Are you too trusting with brands?

Reclaimed Pressure Treated Lumber

I recently visited a couple reclaimed lumber yards looking for some great barn wood or other material for a table I'm building. I came across these boards that are close to perfect for the look I'm going for except there is one major problem. They are loaded with arsenic! Making a kitchen table out of this material would expose people to some serious health risks. Fortunately for my customers I know what I'm looking for and quickly walked away from this find. However, what about people who don't know what this material is or worse yet, someone who doesn't care? So this got me wondering why I always assume the stuff I buy is safe?

Trust in our manufacturer's is something a lot of us take for granted. I do everyday! Even in the wake of some pretty serious problems like the not so distant Melamine laced baby formula and lead painted toys. So why do we do it? I don't have that answer because I'm not a psychologist but there is something you can do about it. Ask more questions! Ask companies where they manufacture. If it's off shore ask them where? Where do the materials come from? Are they sustainable? Who's making sure it's safe?

Asking yourself these questions will put you into a different mindset when you look at packaging labels on consumer goods. Much in the same way we are retraining ourselves to look at food labels. Consider that when companies talk about building consumer trust it's almost always based on marketing ploys or gimmicks. Here are some hit points from two different blogs about building consumer trust.

1. Stop being a cold impersonal business and start being a warm, personable business.
2. Be truthful.
3. Spell out your guarantee.
4. Make it easy for customers to complain.
5. Build on your successes.

None of those points have anything to do with ethics or doing the right thing. I'd be impressed with "Be Truthful" but it's about being truthful in advertising. FAIL!! Besides, all of those points made should be a standard part of doing good business. That fact that people in business have to be reminded of that makes me cringe.

A Gallop poll published back in 2008 asking what's the top thing companies can do to increase your trust level revealed the following: 67% of Americans want increased disclosure of the origins of food, medicines and the like. Behind that was to certify that products being sold are safe. We care about these things but largely don't question them when we buy. Most businesses are still focused on how to convince you to trust them rather than proving it.

So my message is ASK BEFORE YOU BUY! If they can't answer your questions confidently and quickly . . . buy from someone else!

Outdoor Living Accessories In 2012

Antique Garden Tools (See Vintage Below)

Well it may be the holidays but I say it's never too early to start thinking about your outdoor living space for the upcoming season. Believe me, you'll want to be ready when the warmth comes back. Enjoy it form start to finish this year instead of working on it all spring. I'm guilty as charged myself! I'm usually too busy designing outdoor living products to ever get a chance to enjoy any of it. I'll work on that for this spring. :)

So I want to focus on the space accessories in this post. Furniture, patio's and landscaping are done to death so you don't need to hear that from me. Let's talk about details! Your personal taste and the style you like will help determine what things you should consider adding. Let's go through some of the more popular one's.

Traditional
The traditional genre is as stable as ever in it’s dominance of the market. I would propose using a modest blend of Victorian Era design and simplified modern traditional. In addition, you should lace your personal collection with other elements of trending styles to keep it fresh. For example, choose items with light non-specific scroll work and muted ornamentation. The simplification allows the piece to blend into other traditional styled items taking away a lot of guess work. Here are some accessory items you should think about.

Examples of Traditional Outdoor Accessories

● Decorative Bird Cages
● Armillary
● Freestanding Clock or Gauge
● Hanging Chandeliers
● Hanging Pendant
● Hanging Candle Lantern
● Table Top Candle Holders
● Cloche
● Vintage Stool/Table
● Wall Mount Weather Gauges
● Jeffersonian Style Gauges

Vintage or Found Object
The up trend in vintage goods it apparent but by no means a recent development. I am proposing clocks and gauges reminiscent of classical instruments as well as decorative accessories that speak to the romance and spirit of the period. Create a overall feel of inspiring creativity and thought in a lost age. The accessory items to think about fall into the same buckets as the Traditional above but with that vintage twist. Consider worn furniture or vintage garden tools. It's hard to go wrong if you troll your local antique shops for classic pieces.


