I am what you might call a GTC Geographically Challenged Texan currently residing in northern Colorado! My heart's home. My origin is a secret until I speak... once I utter a word I can guarantee the next question is on the order of which part of the south are you from, girl? My husband is Texan also but apparently his drawl is not as pronounced. I guess you can take the girl out of the south but not the south out of the girl.
My philosophy can be summed up as follows:
We need a renaissance of wonder.
We need to renew, in our hearts and in our souls,
the deathless dream, the eternal poetry,
the perennial sense that life is miracle and magic.
-- E. Merrill Root --
The husband and I have twenty plus years experience in the artsy-crafty business doing everything from our humble beginnings at tiny rural craft shows and fairs in Texas to major gift marts and eventually marketing our own product line at wholesale market. We are a team, he and I... We have been at this so long that we are almost a process unto ourselves. I design. He magically transforms some of the designs into a physical wood piece. He is a very talented metal worker, too. Yes, we can and often do finish the other's sentences, complete or read the other's thoughts, get hungry for the same food, at the same time, know instinctively when it's time for a trip to the mountains or a ride on the Harley... and occasionally we share what can only be described as a purely metaphysical ooOOeeEEeeeoOOOooo moment. BOO!
Neither of us have what some would call formal training in our respective areas of expertise. I learned some sewing and needlework from my Grandmothers. I learned how to macramé in the seventies along with most of the rest of the world and tinkered with decoupage, ceramics and painting plaster pieces. In 1980, I picked up a paint brush one day and painted a tiny scene on a glass Christmas ball, then I transformed a clothespin into a toy soldier and the rest is history. The woodworker in my other half was sitting dormant until the first cut on a rinky-dink jig saw was made. He started out making old-tyme toys and items for me to paint. We showed a few of our things to friends and family. We sold a few to same. Our first show was a single table set up on the court house lawn during a Pioneer Reunion in the tiny Texas town where my grandmother lives. It was a success. We laugh now at that humble success - it was enough, though. Our skills developed because we loved what we were doing. We still do.
In the old days, we tried to conform to what we thought the market and our customer base wanted from us. We managed this fairly well and enjoyed it for nearly seventeen years. In the end, production demands and repetition inhibited creative growth. I hung up my paint brushes for about five years after the move to Colorado but you know an artist is never really done until they get rid of their brushes. When my brushes came out of the closet this time, I made a simple vow -- I am not going to paint a hundred of any one item, I am not going to mandate that any item look exactly like any other item, I am not going to limit myself to a particular medium, and a piece takes what it takes - meaning time and materials.
In the past our product lines were primarily hand-painted folk art wood items. Inexpensive and small in size for easy transport and shipping. The items were geared toward production and high volume sales. Back then, we did business as Lazy Daisy Creations. I know, that's an eighties moniker if you ever heard one.
I love old things... not necessarily antiques... just vintage items that have seen some use. Rust and Dust -- that's what an old friend long ago labeled my decor. Modern day materials do not have the same weight and texture as old quilts and aprons, tablecloths, blankets and other homespun textiles. Likewise, newly manufactured items are not as responsive to touch and feel as rustics. Over the last couple of years, I discovered how much I like working with wool. I remembered how much I prefer to stitch by hand. I recycle vintage textiles and other items in the fabrication of October Country Prims. This primitive line consists of mostly one-of-a-kind canvas and wood creations that vary in size, style and complexity. October Country creations are sometimes large and always unique. Even pieces similar in size and design will vary. Wondrous Variety is what we are all about! Marketing one-of-a-kind pieces presents a different type of challenge but it is much more fun! This time around marketing takes a back seat to creativity. What does that mean? It means we understand the need to market the items but the almighty dollar is not what drives us to create.
When I started designing the primitive line, I was not certain where it would take us. I have offered and sold a few pieces at ebay. I will continue to offer kits and patterns and the occasional creation at ebay. While ebay is fun and easy, that detached, sort of mercenary experience is not exactly what I had in mind. I have listed at Etsy as well. While Etsy is a fresh approach, it still does not measure up. At this particular point in time -- we do not do shows. What I am in search of is more control over our experience and yours. I wanted a comfortable, easy-going, fun place to share our creativity and a relaxed place where you can browse without BUY-BUY-BUY being stuck under your nose every few seconds. So! A web site of our own seemed the way to go and here we are!
Welcome to October Country. Our goal is to provide you with a pleasurable, stress-free experience. Take your time, browse around a bit. Make off with a freebie pattern or tip. We offer so much more than product. If you are so inclined, send me your thoughts. Thanks for your interest. We are happy you stopped by. Have a great day!
