Feb Sale 10% off from Morrison Mills. Times running out!

Light Green and Natural Morrison Mill Set

We're down to the last 2 days of the February sale on laminated Morrison mills.  10% off from any laminated Morrison Mill, 6", 8" or 10".  Salt or Pepper it's your choice or choose both!  Use code feb2011cc.

My new friend Bob.

This is picture of me and my new friend Bob (he's the pink Octopus on my shoulder) taken at the Buyers Market of American Craft in Philadelphia.  He and I are discussing the finer points of the work of Laurene Hunt from Laurene Hunt Designs.  I first met Laurene five years ago when she and I were neighbors at my first Buyers Market and we became fast friends.  I really like Laurene's work.  Her work is full of color and fun images that she hand paints onto her pieces.  Martini glasses, Santa Claus, cats and dogs, light houses and snowmen are just a few of the things that she paints in her own way.  She offers her paintings on all kinds of wonderful pieces for your kitchen and dining room like lazy susans (to the left in the picture), trivets, magnets, cutting boards, coasters and more.  You can check out her work on her website by clicking here.  I know that I enjoy her work but let me know what you think of it. 

What are environmentally friendly pepper mills?

I get asked a lot about the wood, dyes and glue used in our laminated mills and grinders. I actually buy panels of the wood already dyed and glued to my color specifications. So I asked my supplier to answer these questions for you. Here is their reply.

"Because of the nature of your products being used in the food industry we have chosen to use "Water Based/Food Grade Dyes" in our processes. In addition our land from which the veneer is produced is (FSC Certified - Forest Stewardship Council). Lastly we use EPI Adhesives (defined as Emulsion Polymer Isocyanate (EPI) adhesives are two-component adhesives based on reaction of a mixture of water based emulsions)." 

That's a lot to take in so let me break this down for you. I choose to partner with another Maine company that would lay up these panels the same way and from the same woods that I would use if I did it myself. The dyes used are water based so they are much better for the enviroment than dyes that are alcohol based . The wood used comes from sustainably harvested land. Not only is the land cared for but the workers have to be paid a living wage as well. And the glue used is a water based glue so it too is better for the enviroment than solvent based glues that could be used.  The last step in the process is that we use a finish of Walnut oil that is all natural without any additives.  The bottom line comes down to the fact that we are trying to be as environmentally responsible as possible and at the same time providing you with a food safe product that you can also feel good about.

25% off stoppers

Ok folks, this is a test of sorts.  My new site has been up and running now for a while but I haven't put all of the various ways that my items can be made on to the site yet because of a lack of pictures.  So if you are willing to help me I'm willing to give you 25% off on my T Handle Corkscrew & Bottle Stopper Combination (pictured above, sorry the stands aren't available any more) if you choose one that doesn't have a picture of it yet.  I will make up the stopper combo and take a picture of it.  I will email you a picture of it before it is ready to ship.  You get a $42 stopper combo for $31.50.  That's a pretty good deal for helping out, don't you think?  The ones that need pictures are clearly marked on my site.  Just click here.  Scroll down below the stoppers pictured and you will see two question marks.  Each has a drop down list of the stopper combos that I need pictures of.  Once the picture has been taken that particular stopper will be taken off from the discount list and moved to the list with pictures and the discount will be gone.  Thanks in advance for your help.

And the winners are....................

I know that everyone out there wants to know who the winners of the cookie contest are.  So here goes.  Drum roll please.  Of all of the enteries from all over the US it turns out that the winners are relatively local.  Both are from Maine.  How about that?  Have I rambled on enough yet?  1st name drawn was Clare Marron and the 2nd name drawn was Tracy Wilson.  Congratulations ladies.  You will be receiving your dozen assorted cookies next week.  Don't forget to come back here and brag about how good the cookies are.  Glen & I would like to thank everyone for entering our little contest here.  Remember you can always go to Glen B's website and order cookies to be deliver to that special someone or to your own door.  Happy Holidays everyone!

Contest Time - Win Free Cookies!

Everyone likes cookies, right?  And everyone likes contests, right?  Especially easy ones!  My buddy Glen has started a website for his families homemade cookies.  They have been making them for years and selling through stores in his local area but they finally decided to open a website to share the cookies with a wider audience.  They make 6 different kinds of cookies.  Trust me I have tried them all and they are very good or to quote one of my daughters "Dad, these are awesome!"  Check out Glen B's Homemade cookies by clicking here.  So to the contest.  First off, the giveaway.  One dozen assorted cookies shipped directly from Glen B's to you.  We will choose two winners and each will win a dozen assorted cookies.  Two ways to win, we will pull one person's name from all of the people who reply to this post, either comment on my blog or facebook or twitter and say that you want to win.  One winner will come from all of the people who are signed up for my email newsletter.  So if you haven't signed up for the newsletter yet better get crackin'.  You can do so by going to my homepage and there is a spot on the lower left to sign up for the newsletter.  We will pull the two winners names on Friday, December 17th at 1pm and the winners will be announced shortly after that.  Sorry but the contest is open to residents of the United States only.  Good luck!

Happy Holidays!

Wow, it's been a while since my last post.  It has been an unbelievable 5 1/2 weeks since that last post.  I have been to New York City, twice, for shows and than home to fill orders and get ready for my last show.  Some how we even managed to squeeze Thanksgiving in there.  I then left for Chicago for my last show of the year and had a great time out there too.  I would like to thank everyone who came out to the shows to see me.  It's always great to see old friends and to meet new ones at the shows.  The drive to Chicago and back encompased over 2500 miles mostly in snowstorms both coming and going.  For now it's back to the shop to fill orders for Christmas and then maybe a day or two off.  After that I will get back into the shop and start preparing for next year which promises to be quite busy.  I also have some design concepts rattling around in my head that I'm just itching to try.  I promise it won't be nearly as long until my next post.  Until then I wish everyone a very happy holiday!