Modern
Clean line geometric forms with raw finishes such as natural concrete and oxidized metals characterize this style. This is an emerging trend that you can capitalize on now. Consider cast concrete planters, urns and fire pits. In addition, I suggest a variety of wall art, candle items and clocks.

Modern Accessories

● Outdoor Room Dividers
● Wall Art/Shelving
● Decorative Wall Candles
● Table Top Candle Holders
● Large Floor Candle Holders
● Wall Clock
● Table Top Tea Light Pillars
● Wind chimes
● Fire Pit
● Planters

Natural Examples

Natural
We have all been aware for a long time that natural forms (particularly in outdoor) are on trend and still growing. I suggest using branch forms in candles, wall art and clocks. Introduce related leaf and vine forms in your space with wind chimes, trellis and other accessories.



Coastal
Richly textured elements and fabrics such as linen, weathered wood, distressed paint, and stone make up the coastal trend. Accents are rich in color and inspired by coastal foliage, birds, found objects and nautical creatures. Use some slim metal lanterns like those shown and listed below. These lanterns are awesome by the way. You can use these in most categories we covered.

● Natural/Distressed Mirror
● Table Top Candle Holder
● Slim Metal Lanterns
● Shepherd’s Hook Floor Lantern
● Table Top Candle Lantern
● Woven Candle Pendant
● Natural Fiber Table Lamp
● Cloche
● Woven Containers
● Glass Vessels
● Stone Planters
● Nautical Clock/Gauge




I know we didn't cover every style out there but I just wanted to get you thinking. I'll come back to this around March and we will get REALLY SERIOUS then. In the meantime I hope this little blurb gets the gears going.

Quick note about mirrors: Use these in every style category to add depth and space to your outdoor living area. I'm talking about BIG ONE's if your budget allows it. This will be big in 2012!

Responsible Wood Harvesting

Comb made from Wenge

Today I had a potential customer e-mail me about this comb.

"Can you tell me a little more about the wood used to make this comb? I'd like to know where in the world it comes from, and whether it was harvested sustainably."

No one has ever asked me that question but I'm glad she did because it's a subject I care a lot about! This is an indicator that I haven't been clear enough either on the website or Etsy about my stance and more importantly my policies with Ferrochie.

The comb in question is made from Wenge which is Native to the forests of Zaire, Cameroon, Gabon, southern Tanzania, Mozambique and the Congo. My supplier for this wood is West Penn Hardwoods which works only with vendors who have a FSC certification for responsible harvesting. What's FSC you ask? We will come back to West Penn in a minute . . .

FSC Mark

FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council. FSC is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC certification provides a credible link between responsible production and consumption of forest products, enabling consumers and businesses to make purchasing decisions that benefit people and the environment as well as providing ongoing business value. To learn more about them visit:

http://www.fsc.org/

All of my wood whether exotics like this one, white pine, douglas fir, poplar, or oak bear the FSC certification stamp. It's the only way that a small guy like me can have the piece of mind that what I'm buying hasn't been stripped. One exception is my purchases of antique or reclaimed lumber where the original origins cannot be determined. So for West Penn and other suppliers who have committed themselves to being part of a responsible supply chain, I thank you! We need more companies to commit to better practices.

http://www.westpennhardwoods.com/sustainable-production.php

Irresponsible practices leave area's blighted!

Images like this one to the left are heartbreaking. I just can't be a part of it and I'm glad to know that my customers won't stand for it either.

Don't despair though! The movement for better forestry practices is growing year after year. You can see the FSC logo starting to pop up all over. Paper products from advertisements to magazines now bear this certification. I recently took my son to build-a-bear workshop and the Birth Certificate displays the FCS logo indicating paper from responsible sources. You as a consumer can start to look for the logo on the products you buy. Most lumber inside The Home Depot for instance bears the mark. Once you are familiar with the logo it will become an easy thing to do.

One of West Penn's suppliers in Central America. Note the FSC logo.

That's just a snapshot but I hope that clears up where I am with the wood I use. I'll get to work on fixing that online. :)

In the meantime, please email me individually if you have any other questions.

Thanks!

