Prodigal Ponderings — reclaimed RSS

This past weekend was The Prodigal Carpenter's first experience participating in a Festival or Artisan Fair.  For anyone who has undertaken one of these, we don't have to tell you the amount of hard work that goes into preparation, facilitating, and post event handling.  We learned a lot from our "initiation" into the outdoor market world.   1  Nothing replaces personal interaction with potential customers.  The feedback was invaluable.  It was affirming to have so many folks express admiration for the quality and craftsmanship of our products and admire what we do.   2. Know your Target Market.  Handcrafted items of high quality are not produced inexpensively They take time, craftsmanship and quality materials. Consequently they're not what everyone is looking...

  Looking at an old exterior door, seeing a weathered piece of wood, exposed to wind and sun, cold and rain; we see what age and elements do to the natural beauty of God’s creation.  Within the weathered, worn and distressed, however, is where the prodigals exist. What a joy to take something once treasured and restore it to a place of beauty; brand new, yet still aged, recreated and yet honoring the original creation. What we love more than anything is taking those pieces of useless scrap and transforming them into something that can be cherished once again; realizing that apart from restoration, these old beauties are destined for the scrap heap or nearest landfill. Everything we do is...