning to drive to Las Vegas. Last year we drove and on the way home stopped at a gallery and left most of our sample invetory. This year we are planning on visiting several northern California area galleries, looking for prospective consignment places. During the end of April, first part of May it's a nice ride -- not too warm, and no snow over I-5 into/out of California. Driving down we will have an empty van as all our samples will be shipped directly to Las Vegas from the Philadelphia show.
'
It's time for a new hot--probably my accounting hat for a few hours.

Congratulations, Mitch!

2008-01-10T11:32:00.000-08:00

We have been encouraging our friend Mitch Patten on marketing his turned pens for some time now. I really encouraged him try the ACRE show in Las Vegas in April, and I thought his items would do we4ll on Wholesalecrafts.com.

Mitch called the other night with some great news--he's gottem into the show and on the web site. That's the way to go, Mitch!

The New Normal

2008-01-10T11:08:00.000-08:00

Life is back to normal here. That means I am now going to the gym/pool 3--4 times as week for water excerise again. Last Friday was my first time in four months, and that warm water felt so-o-o-o good. And my muscles felt so-o-o-o bad the next day. I am once again able to do everything--go get the mail, go to the bank, I even went to Target by myself.

Bill and I both are hard at work getting everything ready for the Philadelphia show. Bill's getting new boxes and tables ready; I am getting a new price list ready, as well as a newsletter to our customers and prospective customers. I also am preparing a press kit for the show. Bill is finishing up on a commission for an end table with a drawer. It's done, he's just letting the finish dry before he takes it to be photographed and delivers it.

We are looking forward to our post-show vacation. First a couple of days in Washington DC with our favorite Washington Correspondent, daughter Erika, then a few more days in sunny Florida with our grandson, Elliott (and his parents). Elliott, Steph and Jacques are on their way to South Africa as I write this. They will be there 3 weeks, so we will be looking forward to hearing tales about lions and giraffes.

We live next to a wildlife refuge. But I have to say, I really hate to hear the guns go off every morning just at sunrise and again at sunset. These supposed "sportsmen" are after their goose/geese, but I don't think it's very sportsmanlike to sit across the road from a wildlife refuge made for migrating Canadian geese and shoot them as they fly into/out of the refuge. There is something special about seeing thousands of geese circle to land in a pond, but I'm not too much in favor of the hunters waiting to shoot them. Enough tirade for today.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T10:27:00.000-08:00

A Merry Christmas to everyone. I am happy to report I am back to my normal self, and my medical problems seem to be behind me. The doctor still has me on medication, but blood levels are normal, and he is optimiztic that I will start taking less and less medication.

So that means you will probably see more posts here.

We are busy planning for the Philadelphia BMAC show February 15--18. We've made lists and more lists--lists of samples, lists of display items, lists of travel details, lists of booth display ideas. Our daughter, Erika, will be there to help us. We are so happy she can help. Both of our daughters know our busimess very well--they grew up driving tricycles through the workshop.

One of the lists we have made is some "extras" we are bringing to display. This year marks Bill's 50th anniversary of being a professional crafstman. We have some of his early designs to bring.

Enjoy your holidays, and I will start planning to post here more often after the first of the year.

Medical Report

2007-10-10T11:23:00.000-07:00

On September 12th I was taken to Salem Hospital. My blood was suffering , I was anemic. For 22 days I was in the hospital. They classify it has an auto immune disease. Things are on the mend. I am still on some drugs. have some therapy scheduled in the next couple of days, but I will be back to normal.

Days Gone By . . . and Days To Come

2007-09-03T10:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a day for remembering. Bill and I celebrated our 4oth wedding anniversary. 40! Wow. We reminded oursleves of all sorts of things...like was our present "red" car better than our 1967 "red" car. (I go with the present convertible; Bill went with the '64 red Rambler.) Of course, dinner out at the Artic Cirlce drive -in forty years ago was much better this year--the wonderful French "Restaurant Curvee" in Oregon's wine country.

We also went to Art in the Pearl -- Oregon's premier art fair. We saw several friends and acquaintaces from years past. It was fun and interesting to see the changes in what they are doing now and what they were doing years ago. One friend, Doug Hively, was a potter; he now has two lemonade stands. Charles Cobb, Bob Tuck, Chuck Glosgotter, the list goes on. It's interesting to note the faces we no longer see at shows . . . often wonder about some of them.