From Russia With Love

I want to thank the Russian bot net that recently bombed my Blog with over 770 hits on November 1st. Although I'd like to think that the Russian people have taken an interest in Ferrochie I really don't think that's the case. It seems very clear to me that this is the work of Boris & Natasha. After all they are wanted for espionage, mayhem, general mischief and other heinous crimes. Hey! News flash! The cold war is over Boris! Even if the Kremlin forgot to deactivate you in 1991, Ferrochie is not harboring a Canadian Moose!

Now my statistics are forever skewed and I'll never have good marketing data. Oh wait, I know most of my customers personally. I guess it's okay. :)

Disclaimer: In the event the Russian people ARE suddenly interested in Ferrochie I have a new shop policy. WE NOW SHIP TO RUSSIA! Inquire for rates.

Для моих русских друзей. Мы любим тебя сюда! :)

Holiday Show Contest - Win This Reindeer

Walker, Texas Reindeer from Jingle Bash 4

Ya know, people who meet Walker say that when he prances they see a certain swagger. Well, in Texas that's called walking!

Walker, Texas Reindeer is the mascot this year for Jingle Bash 4 created by Pamela of Dowdy Studio. His name is the result of a recent EtsyDallas naming contest and the outpouring of love he received inspired me to want to create this hand painted wooden version. Pam gave me her blessing to pursue it and together we have brought him off the page and into the world. He stands an impressive 16" tall and is 9" wide. He would be perfect for your mantle, under your tree or on your wall.

I know you want him because he's to cute to resist! So, like the birdhouse in the spring, we are going to do a contest!

Left: Original Art | Right: Wooden Replica

Reindeer Rules / How To Play:

1. Correctly answer three questions of holiday trivia. Question #1 is at the bottom. Question #2 will appear @ferrochie on Twitter and Question #3 will appear on Ferrochie's Facebook page.

2. Submit your answers in comment form here on our blog.

3. The winner will be drawn from a pool of correct answers.

You have until midnight on Sunday November 6th to submit your answers. The winner will be announced Monday the 7th.

Good Luck!

Question #1 :

What is this reindeer's name?

Three Ways You Can Improve Your Design Today!

Recently, I read a blog post called, "Designing the Ideal Industrial Design Program". It's author Paul Backett, Ziba's Director touched on a variety of points regarding what's lacking in Design education today. I could go on a rant about design education but I'll spare you that and just get to the point. Many of the subjects Paul brought up that need to be addressed for up and coming design graduates also need to be reinforced in the working community. In many aspects of a person's life things you know you should do get shortcut because of a variety of external pressures. With design it's no different. People, including myself, need a refresher from time to time. So here are just a couple things you can do to improve your design practice and have fun doing it.

1. Build something yourself!
In the words of Richard Sennett, "The large issue here is that simulation can be a poor substitute for tactile experience." What is being suggested is that hands-off design disables a certain type of relational understanding. In a design world now dominated by CAD packages, 3D Renderings and offshore manufacturing it's difficult to get hands-on. To experience how a tool reacts to wood, how parts interact with each other or seeing realistic spacial relationships are essential. When it comes to design or artistic endeavors in general the head and hand cannot be separate. So take the time to get out from behind that desk and create something physical. You don't have to be a craftsman or a master welder either! All you need is some foam core, hot glue and a sharp knife. Test your designs in a quarter scale model before committing. I promise it will be fun, rewarding and educational.

"When the head and hand are separate, it is the head that suffers!"

Harvey Card / What If? Card

2. Challenge your own completed design.

Just when you think you are finished ask yourself, "What can I do to make this design even better?". These are not just words pounded into my subconscious by former professors but words I don't personally use enough. Today's pressures in product development can force you to make concessions just for the sake of getting it done but you owe it to yourself to fight those impulses. Take time and ask yourself questions such as, "What if I make it bigger?", "What if I change the color?".

A fun way to do this is with Harvey Cards a.k.a. What If? cards. These cards are a fun and simple way to challenge yourself brought to you by Core77 Industrial Design Website. They have been around for more than a decade and I'm sure used by millions of creatives the world over. Simply cut them out, shuffle them up and pull a card. Try to apply what it says to your concept. Harvey Cards can be downloaded here.

