The power of a pewter switch plate

I really do think that a small thing like a special switch plate can start your day off right. Every morning when I head downstairs, I turn on the light at the top of the stairs. As I do that, I look at the Home switch plate there. It matches the silver frame of the picture that is hanging right next to it. I just think it's the greatest and it reminds me of how grateful I am to be a pewtersmith.

Salt Cellars

As soon as we introduced our Crosby & Taylor salt pots last year, they were an immediate hit. That led us to realize that we needed to learn more about salt! The more we studied it, the more fascinated we became. The next thing we knew, I had started designing salt cellars. We are only days away from having them up in our store! Until then, here is a sneak preview. We hope you will come back next week when they will be available for immediate shipment.

Our Employees' Favorites

Who knows our products better than my own staff ? They make everything, package it, take orders for it, and ship it out! Here is a sampling of their answers when I asked them which product they would like to give as a gift:

Derrik (shipping) - Dragonfly Cups on Pewter Strip - for Mom

Matt (production/inventory) - Canister Set - for a wedding gift

Tim (new products) - Fleur de Lys Super Post Set - for Mom

Kira (stoneware/packaging/Babyland) - Dragonfly Salad Servers - for Mom  

Adam (production) - Dragonfly Super Post Set - for Dad

Nancy (office) - Salt Pot - for Daddy (so he can use it as a sugar bowl at teatime)

Myself (chief bottle washer) - Single Home Switchplate - new neighbor

Nice People!

One of the most satisfying parts of being in business is interacting with nice people!

Nancy, our office manager, recently had one of those interactions.



Throughout the years, we have changed the look of our products. We are always updating

things and freshening our look. Nancy was recently contacted by one of our customers, who needed

us to repair one of her measuring cups. Nancy promptly took care of it. But when this lovely woman

received her new cup, it didn't quite match the other pieces in her set. So, Nancy got right to it and

took the necessary steps to make it all just right. (Yay! for Nancy, I say!) Anyway, our customer was

so thrilled with Nancy's excellent customer service, that she sent Nancy a gift of two lovely doilies,



which she had crocheted herself.  Nancy will be taking them home and my suspicion is that they will

be displayed proudly on her mother's antique dining room hutch. Nancy has been with us just over 8 years.

She is a wonderfully calm, steady person who does an amazing job of keeping track of everything around here. She can even decipher my handwriting - when I cannot!

I know Nancy enjoys coming to work but  interactions like this one with Susan make her work that much more special.

Thank you, Susan!

We're Spinning Again!

We are frequently asked to explain how we actually make our products. Although there are many steps along the way, we find that, when friends and family pop in to visit, they are the most captivated by our casting machines. Even though it has been nearly 25 years since I first learned to cast, I still find it pretty fascinating, myself!

Here is how we cast:

The lid of the centrifugal machine is opened and a mold is placed inside. The lid is shut, thus triggering the mold inside to spin around and around. The hot, molten pewter is ladled into the top of the machine. It flows down into the mold, filling all the nooks and crannies with pewter.

Unfortunately, nothing is 100% perfect and bits of pewter tend to fly out through the edges of the mold and onto the sides of the machine. In fact, at one time, we had a machine  whose lid didn't close quite right. Fortunately, I wore a work apron because, at the end of the day, there would be a ridge of pewter flashings across my front!

Here is a picture of our old casting machine - covered with pewter flashings.



 

 

It's been on its last legs for quite awhile.

 

Recently, a giant truck pulled up and out came a big box.

Recently, a giant truck pulled up and out came a big box.
Of course we had to grab Oliver, who is just over two years old.

(You may have spoken with his Mom, Nancy, on the phone

or received an order, put together by his Dad, Matt.)

 

We knew there was a photo opportunity here.  We took the first photo before we realized that - yikes! - he didn't have his safety gear on. I think he looks like he is going to faint from the excitement of it all.

 


Note to OSHA:

This machine was not installed or plugged in.

Safety First!

Giveaway

We are honored that our new Fleur de Lys measuring spoons are featured on a wonderful blog called An Herbal Bedfellow.  Jane Marie blogs about all kinds of fascinating things and has lots of fun giveaways. If you visit her blog and post a comment about our spoons, you will be entered in her drawing for a free set of our spoons! We definitely recommend that you check out her blog and consider becoming a subscriber.

On the Big Screen!

You will soon be able to see us on the Big Screen! (Or....maybe the Small Screen - depending on how large your computer screen is.) Last month, we had a couple of videographers follow us around all day. The results of their filming will soon be available on our site. It was a fun day and we hope that when you visit our site next month, you will enjoy seeing us "in action".

Unfortunately, two of our staff members - and their little guy, Nolan, were out of town. So, since you won't be able to see them on the screen, I better tell you about them right here.



 

 

Dan is one of three Trent boys that works here. His twin brother and his older brother started first. I was a little leery of Dan. I had seen him at local fast food joints - working so fast it made me dizzy. You might ask how that could be a bad thing? Well, I was just worried about all that speed and energy around molten metal. What a fool I was. Dan is one of the best production assistants we have ever had. He is upbeat and dedicated. He is always a hard worker. I regret the years that passed before he got started here. 

Now, his little boy, Nolan, is spending his days with us here in Babyland.

It gets even better...Nolan's mom, Cortney, is helping Nancy out in the office. If you call us, you may get Cortney. She will take care of all of your pewter-related questions and needs. She's awesome, too! 

I guess you can kind of tell that we're all about family around here.

The perfect Alaska souvenir!

We are often asked if we do custom products. The answer is - Of course! We do! So, if you need wedding favors, a gift for your company party, or a special giveaway for your family reunion - just let us know. We recently just finished up a fun custom project - a pair of bear and moose hooks for Caribou Crossings, one of our favorite stores in Alaska. We have low design fees and low minimums. Carol is the special person here at TWPewter/Crosby&Taylor who can help take your project from idea to finished product. Just send your thoughts to her at carol@tinwoodsman.com and she'll get you started.