It’s come to my attention that things need tidying up around this here Cottage. Loose ends, frayed nerves I always say.
Actually, I never say that, except that one time in the first paragraph. Pithy, isn’t it. I’m a pither.
If you’re new around here, I make things. Furniture. I had a little sale yesterday. I sold five tables before noon. They’re already on the FedEx truck on the way to their new owners. Thanks to everyone who bought one. Everyone that’s ever bought one, now that I think of it.
I made them from trees from right down the street. I don’t know why, but I get a little grin out of that. Every tree has end tables in it. You just have to let them out.
I don’t have all that many tables to sell most days. I make the items for the Ready to Ship page while I’m making other furniture from Made to Order orders. I think the work I’m currently doing is turning out better than ever. I’ve made many dozens of these end tables, but none better:
They went to Martha’s Vineyard. Pleasant customer. I made a console table for Phil the other day, too, and it turned out well. I was proud to put it in the box.
Speaking of the box, I get a lot of praise for the boxes the tables come in. I get a tickle from that, too, because I rather enjoy packaging the items. I’m not sure what people are expecting, but they seem pleasantly surprised when the items show up in one piece. My wife and I do the packaging together, and it’s fun. My wife is my best friend, too. I work all alone the rest of the time.
Sippican Cottage Furniture is a national brand. I think that’s a hoot, too. When I send out an email notification of a sale, the email service shows me a map of where my emails get opened. I love utilities like that.
I’ve sold furniture to seven or eight states more than pictured on the map, but if North and South Dakota have any inhabitants, you can’t tell by me. The email service I use is MailChimp. They are terrific, and lots of fun. My little son hangs around my desk when I have the service open because they have a chimp mascot that leaves amusing messages for you while you work. Everything about the service is charming, but still professional. That’s hard to do. If you’re not on our email list, but would like to be, you can sign up at the top of any page at Sippican Cottage Furniture.
I’m grateful to everyone that reads here, and those that comment, and those that link. There is no way for me to tell who’s doing it, but very nice persons are actually using my Amazon search box, and I’d like to thank you, whoever you are, for it.
I’ll have a book for you to buy soon. Hope you will.
8 Responses
Okay, I was going to send a private jibe about the crate my bench came in, but I didn't want to cast aspersion upon the glue-less OSB in case it was sheathing from your house. Then again, for 1905-ish, sheathing would have been miraculous. Love our new bench! V/R, Matt
Sipp…if you can figure out how to get a console table over to me here I'd be happy and proud to own and buy.
I can't find the Amazon link on your page. There is a box the says something like "Use this box and I'll get pennies" but it doesn't link to anything. Would like to support you any way I can. Help me find it and I'll use it for all my Amazon purchases (it will add up).
Hi Matt- Thanks again for your purchase. I've had a furniture business for seven years or so now, and I've never had a dumpster. I use everything. The sawdust is mulch for the garden. We burn the scraps for heat. The OSB I used to protect your benchtop is a piece of my workshop ceiling, which I removed to work on the wiring. Waste not, want not.
Hi Thud- You're very kind. I have a "hedgehog" strategy for business right now. I concentrate on only what I know, and avoid anything outside my defined parameters for business. I avoid international shipping because it is complicated and unsure. Thanks anyway, sorry to disappoint. Some of my furniture is in England, but the customers bought it here and brought it over themselves.
Hi Gary- If you click on the Amazon box, you'll go to Amazon's home page, and everything you buy before you close the browser will earn me a small commission. So buy a battleship and then sink it if you don't need a battleship, and I'll be able to retire. Thanks for thinking of me.
Wonderful. Sincerely wonderful.
Work ceases to become work when you do what you love in a place you are comfortable. Well, it may still be work but at least it is much more gratifying.
I need to get back in touch with contentment. I have a house stuffed full of things I really don't need and comfortable to the very definition of the word, but I sense from you a feeling I haven't had in some time. Things were – early on – much more simple. If I couldn't fit it in my truck or on my trailer with race bikes, I didn't need to own it.
Good on you, homeboy. I admire the way you and the brood are living life.
Andy
http://www.smokingtoaster.com
Very nice schtuff. Perhaps when my (battle)ship comes in, I can play "customer".
When I was a little girl, I fell in love with a particular kind of furniture, but I didn't know it had a name. When I got older, I found out the furniture was Stickley's Mission. Now that I am old, I want Sippican's Furniture 🙂
Well, I'm tempted, but I have to tell you I like turned and curvy legs, and maybe a little voluptuous. Don't you have a lathe? I bought some bed tables recently at a second hand (junk) store. Pretty nice for $3 each.
What you said about the table being in the tree and you liberating it reminds me of the old philosopher Aristotle who wisely held the same notion; matter is potentiality, form actuality. So, every instance of your tables is a new approach at the 'ideal' table, at perfection.
OSB scares the hell out of me. I'm always afraid it'll turn into something like shredded wheat soaked in milk (your reference).