3. Reinvent your design identity.

Chances are whether you are just starting out or have been in the game awhile people have already slotted you creatively. "Oh, Brett is master at metalwork, he's your guy." or "There is no one better at color trending than Angela." and "No, he's a modern designer, he can't do traditional." Real or perceived you have either created for yourself an identity or your peers have done it for you. BREAK IT NOW!! If the identity is real try stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something new. If it's perceived, show your peers something they haven't seen from you before. Designers have to evolve and innovate in the same way their products do. Otherwise, they like their creations will be replaced by the newer, shinier model that has more features.

Thank You Charity Supporters!

Rose Mercer spots the
Steampunk Time Machine!

The 1st Annual Etsy Dallas Charity event Sit Down To Stand Up For Kids was a huge success! Many thanks is owed to all of our supporters out there who came to the event last night and made a difference for local children. I also want to thank our incredible Etsy Dallas Charity Squad members who tirelessly worked for months on making this come together. It truly took a team effort to make this night as special as it could be.

The event itself received a spectacular turnout. From the moment we opened the doors there was a steady stream of people and within about 30 minutes time we had a crowd. Conversations surrounding the artists interpretations were soon followed by opening bids. I found it personally rewarding to observe the artists interacting and talking with people about their concepts. It was fantastic to see the passion behind their work on full display.


The bidding war began to pick up pace as the night went on. As we neared the close I could hear concessions being made and deals being struck. In the end, I think everyone (well, almost everyone) got the chair they wanted. It was an auction after all.


I look forward to next year's event. Hope I see you there!

Steampunk Time Machine

Steampunk Time Machine by Ferrochie

It's finally done and we are super excited about it. The Steampunk Time Machine (really combustion punk but I made that up) is our answer to the EtsyDallas Artist challenge and charity, "Sit Down To Stand Up For Kids". Before I talk about the chair I want to remind you that YOU are invited! Learn more about the event (if you haven't heard enough from me about it already) by visiting: http://www.etsydallas.com/Charity.html

Left Side View

I had originally wanted to do a very intricate carved chair done in the tradition of someone like Charles Rohlfs. Two things changed my mind on that. The first was seeing what Chet Phillips of ChetArt put together for his chair: http://chetart.com/blog/?p=4594  After seeing Chairman Chimp I realized I was going to have to do something a little more unpredictable . . . less safe.

Front Seat Closeup

The second was doing a little more brainstorming with Misty. We bounced some idea's back and forth and steampunk is what stuck. If you are unfamiliar with steampunk, here is an excerpt of how Wikipedia defines it:

"Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s.^[1] Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain—that incorporates elements of either science fiction or fantasy. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians may have envisioned them, based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, art, etc. This technology may include such fictional machines as those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne."

Rear View

Our Steampunk Time Machine does follow that description with a few exceptions. There is a combustion engine on the back courtesy of the salvaged Indian motorcycle our Victorian Era scientist somehow acquired. Perhaps this belched out into his laboratory from a previous attempt at tearing into the space/time continuum. Otherwise, is follows the genre. :)

Complete with time dial, leather seats, solar sails and a sleeping bag, this time machine is ready to travel. I worked hard on the chair itself while Misty created the leather seats and sails. Frankly, I like this so much I wish it wasn't traveling to a future where someone else is taking it home. However, I am glad that in a small way it will be helping to take a child on a journey to a much better future!

Full Size

Sit Down To Stand Up for Kids

So you've been patiently hearing things and seeing little bits and pieces about little miniature chairs and wondering, "What the (explicit) is he talking about?" Well it's way overdue but behold the official press release!

Sit Down to Stand Up for Kids: Little Chairs for a Big Cause is Etsy Dallas’ first ever charity-spotlight event. Best known for Dallas’ premiere annual indie shopping events, the Jingle Bash and Spring Bash, Etsy Dallas is a cooperative, all-volunteer group of artists, crafters and designers living and working in Dallas.  Using artistic talents to help others, Etsy Dallas has blended creativity and charity to offer Sit Down to Stand Up for Kids on October 13^th from 6:30-9:00pm in the Blue Room at South Side on Lamar (1409 S. Lamar, Dallas, TX).