Last weekend we went the the Contempory Crafts Museum in Portland. The special exhibition of "Crafts in America" was excellent. (Even more so when you personally know some of the artists represented). This show will be traveling throughout the country; I recommend you see it when it is in your area.

Over the past forty years we have traveled from Helena and Bigfork, Montana to Ames, Iowa, on to St. Paul, Minnesota, then Willamina and Salem OR, to our present home in Talbot, Oregon. And we find ourselves planning for new things, new boxes, new ways to use the new wood we have acquired. And probably a new "red" car along our journey.

Visiting Galleries

2007-08-11T11:27:00.000-07:00

Our vacation started out with us delivering Pedestals to three galleries and a stop to visit a fourth gallery that is in it's second moth of operation.

During the last year we have kept close tabs on our consigned work at several west coast galleries, and it has paid off for us and the galleries. On this trip we repenished the inventory of tables at The Northwest Fine Woodworking Gallery in Seattle and Earthenworks in LaConner, as well as delivering tables to Chidlhood's End Gallery in Olympia. It's fun and interesting to visit galleries!

We also stopped in Wallace, Idaho to visit with Rob Harper at "Harper's". Ron works in copper, and the gallery has many of his sculptures. Our tables and boxes make good additions to his collection. He opened the space in mid-May. The overall look of the gallery was beautiful. For those who have never been to Wallace, Idaho, it is a picturesques old mining town ; there are only room for about three blocks wide of "town" and the freeway because of the town's location at the base of some steep mountains. This is one of those places you have to see to believe it. Lovely. Exquisite. Fun.

We're back!

2007-08-10T11:09:00.000-07:00

In case anyone missed us, we are back from vacation. Our fun in the sun was more like "playing in the smoke". We visited with some acquaintances that were exhibiting at the Bigfork Art Fair in Montana, rode the red buses in Glacier Park, ate, vistied with relatives, ate, attended a 90th birthday, ate, threw rocks in the lake with our two-year-old grandson. The photo above shows the big,mountains around Flathead Lake. Those are not clouds, but smoke. This was one of the very few times we could see the mountains because of all the smoke. In fact, many days we could look directly at the sun which was bright red because of the smoky conditions.

Now it's back to work!

Time Marches ON!

2007-07-31T11:21:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the start of August--Wow! What ever happened to July? It certainly didn't wait for me. So I'll get one blog in before July is over.

We are going on vacation tomorrow. Our first stops will be business. We are taking some pedestals and boxes to Washington galleries--Childhoo';s End in Olympia, Northwest Fine Woodworking in Seattle, then Earthenworks in LaConner. Then comes the vacation part of the trip. We are going over the northern Cascades, a new territory for Bill and I. We hope to get to Grand Coulee Dam before dark. In May we went across Hoover Dam; Grand Coulee is another one of those American landmarks on my "must see" list.

Then it will be on to Montana. Bill and I both grew up in Montana. we are returning for the 90th birthday celebration for Bill's aunt, Dorothy. Our daughter Stephanie and grandson Elliott arrive in Kalispell Thursday afternoon. We plan to be at the airport to pick them up. Then it's on to fun in the sun and mountains for a week.

Selling Retail

2007-06-27T13:20:00.000-07:00

We mainly sell our work through galleries and fine shops. Occasionally we sell on consignment, generally smaller local galleries.

I recently received an e-mail from a woman nearby who had bought a box at the Salem Art Association gallery. (One of the consignment locations.) SAA is not a BIG seller, but is consistant in sales, and it is our favorite local gallery (I go there to buy gifts!) We have had our work in there for several years. Back to my e-mail--the woman wondered if we made any larger boxes in the coloreed, stabilized wood. I wrote back to her, telling her yes we did. We didn't currently have any on hand, but had a few other things, she was welcome to come to our workshop and see them.

I heard back from her, and she came to see us yesterday.

We generally pay a "finder's fee" to a gallery/shop if we sell something at retail that the buyer originally saw in the gallery. We were prepared to do that if we sold this lady something.

