Computer Issues

My computer is still not working as well as it should. I have been trying to upload pictures on the blog but for some reason I can't get the pictures on my blog. On Saturday our computer Doctor will be making a house call, so hopefully after that I will be able to post pictures.
I have been working on new goodies for the Shop. We are expecting new goodies from some of our wonderful crafters...can't wait!
Next week I will be going to my first Cash and Carry Show at Valley Forge. Tarrah from The Pottery Shed blog will be going with me and we will meet up with Teresa from Teresa's Primitive Treasures. Teresa is one of our crafters here at The Brickhouse and Tarrah is also a crafter and she is the lovely wife of our Potter, Bob of Indian Trail Pottery. I am looking forward to the Show and spending time with my friends. Oh and I will finally get to meet Tony and April, from Country Home Accents. Tony and April are part of The Brickhouse Craft Shop family...we have had their crafts in our Shop I think from the first day we opened our doors and I have never had the chance to meet them in person...but I will finally meet them at the show!
I want to let all our customers here at The Brickhouse Craft Shop know that for January and February the Shop will be open on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 to 6....BUT if you call or stop by we will open for you if you are in the area and want to shop ..so our hours are not set in stone..if we are home we can open for you. Starting in the Spring we will be open more days and the porch will be open so make sure you stop by and enjoy some Porch Sitting Time with Tim and I.
~~Patti~~

Still here..

Just to let you all know that we are still here...we are having computer issues...and it is very annoying to say the least. I tried to do a post on our blog today and I could not upload pictures and I keep getting kicked off the computer. A friend of ours who is a computer expert is coming on Saturday to look at our computer and help us out. There seems to be some major computer viruses out there and I think we have been hit. We hope to get this all fixed and then we will be able to post more..so keep checking back. Hope you all are staying warm!
~~Patti~~

Our trip to Pa Soy

On Monday Tim and I headed out to Lebanon to pick up our candle order from Pa Soy. We made a quick stop in Harrisburg and we drove by Fort Hunter. There is a beautiful barn there that one of these days we really need to stop and see the inside of the barn...if it is as nice on the inside as it is from outside..wow!

We then drove towards Lebanon. We drove through Hershey and saw this barn. I saw a sign that said ANTIQUES.... another place to add to the list of places to visit. I came home and find some info about this place:http://www.crossroadsantiques.com/ I am making a trip there soon..maybe the next time we go to pick up our next candle order.

We passed a lot of beautiful farms and homes. Here was one that I found interesting...check out the little oval window.

We finally made it to Richard and Carolyn's farm. They have a beautiful stone farmhouse and barn and why I didn't take pictures I have no idea..next time! We went into the candle area and were greeted by two tired candle makers. They had a busy 2009 and were spending some down time in the Shop. Here is the CEO, Richard just hanging out relaxing and trying to nap.

And we spotted Carolyn, the Master Candle Maker..she was purrfectly content to just stay in her chair..poor girl was so tired.

Here are the soy flakes that they use for their wonderful candles.Looks like they are stocking up for another successful year of candle making!

An open box of the wonderful soy flakes..looks good enough to eat!Here are some pictures of the many scents that they use in their candles...reminds me of the flavorings for snow cones at the local Fair!

I wanted to take more pictures but we were so focused on talking with Carolyn and Richard that I didn't get any more pictures. Tim and I could talk with them all day and we almost did! We thought we would just go in and pick up the order and spend a little time talking with them. Well, we ended up spending over an hour and a half with them! They are two of the nicest people we have ever met. Tim and I enjoyed talking with them and we look forward to seeing them again. We don't think we will have to wait too long. Their candles are so popular in our Shop and I have a feeling we will be making another trip to their farm for another order of candles very soon! Here is our candle display in our Shop. This is all we had left after our Christmas Season at The Brickhouse..the shelves are really empty.

