So Happy Our Paths Crossed

When Chuck and I caught the ceramics bug and set up our studio last summer, we started out with reckless abandon.  We spent the evenings and weekends making anything and everything that we wanted to try and, in a matter of weeks, we started to find ourselves buried in beautiful pieces with nowhere to go with them all.

Being a kitchen designer by trade, I can’t stand disarray. A good design deserves to be seen and used without being cluttered. The same goes for a harmonious color palette. Although we created some beautiful pieces, they weren’t always what complimented the decor of our home…or our friends’ homes…or our family’s homes…or our neighbors’ homes…

It became very apparent very quickly that if we wanted to keep making ceramics, we needed to start selling ceramics. Before long, we were learning how to sell on Etsy.

That is where we met Grace.

One day Grace solicited us to make her some winter stew bowls. She had seen a small salt dish that we had for sale and wanted it made on steroids. That is, beef it up to hold one quart instead of one cup. She wasn’t in a hurry so her project seemed like a great fit for us and we took it on.

Over the course of the winter, we crafted and fine tuned the idea to create what she was after.  We never expected anything in return other than payment for our product and, if we were lucky,  a nice online review. What we got in return was that and so much more.

One day during the course of our interaction, there arrived a package in the mail. Inside was a tea towel and a colorful note that simply said ‘Thanks!’  It was from Grace. She had handwoven a beautiful black and tan tea towel and sent it to us in appreciation for our effort. We hadn’t even delivered the finished products yet but she was already thanking us for our time and dedication working on her project! We were so impressed. The craftsmanship was impeccable.

Since that day, we have completed the project and shipped the finished stew bowls. Grace has posted a lovely review which we always greatly appreciate. And Grace’s beautiful tea towel hangs on the range handle in our kitchen. It is too special to use so we display it as a lovely piece of functional art. As the holidays come and go and the seasons change, we put a smaller towel on top and it serves as a nice ‘frame’.

Grace’s towel puts a smile on our faces every time we look at it. It is our daily reminder that this world is full of good people and sometimes we are lucky enough to have an extra-special one cross our path. Thanks, Grace!