Around the world in less than 80 days

The truth is that press articles and acolades won't buy me a cup of coffee. That's OK because I don't drink coffee.

Getting exposure for our work certainly spreads word of our business and builds credibility with future customers. It also makes me smile.

Today I recieved word of another article in a sign magazine in the Ukraine. It is a full page spread on the Fox and Hounds Pub.

The third article of a series is also on the way in SignCraft magazine out of Florida. This magazine sends out copies to just about everywhere. I guess this makes the pub project internationally famous already - before we are totally done. It is hard to imagine where this thing is going to go!  :)

-grampa dan

Two of a kind - almost

Dimensional pub signs are fun to make. For a guy who doesn't drink, I seem to make a lot of them. On Friday we polished off the Harold Fine Wines signs. The signs actually don't advertise any known brand of wine. Instead they help tell the story of the Fox and Hounds Pub. Harold Esau owns Harold Contracting. He's a great guy. He and his crew were the general contractors on the Fox and Hounds Pub Project, now almost done.

Over the years, I have worked with many contractors on projects of all sizes. Some have been difficult, some almost impossible, often needlessly so, because of poor management on the part of the general contractor. The Fox and Hounds Pub project was a difficult one. It was an extensive renovation, done while the pub remained open for business. Just about everything was rebuilt or moved during the project. The existing structure was extensively rebuilt from the footings up - no small task. And in the middle of all the heavy duty construction our small crew was to do our work. Quite the challenge for everyone in the relatively small space.

While it could easily have turned into the job from hell, Harold, his site foreman, crew and the many trades worked together to make it a cheerful and cooperative site. It was refreshing to say the least. We were all on the same team, with the common interest of making the finished project the very best it could be.

As a tribute to Harold and his crew, we fashioned the two pub signs. One will hang from a large timber on the London rooftop. The other will be presented to Harold and is crew as a token of our appreciation in making this project so much fun. The theme of the signs speak of the project.  The crown refers to the British theme. The words quality and honesty speak of Harold and his crew. The date at the bottom of the signs refer to Harold's birth date, 1955 (minus 300 years)

Thanks Harold and crew!

-grampa dan

The view out my window

When I changed out the header on my journal a few weeks ago, I got a good response. Some wondered if it was indeed the actual view out my window. It is and it is always changing. The trees to the left are hazelnuts, the rows of bushes are blueberries, both on neighboring properties. The mountain is Vedder Mountain, with an elevation of 3,031 feet. Where we live is only 35 feet above sea level, meaning the mountain rises about 2,996 feet above us.

Nine years ago when I designed my studio, the plan had the big windows facing north, down our long driveway. The logic was I could then watch for cars (and customers) coming up the driveway. It made sense from a business point of view.

Janis looked at the plans and shook her head. She knew better. She asked me to fetch a stepladder, take it out to the field where we would be building our shop. She asked me to climb it until I had the perfect view and then note which direction I was facing. I did so.

We then re-thought and redesigned the orientation of the studio portion of the shop, and the height at which the floor of my studio should be. The answer was to face the windows to the south/east and raise the floor five feet off the existing grade.

As a result this is the view I get to enjoy each day, easily seeing over the hazelnut orchard next door.

Tonight, I noticed a wonderful warm glow from outside as I worked at my desk. I looked up and was rewarded with this awesome scene... I opened my studio door, stepped out onto the deck and snapped this picture.

I stood and admired the view for a bit as the light quickly faded and was reminded that Janis is indeed a very smart lady!

-grampa dan