time Archives - Try Handmade

Dave’s Turnings

April 15, 2018 by Chelsey Mona Leave a Comment

Since it’s getting to be close to Fathers Day, I’ve been thinking about my Dad. Growing up, I spent a lot of time in my dad’s wood shop (with my shoes on – the cardinal rule of observing in the shop, you can’t come in barefoot). So appreciating the natural beauty of wood was ingrained (pun intended) in my head at an early age. Even now I have a difficult time painting anything wood. So when I came across the new shop Dave’s Turnings I was drawn to the beautiful wood. Seems Dave agrees with me that the natural essence of the wood contains its beauty.

I’m influenced mostly by nature. I’m always awed by the beauty in natural wood; its grain, color, the natural defects. It’s always different from one piece to the next and I try to bring out that beauty and preserve it.

Based in New Mexico, Dave uses mostly local New Mexico Aspen in his lovely bowls. He started turning on a wood lathe at about the same time his wife opened a small and successful home decor store in St. Charles, MO 7 years ago. The shop has since closed, but you can still find a few of his pieces in a couple of shops in northern Wisconsin.

My pieces are all one of a kind and I take special care in making each one. If someone is looking for something unique and special that will last a lifetime I hope that they buy something from me. Also I think it’s important to promote American small business.

Dave is currently an air-ambulance pilot living with his wife in Gallup, NM. He spends much of his time while on-call and during his time off working at the lathe.

On Goat Milk and Making Cheese

April 8, 2018 by Diana Prichard 2 Comments

Months ago, near the end of a particularly long afternoon in the book store with my two daughters, I ran across a shiny, green, soft-backed book that would steal my heart forever. Or at least for a few months. Carleen Madigan’s The Backyard Homestead has informative, diagram-enhanced chapters on everything from raising chickens to brewing your own beer. Tucked within are two chapters I am particularly fond of; milking your dairy goat and making cheese.

Living with life-long cow’s milk allergies has spurred an insatiable fascination with real, raw goat’s milk and all of it’s products in me. Having recently spent more days than not in Chicago, the very epicentre of blankets and blankets of billowy cheesy goodness, cheese is one of those products that is of considerable interest at current.

Unfortunately, I haven’t the time for a goat right now and in Michigan (along with the better part of the United States) it is illegal to purchase raw milk.

Luckily, all is not lost. What we can purchase legally are goat shares. In Michigan, and in states who uphold similar statutes against the purchase of raw milk, it is legal for people to drink raw milk from animals they personally own. Goat shares – the purchase of a portion of a dairy animal to become a co-owner of that animal, a shareholder – allow families like ours, who otherwise wouldn’t be able to obtain the raw milk they want, to legally acquire it.

And for those in states where even shares aren’t available, either legally or because of logistics, family owned and operated goat dairies offer handmade cheeses to fulfill every craving, even if not made raw. Pure Luck Goat Dairy in Texas is one such farm, and their cheeses are available for purchase online.

Sold on the idea? To get started finding the laws that apply to the purchase and consumption of raw milk in your area, check out RealMilk.com. Or google goat shares + your state abbreviation to skip straight to shopping for a source of raw milk near you. (Even in states where raw milk purchase is legal, goat shares are often available for those not wanting or needing their own dairy herd.) And if you have the time for a goat and cheese making or just want to covet them the way I do, find an independent book store near you to buy your own copy of The Backyard Homestead.

Interview with Mary Lynn Schroeder of In Blue/Dayshift

April 3, 2018 by Erika Jurney 1 Comment

Tell me about your businesses.

I sew and print leather and fabric! I also own and run a small all handmade boutique here in Southern Illinois called Dayshift.

How did you get started? Have you worked in other creative areas before the kind of work you’re doing now?

I moved from Chicago to Carbondale, Il in February of 2008. I bought a sewing machine on the way down from my now good friend Jamie. She was working at Joann Fabrics at the time, and helped me pick out a machine and everything I needed to get started. As luck would have it, she was teaching sewing classes as well, and I learned everything I know from her! She now owns an amazing independent music store called the Practice Pad next to my boutique/studio. I still run next store for sewing advice, she helped me pull a dress apart today.

I had no skills before this at all! I just wanted to learn to take care of things myself, I had no idea it would turn into a career, but I am so thankful that I found out what I love and get to do it everyday!

Is there a story behind the name of your shop?

In Blue is from the Bob Dylan song Tangled Up In Blue, dayshift is from the Bob Dylan song Subterranean Homesick Blues. I got the names while driving to and from craft stores and singing along to my ipod very loudly.

Do you work alone? With a team? Do you engage your family or friends in the work? What is your process? How do you ensure you get your work done yet still have a life?

I spend quite a bit of time with the other artists who have work in my shop, and while I usually create my items alone, I am constantly bouncing ideas off of the many talented artists I know. Dayshift has 40 local artists work on display, so I see each of them all the time…we are constantly sharing our skills with one another and brainstorming new ideas together!