We now have more Pa Soy candles to unpack and get out for our customers. I have a feeling we are going to need a much bigger display area for the candles! Please stop by The Brickhouse and try these candles..we know you will love them! So stop by and take some time to smell the candles!

~~Patti~~

Looking Forward

Tim and I are so excited for what the New Year has in store for us. We are making some changes which will make our Shop even better. No, we are not expanding..that will be down the line...but hopefully soon because it seems we are quickly outgrowing the space in our little Shop..who knows....one of these days or as Tim would say..YEARS, we hope to expand. But in the meantime, we are working on getting a few new crafters for the Shop.
2009 was an awesome year for us and we are hopeful that 2010 will be even better.
Tomorrow Tim and I are driving to Lebanon to pick up our candle order from PA SOY and then we are making a few stops at some shops in and around Lancaster. For lunch we are planning on going back to a restaurant that we visited in the Fall, The Franklin House Tavern in Schafferstown, for a nice lunch. I am hoping that they have Tiramisu on the menu for dessert!

Tim and I would like to thank all our followers of our blog. We appreciate all your comments and the time you spend reading our blog. Even though we don't always get a chance to respond to your comments please know that we do appreciate you. And we would like to take this time to thank all our wonderful customers/friends who visit us at our Shop..we thank all of you. You all have made this experience so enjoyable...we love what we are doing and it is because of all of you. We wish you all a very Blessed New Year....we know that our past two years at the Brickhouse have been a blessing because of all of you...Happy New year. Here's to new beginnings and looking forward to all the blessings that the Good Lord has in store for all of us.

~~Patti~~

Selling 'the Experience'.

Hello folks, it's Tim. Patti and I have been very busy with the shop these days and so as you might have noticed, it's been a while since our last posting.

Around this time of year it is common to think about all that has happened throughout the past year. Was it a good year? Did we accomplish what we set out to do? Could we have done things better? Are we still having fun? Patti and I have reflected on this often since celebrating the 2nd anniversary of Brickhouse Craft Shop on December 8th.

You might recall how I closed one of my previous postings where I explained how we got 'from There to Here':

I have often told Patti, 'what we are selling is the experience, what the customer is buying is the craft.' We hope our customers enjoy the experience, whether it be the music, the crafts, or the time they spent chatting with us. We hope that they will do like Patti and I did and take if from Here to There...

Recently, over the past several days I have been in the shop helping Patti with customers. There were 2 occasions when customers let us know that they were in fact 'taking it from Here to There.'

One customer commented about a previous visit to our shop when she especially enjoyed the music that was playing at the time. Patti had showed her the CD and written down the artist and title. On this recent visit, the customer told us that she was able to find the CD and bought a copy for herself - and another copy to give as a Christmas present! This wouldn't ordinarily be unusual but in this case this was a CD from which I heard one song on the local NPR radio station in Austin, Texas - in 1994 - and have never heard any of this artists music on the radio since. Patti and I have 4 CD's from this artist and enjoy all of them. I consider this a 'pearl' and I was very lucky to be listening to that radio station at the right time. This is part of the Brickhouse 'experience' we provide to our customers and we love to share it. Much of the music we play is from lesser known artists whose music is hard to find so it makes it special when we discover it and even more special when we can share it.

Another customer commented about a previous visit to our shop when Patti and I were chatting with her and told her about a really awesome restaurant we discovered in Round Top, Texas. We showed her the book that the owner and his family wrote somewhere in the mid '90's. It was part autobiography, part cookbook, included many pictures and was totally fun to read. On this recent visit, the customer told us that she was able to find the book and bought a copy for herself, read it from cover to cover - and even made an apple pie using one of the recipes! Again, this wouldn't ordinarily be so unusual but here's some background: At the time, Round Top had a population of 79 - really - that's what was on the sign as you entered the town. Royers Round Top Cafe was originally an old gas station - one of those with 2 gas pumps - so this gives you an idea of the size. Bud Royer and his family managed to prepare some of the most incredible meals - including pies. Bud had a passion for whatever he did and his family shared his passion for the Cafe. We found out it was not a well kept secret and you could expect a long wait to get a table. It was a special place for Patti and I and we enjoy sharing the memories. And we were glad to know the customer was able to get a copy of the book.