The woman was blown away by our prices; we quoted her the same price for our boxes as what a store would charge (2.2Xwholesale$). Her inquiry was, "I thought your price would be less thant at the gallery. Can't you discount it because I came out here?"

My answer to her: "We try to have our costs be similiar wherever you buy it. We derive our livlihood from making and selling boxes. We depend on galleries like SAA, or other stores. We are not out to compete with ourselves in other locations. "

Bill has always said he wants someone to buy an item he made because they like it, because it is well made, not just because they can get it cheap. And when it comes to buying it from us at our workshop, remember that we are not set up as a retail location. We have to stop what we are doing, unpack/unwrap several boxes for a customer to see. Why should it cost us money to do that? The bottom line is, if someone buys a box or table from us at retail, they will be charged 2.2 X the wholesale cost, the same price most galleries charge. A referring gallery will get a percentage (usually 15-20%).

Erika goes to Washington!

2007-06-13T11:44:00.000-07:00

Our daughter, Erika, will start a new job next month. She will be a Washington DC correspondant for two papers., one in Boise, and one in Anchorage. It is the next step in her journalism career. And one she says she has wanted to take for some time. She will be covering the politics in Washington and how they affect readers in Idaho and Alaska (and the Northwest). She expects the environment and the Interior Department to be vital to what she will be reporting on.

Her father and I are very proud of her accomplishment. She has worked hard for many years to reach Washington DC. From her first "job" at So.Salem High School, through college, then an internship in Roanoke VA, then Greensboro NC, SumpterSC, back to Greensboro, then to Miami it has been enjoyable keeping up with her and her stories. Good luck in your new position, Suzieque!

Our other daughter, Stephaine, is at the present timer looking for a new position. She just finished out the year at a private school in Miami, and now is looking for something new. Right now she is enjoyng some free time and time with Elliott. Knowing Stephanie, she will find something new and exciting to do.

Agate Beach Limited Edition

2007-06-05T17:11:00.000-07:00

Transformation

2007-06-05T16:52:00.000-07:00

We received a request for a donation to an auction. this happens quite frequently, nd we have made the decision to give only to those who cause we would like to help. This request is from the Contemprary Crafts Museum in Portland. we fully agree with the road they are taking. They are opening in a new location, and their gala opening in July will feature an auction, with the centerpieces being auctioned off. "Transformation" is the theme, with the centerpieces reflecting this.

We are sending a limited edition box entitled "Agate Beach". It truly reflects the theme
1) The box is made from Dakota Burl, a product made from sunflower seed husks.
2) The box has been stabilized, making it more durable, and makes the maple burl on the lid a usable wood. (The burl was spal;ted, rotten before being stabilized.)
3) The feet are stainless steel drawer handles.

It has truly transformed == from sunflower seeds, rotten boards, and molten steel to a beautiful, functional box to hold precious treasures.

2007-06-01T08:23:00.001-07:00

We have been utilizing stabilizied colored wood in our work for three years now. Most of the wood is maple burl or spalted maple. Our friend, Wood Chuck, brings us spalted wood to have stabilized. During this process, we can have color added to the acrylic, giving us boards colored throughout.

The price for doing this is expensive; it makes the wood cost over $40.00/bd. ft. But it utilizes wood with beautiful grains, patterns, and figures, wood that would be discarded as useless. Stabilizing the wood makes it harder, more durable. And adding the color brings out the beauty inherent in the wood.

Customers like red, purple and teal best. I like the blue; some comes out light blue; other times we get boards that are dark blue. Purple comes in different shades too. And the wood takes on the color in different ways, with some areas not accepting the color, with black lines of spalt dding dimensions.

On the Road to ACRE

2007-05-25T10:16:00.000-07:00

Modern day sentinels lined the hill tops east of Bakersfield.

ACRE -- Las Vegas

2007-05-25T09:13:00.000-07:00

We just recently did the ACRE show in Las Vegas. This wholesale crafts event was a first time show; there were a lot of uncertainies going into it. The show lived up to its hype--the quality of exhibitors was fantastic. Buyers who did not attend missed a great opportunity to see crafts up close and personal. ACRE was produced by WholesaleCrafts.com; an online web site where retailers can view and buy crafts.