Guests will enjoy free food, drinks, music, and great company while browsing a silent-auction of small handmade chairs. A collaborative effort between team members, David Patton of Ferrochie designed and created chairs that were then uniquely decorated with fabric, paint and paper by more than twenty different Etsy Dallas artists. All proceeds from the silent auction will benefit the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center (DCAC), a non-profit agency serving abused children in Dallas County. Admission is free, but voluntary charitable donations will be accepted at the door.  Etsy Dallas invites you to come party with us, all while raising money for a good cause! 

Unfinished Chairs

All 23 participants received a blank unfinished chair to manipulate anyway they wanted to. It's going to be exciting to see what everyone creates. In fact, here is a teaser from Chet of ChetArt who finished his chair over the weekend.

Chairman Chimp

You can see other images of Chet's chair by visiting his blog at http://chetart.com/blog/?p=4594

If you are in the Dallas area October 13th please show your support and come by the event. I'll buy you a drink. Oh, wait. They are free! :)

Quartet Platform Bed by Ferrochie

Pre Order Now for $149.00

Hey times are hard in the economy right now. Chances are you have a family member who's out of a job and crashing on your couch. So why not get them off your couch and out of site with a stylish platform bed by Ferrochie!

Alright, seriously! Ferrochie Studio is halting production for a few weeks because it's too hot and I need a break. I plan to retail this bed for $179.00 in a twin but if you pre order before August 22nd I will let it go for $149.00! All you have to do is place a deposit of $50.00 to hold that price. Send me an e-mail at david@ferrochie.com if you are interested or have any questions.

Mattress and Bedding NOT included.

Six Great Reasons To Buy Quartet

1. Made in USA: by me! USA! USA!

2. Solid Wood Construction: This isn't made from particle board or MDF. This is made from solid Douglas Fir and the deck is made from cabinet grade plywood. You can throw it off a roof and it won't break. Try that with your Cam-Lock IKEA bed that took your three hours to assemble. Speaking of that . . .

3. NO ASSEMBLY REQUIRED! This sucker is screwed, glued and doweled! Again, a tribute to it's tank like durability. Your live in sibling, son or daughter will be comfortable FOR YEARS!!! Provided you buy a comfortable mattress although I'd advise against that if you ever plan on them leaving.

4. Custom Finishes: I can stain this a variety of colors to meet your needs. I'll even do a color match for a small up charge.

5. Custom Sizes: Have an idea where you need a particular size? Well good thing your dealing with a company that has a minimum order quantity of 1 on custom.

6. Free Local Delivery: That's right! If you live in the DFW area I will deliver and place this bed for FREE!!

If all of that is not worth $149.00+tax then there is no pleasing you! :) I will start fulfilling orders August 22nd on a first come first serve basis. Quartet will hit the website that same day at my planned retail price of $179.00+tax.

Again, I'm sorry but this is a local DFW offer only. Freight on this assembled bed will make you cry. This offer is also only being advertised to my Facebook and Twitter friends. The Ferrochie website and Etsy will carry Quartet starting August 22nd.

David

New York Trend Shop: "Take what you can use and discard the rest."

So about that excitement I was talking about . . . it was there but with a side of downer. A lot of the retailers we wanted to see were out of business or had closed their New York store. Block after block in Soho we saw empty retail spaces with big "For Lease" signs adorning the front doors. I suppose it's a expected side effect of the economic times. We didn't let that get us down for long though. We just had to create a new playbook on the fly and as a result I have decided to change format from the first posting. Rather than walk you though the places and spaces we visited, I'm going to just give it to you straight and fast! Here is what we saw that's still hot in retail.