My family is the best family in the whole world :) My dad spends time on ebay checking for great deals on supplies, he is a master at secretly picking out what I need and shipping it to my studio (including my amazing 1957 salmon pink antique leather sewing machine). My mom is awesome, she is super proud of me, I honestly could not ask for a better support system! Hi Mom and Dad! My friends and my boyfriend are also the best in the whole world, they have been so supportive of this endeavor, from laying my floor in my new shop to spending late nights with me in the store working and helping, I couldn’t ask for more!

Where do you sell your work? Which venues are your favorites? Do you prefer selling online or in person? Do you attend shows or fairs? Is your work in a gallery or brick-and-mortar store?

www.inblue.etsy.com and Dayshift, a handmade boutique, and countless handmade boutiques across the United States, Canada, and Australia! I like craft fairs a lot, its so fun to see new people and get to interact with them in person (the food is always awesome too). I love online selling as well! I love the fact that I can be selling things while I sleep, eat, walk the dogs…pretty cool! I don’t think anything is better than selling things in my boutique though, its such a rewarding feeling to know that its mine and that people love it :)

Do you have any favorite handmade shops or sellers you’d like to recommend?

My friend Katherine’s shop is awesome! www.happysolez.etsy.com

My friend Emily’s site is also awesome!
www.ekra.etsy.com

Check out Andrea LeBeau’s site, she is new to etsy!
www.andrealebeau.etsy.com

What inspires and motivates you?

My landlord :) Friends, family, my boyfriend, my dogs, music, books, traveling, and sleeping…I love the pond in my backyard, I get some of my best ideas there!

What do you wish I had asked you?

“Do you have any advice for artists who want to quit their day job?”

You can do it! I worked overnights at steak n shake when I first opened my shop to make ends meet. It was hard work, I never slept, but I didn’t give up, and now I get to do what I love full time. I think everyone should be able to do what they love!

Thanks Mary Lynn! And if you want to be interviewed next, just head over to DIY Interview.

New in the Gallery

March 27, 2018 by Erika Jurney 1 Comment

Flower Apron from Bale & Twine

One sharp looking handmade apron from Bale & Twine. The handy front pocket and blue leather detailing make this apron perfectly giftable.
material: Cotton canvas
length: approx. 20 inches details »

The Entourage

Whether he’s strolling through the savannah, chilling in the jungle, or hanging out at the water hole, Rhinoceros can’t go anywhere without his bird pals. Painted in a whimsical storybook style full of fun and imagination, this painting is perfect for adding charm to a child’s room or nursery.… details »

Daydream print

Inspirational message in hand rendered text, digitally coloured and printed onto hessian embossed heavy bright white card.
The meaning really resonates with me as I’ve just made a big change in my life and I am now doing something that I dreamed about for a long time. So if… details »

[Read more…]

What’s In Season Now: November Edition

March 25, 2018 by Diana Prichard Leave a Comment

Here, last weekend marked the final Farmer’s Market of the year. While it’s a bittersweet passing of time for growers — the loss of convenient, weekly contact with customers is never a welcome thing, but the late fall and winter downtime that is a result of a lightened market schedule is imperative in the planning of the next year’s crop — it’s mostly just bitter for shoppers. Especially those new to eating local and those who are not accustomed to stocking up. Many will have few choices other than to turn back to their local chain supermarket to feed their families.

Last year in On Year-Round Appreciation, I briefly grazed the topic of keeping in touch with your local growers year round, and the advice there is still relevant and useful to this day, but if you’re committed to eating local even in the off-season you may need to dig deeper. The end of organized markets doesn’t necessarily mean the end of local food, but you may have to do a bit more homework to find it. And even if your local Farmer’s Markets are still open, doing your homework may yield you better sources of local food than you had before.

Most locales are still supporting some growth, though the variety will be less impressive than it has been. If your markets are still open be on the look out for those early spring vegetables that are making a comeback for a second season this year. Greens are huge — spinach, lettuce, kale, chard, collards — as are fast growing root crops. Think: radishes. Also keep your eyes peeled for long-season crops that are just now ripe, such as leeks, egg plant and winter squashes, as well as those crops that store well for winter like potatoes, onions and garlic. Those that store well can be stocked up on now, and eaten throughout the coming cold months. Just be sure to ask the grower to make sure the variety they’re selling is one that stores well; not all do.

While you’re out there also ask the vendors you frequent whether or not they’ll have limited crops available during the time when the market is no longer operational. You may be able to pick up local food on-farm all winter. If your market, like mine, has already closed for the winter search Local Harvest for growers near you and get on the phone to line up sources of your favorites for the whole winter season.

Of course the transition to the non-growing season also means a transition to those foods that have no season. Meats, soft dairy and hard cheeses can be produced and harvested year round and are excellent staples for hearty, warming winter meals. Canned products, if you didn’t can your own during the months of summer bounty, are also something you may want to be on the lookout for as December approaches. Think outside the box and even a simple jar of jam can go a long way. Raspberry, spread atop a pasture-raised pork loin is to die for.

However you choose to round out your winter pantry this November, happy local shopping!