For us, the trip was a renewal of road trips to a show. We had not driven to a show for some time. I have to admit, the trip down I-5 is not too interesting after 20+ previous trip. (we often travel to the desert of So. California to visit Bill's Mother.) But traveling east from Bakersfied, and seeing the sky filled with wind turbines was a view we enjoyed. We also enjoyed a side trip to Hoover Dam.

The ACRE show did not draw the number of buyers to be a Great Show. It was still fantastic, and as the show ages, I feel buyers will realize it is a premier show for American Crafts. It offers west coast exhibitors and buyers an great opportunity to display/see proffessional crafts in their own territory, and doesn't mean a cross-continent trip. And those from the Midwest and East Coast found it an easy plane trip to Las Vegas.

The show promotor, Nancy Vince, and her wonderful staff did a super job in staging this show. The show decorarator, Champion, was also great to work with. If I were to hand out report cards, they would all have A's and be on the Dean's list.

One of the thoughts we had while making our way to the show was that we probable wouldn't know many people. But we were wrong--old friends were everywhere--in the hotel, in the restaurants, at the show. Bill Frasier from DSA was there to expedite freight movement for many of his clients. Michael Nurot (glassblower) brought us a "spare" vase to display on a pedestal. We saw buyers we had seen in Feburary in Philadelphia and also many who we had not seen for some time--like Bob from Moonstones in Cambria CA. And we made numerous new friends and received orders from galleries in areas we had no current customers. Overall, the show was a success!

Our trip home was via Nevada City CA. We had made arrangements with Mowen Solinsky Gallery to leave a vast majority of our samples at their gallery. Nevada City was charming; the gallery was beautiful; our tables and boxes found a wonderful new home. We drove the rest of the way home with an almost empty van.

I hope the word gets out--ACRE was a great show! We've reserved our spot for next year. And I'm going to see if I can make WholesaleCrafts.com a better selling tool for us.

50 years of making sawdust

2007-05-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

Bolstad Boxes Limited is a partnership of Bill and Nan Bolstad. From the outside, it appears that we work together, but in reality, we have each carved out our portion of the business and pretty much stay in our comfort zone. Like Bill does not like his work being interrupted by the phone, so we have no phone in the workshop; Nan takes on the phone calls in her office.

Bill Bolstad started out his career as a woodworker when he was very young. I have a woodcarving of a donkey that he made for his grandmother when he was 7 years old. Bill grew up in rural NW Montana, just a mile down the road from his grandparents homestead. This summer Bill will officially celebrate his 62nd birthday. And we have two important anniversaries this year also. 1) Our 40th wedding anniversary, and 2) Bill's 50th anniversary as a professional woodworker.

During the past 50 years, Bill has built over 90,000 boxes. He has made thousands of tables, hundreds of wooden toys, many wood carvings. And the ideas he has had -- too numerous to recount! The biggie question here--we may never know the answer-- is "How much sawdust has he made?" When our girls were small, their first writings were probably scribblings in sawdust on the J-machine (a planner with a big J--kids called in The J Machine). Bill used to turn on the dust collection system first thing everyday; and inevidably scare our cat Daisy out of her slumber atop the folded bags of the collector. He would collect the saw dust and use it as mulch in our garden, around trees, under our roses. Neighbors would come get sawdust to mulch their yards. I used some sawdust in my "paper making days". I have a photo of Bill-s legs and feet dangling in midair as he cleaned out the dust collector. And yes, I can still recall the day he rushed into the house, grabbed the phone, and reported to the 911 operator that his dust collector was on fire.

Sawdust has been an important part of our life. It follows Bill everywhere. When I dust, I wipe up sawdust. At one time Bill wrote on a card attached to our bulletin board, "Sweep and you shall find". Important messagesw were written in the dust.

So for the next year we are going to celebrate Bill's 50th anniversary of making sawdust. It's going to take alot of sweeping!

Beginning

2007-05-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

For months I have had all kinds of thoughts about living with crafts; I finally took the plunge to write them down. And now my mind goes blank.

This blog is about professional craftspeople: present, past and future. From various discusssion forums, I have come to realize that there are new craftspeple out there struggling to be a part of the indstry, but they often do not know the struggles, the travels, the windy road many of us have already gone through. I don't have all the answers to todays questions--just comments. And I hope to post some thoughts of people and events that I have met along the way for the past 30+ years.