Nature Inspired

Nature Inspired - Last year we talked about how the Natural Wood trend has evolved slightly in to what we are now calling Nature Inspired. It's lot's of literally interpreted twigs, branches and tree trunks. Throughout Soho and Upper East Side retailers we saw examples of the earlier trend with sun bleached shades and in some cases rotted and worn looks. Between the two they were balanced in representation. Maybe this is peaking.

Sack Containers

Soft Rustic - This is a bit of a spin off from last years Rustic & Primitive Object find. Where there were only hand carved tools and vessels there are now softer interpretations of the rustic life. The image on the right is an example of containers modeled after fruit and grain sacks.

Ethnic Chic - Still huge! So huge I'm not showing you a picture because you already know what it is. Plus, it's made the leap into so many broad categories I could write an entire entry on it alone. Next!

Look at the Size of that Lamp Shade!

Upsizing - This has definetley gained traction since last year. We only saw it in a few places before but now it's popping up everywhere! Oversized lamps, over sized table legs, the list goes on. I'll be watching this one to see if it's really going to stick or not. Trends like these may die quickly.

Industrial

Industrial - This is very much alive and moving in all kinds of directions. It started with found industrial objects, moved into rough industrial elements paired with polished metals and now literally knows no boundaries! Designers have really embraced this and are getting more and more creative in it's use. It's as diverse as the Ethnic Chic category and can no longer be defined in simple terms. Don't be afraid to get involved in this and put your own stamp on it. It's steam punk goes mainstream!

Hamam Bowls

All the other major and minor trends are still the same but we did see a lot more soft metal tones than usual. In addition a few high end retailers are offering brass bowls such as these Hamam bowls (left) and high quality Tibetan Singing Bowls. I'll have to do do a bit more research on this but it does play with the Ethnic Chic trend well. It just stuck out as obvious from one retailer to the next.

There is of course much more to digest and we will be doing that over the coming weeks. Analyzing, forecasting and of course mind reading are par for the course. :) To my fellow designers, artisans and crafters I leave you with the immortal words of Bruce Lee.

"Take what you can use and discard the rest."

New York Trend Shop: Day One Brooklyn

View From Brooklyn Bridge Park

I'm here in New York for a two day trend shop with colleague Erika Henderson who is the Director of Design for Woodard Furniture, a subsidiary of Craftmade International Inc. She and I are combing the city to see what we can find and bring back as inspiration for future product designs. We started in Brooklyn's Dumbo neighborhood which is an acronym for "Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass". In Dumbo we found some well know retailers like West Elm, Boconcept, etc. There was definite evidence of the upsizing trend from europe being utilized but in a very cautious way. In Paris the trend we identified was focused around oversized table legs and oversized lamps. West Elm for instance was doing this but much more subdued. Bigger than you would expect as a U.S. consumer but NOT as big as the Europeans.

Cobble Hill

So we headed south towards Atlantic Ave. in search of more boutique and original stores. In order to get there we went through the neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights and into an area called Cobble Hill. This area really took me by surprise with it's beauty. It seems like time stood still for a few square blocks and you could visualize what it must have been like a hundred years ago. The huge wooden doors and carriage garages that lined the streets had me visualizing my new studio space. :) Ah, if only! :)

Reclaimed Lumber Bench and Table

At Atlantic there were two stores I want to mention. The first is Sterling Place with it's rather eclectic assortment of goods. They seem to embrace the industrial trend with a few really beautiful finishes in heirloom brass and polished chrome. In that spirit they have a lot of reproduction instruments like compasses, magnifying glasses and the like. We saw this in Germany earlier this year at boutique stores there as well. I bought my son a compass. Too cool. :) Warning: The website isn't nearly as cool as the store. I didn't see a lot of the items I'm mentioning here.

Greenhouse Ceramics

The second was a store called Greenhouse. Now this place has a cool website to go with the store. The products within had the nature inspired feel with subdued tones in the finishes and sun bleached/gray wood. I particularly loved the selection of ceramic dinnerware. The color choices were spot on and the combination of textures inside and out was original. FYI, I had to borrow the image on the right from the site. My images of the store blurred for some reason. Shameful and disappointing since they had some awesome bowls inside that I didn't see on the site.