So, was it a good year? Absolutely - it's always good to celebrate an anniversary!

Did we accomplish what we set out to do? Absolutely - you've just read some examples of what Patti and I want to provide to our customers -beyond buying handmade crafts, they are taking some of our experiences 'from Here to There'!

Could we have done things better? Absolutely - you should see all the Post-It notes!

Are we still having fun? ABSOLUTELY - Patti and I love making our crafts. And with our incredible (and tired by this time of year!) crafters from across the USA and our customers - this has been more fun than we ever dreamed it could be!

Remember, 'Enter as Strangers - Leave as Friends.'

Patti and I would like to wish all of our crafters and customers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Going Fast

Tim and I have been so busy at The Brickhouse Craft Shop. Time is flying by and I have so much that I want to do...like bake cookies but I think my Christmas baking will start AFTER Christmas..I just don't have enough time to do some baking now. This morning we are going to the Food Bank to volunteer and then it is home to open the Shop. We were busy in the Shop yesterday which is unusual for a Wednesday. I need to restock and move things around in the Shop. We have been selling lots of our wonderful snowmen...I could kick myself for not ordering more of Beryl's snowmen..Yesterday we sold the last one! Beryl told me that she is working on new goodies for the Shop...I cannot wait to see what she has for us!

On Black Friday Tim and I had a visitor in the Shop. Susan from Henny Penny's http://hennypennyscountrystore.blogspot.com/ came to visit us. Her son, Sam, drove down from Benton with Susan....Tim and I were so excited to see her walk in the door...she is the nicest lady and her son is so nice too...he was enjoying reading all of our funny signs! Tim and I were lucky to visit her Shop a few months ago. She has the neatest Shop and wow is she talented..her quilts are gorgeous!

Then this past Saturday during our first snowfall Kathleen from K's Kronicles and her husband, Bob drove up from Myerstown to visit our Shop....I enjoyed talking with Kathleen and meeting her and Bob....such a nice couple!

My cookie baking may have to wait till after Christmas BUT not putting up our tree! We are planning on putting the tree up today...FINALLY! Oh so much to do...not only are our Snowmen in the Shop going fast so are the days. They say time flies when you are having fun and YES Tim and I are having fun. We love being Shop owners and we love our customers/friends who have made our 2 years at The Brickhouse a wonderful experience...we thank all of you who have stopped by our Shop or our blog....Thank you and may you all have a Wonderful and Blessed Christmas.

~~Patti~~

Bragging!

It seems like forever since I "blogged". I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving. Tim and I have been so busy with the Shop....working like Santa's elves!
Some new signs that we have been working on.

And our Crafters have been busy creating lots of goodies for our customers.

We are always bragging how we have the nicest customers in the world..many who have become our friends. Well, the same can be said about our "Crafters"...the best CRAFTERS in the world!

If you love snowmen..we have them...but I must warn you they are quickly disappearing .....Disappearing because they are quickly finding new homes.. so stop by and see them before they are all gone. Indian Trail Pottery has wonderful Pottery for your gift giving or maybe as a gift for yourself...I know I am eyeing a few pieces that I want to buy! Bob, The Master Potter, is working on new pieces for our Shop...stop by and see all his beautiful pieces of Pottery. And our candles and tarts are the best in the area...sorry there I am bragging again! This weekend The Brickhouse is celebrating our 2nd year anniversary. Make sure you stop by and say hi..... we are offering a Special Anniversary discount to our customers.The Brickhouse Craft Shop may be small but it is filled with the best Handmades... Handmade in the USA......please stop by and visit like this handsome boy did..he is one of our favorite's! When you stop by you will see for yourself why we love to brag about our Crafters.

~~Patti~~