Because of our late afternoon start a lot of stores started closing on us so it was time to return to our home base at the Aloft for dinner and strategy. Tomorrow we head into Manhattan where I expect quite a bit more excitement than today had to offer. I'll keep you posted.

Local Brew. Cheers!

Oh, one more thing. It's funny when you are not used to it but we walked through three photo shoots today. The first was a fashion shoot, the second was for Gossip Girl and the third . . . well we couldn't figure it out. There was a bunch of large buses and not much else to go by. It's like every corner we turned there was something. Pretty amazing to see what happens in the fast lane. Cheers!

From Little Things Big Things Grow - The Origins Of A Chair-ity Event

This fall the artists of EtsyDallas will be hosting a charity event. But not just any charity event! A Chair-ity event. We will be auctioning off a series of one-of -kind artist creations that begin with a simple chair. 100% of the proceeds will benefit a local Dallas charity and artists are donating their time and materials. More details will follow in the coming weeks but what I want to share with you now is the amazing story of the evolution of this event.

Chair-ity Concept Prior to Artist Interpretation

I traveled to Toronto last fall to attend IRDC the International Retail Design Conference. I was lucky enough to be sent there by Chippenhook to learn, absorb, network and of course find opportunities to grow business. During the course of the lectures I attended one on "Making The Local Connection" which has a ton of relevance whether you are a huge retailer like Walmart or a small start up like me. The speaker (Joe Baer of Zen Genius) was talking about a design community in Columbus Ohio called the Short North. He spoke about a number of ways to get more involved in communities such as a lingerie company that created a series of bra's with themes based on local businesses in the area. They then created an art installation as an attraction and sold the pieces with all proceeds going to Susan G. Komen for the cure. Of all the great ideas this one stuck out as an action item for Ferrochie and EtsyDallas. I spent some time thinking about how we would go about recreating this success in Dallas with our group. However, the fast pace schedule of sessions prevailed and it was quickly in and out of my mind. In the end it took a chance meeting to really create the catalyst for action.

Natalie, David & Kerry

That same day I sat down at a networking lunch that really wasn't for me. A colleague of mine signed up for it and then changed his mind so I took his place at the table. It was meant to be a meeting of educators in retail. Two of those people were Natalie Coulter an educator from Sydney Australia and her colleague Kerry Little. After some introduction (and an embarrassing admission that I was in fact, not an educator) we quickly found ourselves talking about a variety of subjects including Joe Baer's seminar. Natalie and Kerry both had a passion for charity work which had me thinking again about what I could do back home. I explained my seed idea to Natalie and she was completely supportive. Not just supportive but offering up a ton of additional ideas too! We bounced around so many scenario's my head was swimming with possibilities.



When I got back to my room that night I had ample time to process everything. I posted the idea of us doing something to the EtsyDallas group and the response was overwhelming. Very quickly more and more idea's were pouring in and everyone was excited. Over the next few weeks we began to form a pretty good picture of what the event was going to be, how we would do it and who we would do it for. We hit a snag though . . . the holiday season was fast approaching and artist's were getting busy. So plans went on hold.

Early Concept Sketches for the Chair-ity

The spring brought new life to this event as we (EtsyDallas) formed a Charity Commitee and I got busy working on some details. I wanted to personally contribute the Chair as my main gift from Ferrochie. I will of course have my own chair design in the event but I wanted to do more to help this be easy for the contributing artists. I should also explain that the chair was to be full sized originally but we thought given the variety of artist specialties a minature chair would be more appropriate. I worked on several sketches and prototypes before landing on the final concept. You can see the final assembled concept above which is a simple two piece construction that each artist can start with.

From little things big things grow. These are the words Natalie said to me last year when all this was just talking points. Now it's easy to see the wisdom in them. It has taken a bit longer than I had hoped to get this going but it's a first for all of us. We will learn from this experience and next time it will be easier. I'm looking forward to what we are going to be able to contribute to our community this year. The members of EtsyDallas are some of the most dedicated, resourceful and creative people around. Together we can do anything.

1913 Edition of The Seven Lamps Of Architecture

Inside my 1913 Edition

For a student of craft work like me seeing a 1913 Edition of The Seven Lamps Of Architecture in an antique book shop was like finding gold! It was $9.50 for me to buy and it probably wasn’t even worth that much but I’d have gladly paid double. Funny how we place value on certain things that others wouldn’t take for free. All of you Kindle and Nook users are nodding at the screen right now however I'm nostalgic about a lot of old stuff including books! I already have a more recent printing but it's a soft cover and lacks the character of an almost 100 year old hard back.

So why is this book in particular of value to me? If you go to Wikipedia and look up John Ruskin this is what you will find:

John Ruskin (8 February 1819 – 20 January 1900) was an English art critic and social thinker, also remembered as a poet and artist. His essays on art and architecture were extremely influential in the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

You will also find a slew of other information but not a whole lot about what is important to me about John Ruskin.

Ruskin was an early champion for the artisan to rebel against the machines of industry. After modernism and the industrial revolution cast out craft work he called for artisans to reclaim societies respect!

In the mid 1850’s Ruskin along with others created a Working Men’s College where he gave lectures to craft workers on a variety of topics. The purpose was to create a positive environment for people who worked with their hands AND their minds. In 1849 Ruskin released The Seven Lamps of Architecture which offered seven guides for anyone who works directly on material items. These are the seven (with descriptions borrowed from Richard Sennett’s book “The Craftsman”) :

“The Lamp of Sacrifice,” the willingness to do something well for it’s own sake, dedication;

“The Lamp of Truth,” the truth that “breaks and rents continually” embrace of difficulty, resistance, and ambiguity;

“The Lamp of Power,” tempered power, guided by standards other than blind will;

“The Lamp of Beauty,” which for Ruskin is found more in the detail, the ornament-hand sized beauty-than the large design;

“The Lamp of Life,” life equating to struggle and energy, death with deadly perfection;

“The Lamp of Memory,” the guidance provided by the time before machinery ruled; and

“The Lamp of Obedience,” which consists of obedience to the example set by a master’s practice rather than his particular works; otherwise put, strive to be like Stradivari but do not seek to copy his particular violins.

This book really sealed Ruskin’s fame but a later book he wrote “The Stones of Venice” is more widely regarded. I wonder if I can find a cool old edition of that one too. I’ll leave you with an excerpt from “The Stones of Venice”.

"You can teach a man to draw a straight line; to strike a curved line, and to carve it . . . with admirable speed and precision; and you will find his work perfect of it's kind; but if you ask him to think about any of these forms, to consider if he cannot find any better in his own head, he stops; his execution becomes hesitating; he thinks, and ten to one he thinks wrong; ten to one he makes a mistake in the first touch he gives to his work as a thinking being. But you have made a man of him for all that, he was only a machine before, an animated tool."

Contest Winner: Autumn Andrews

Modern Living for the 21st Century Bird

It's a Birdhouse! More specifically it's a Bird Condo. Congratulations to Autumn Andrews with her guess of Bird Feeder. Not exact but close enough to win the prize. Autumn can choose to receive her very own Bird Condo for FREE or a piece from the upcoming Anne Boleyn collection also for FREE! I love free don't you?

Congrats again Autumn for the win. For all my friends out there you might check out Autumn's Facebook page called Autumn Angel Art . She's quite the artist.

If you get a chance visit Ferrochie to see the Bird Condo and a teaser of the Anne Boleyn Collection. Hope to see you locals April 30th at the Spring Bash!

Creation is full throttle! How about a contest?

Drilling Template

Spring Bash is only a few weeks away and the creative juices are flowing. In the next few days we will have some cool stuff to show but in the meantime it's drilling templates, doweling jigs, sawdust and lacquer fumes.

Here is something fun. If you are the first to guess correctly what this is going to be I'll give you one for free! With only these two pictures as a guide it will be like counting beans in a jar but whoever gets the closest will get a consolation prize. What do you think? Post your guess here or on Facebook. You'll have only a few days until we post images of the new item then it's over!

Pre Assembly. What is it?

Extra Hint - Glass