FEB to Troy - History of Sticks

Troy received something kookie in February. I thought it was festive and might remind him that we enjoyed his report on Mardi Gras last year. Since it's coming up - maybe he'll have some more fun stories. This is a vellum envelope and I had spent way too much time coloring in parts of the paper but I never had a stamp that looked right - until I spotted the green knot. 

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Continuing the story about the faux-Sticks project...

I should probably give Sarah a shout out for featuring her company - so, "Hey, Sarah." You can read about how she launched the company here:

LINK to history of Sticks

When Sarah started out selling painted wooden angels and chess sets in a folk art style, she was a young mom with three little kids. Our paths crossed at the schools our kids went to as well as the art museum where we both taught. Sarah's business really took off and I know she had to take people to court (all over the country) for appropriating her style and selling knock offs at art fairs. 

The business grew by leaps and bounds and she was able to design and build a custom factory for production of the pieces - which grew into custom furniture and a whole lot more. Her *factory* includes a pretty atrium that she rents out for events. She employs a lot of young *starving artists* who are fresh out of school and need to pay rent. I'm not sure she still does this - but at one time working at Sitcks included a free lunch every day - made in the kitchen at the new building.

Within the past ten years, at least one of her daughters has moved into to the role of managing the business. 

So, Sarah, if you are reading this - my friend who wanted something along the lines of your growth chart did not want it to look exactly like a Sticks piece and ours is different enough that I don't think anyone will mistake it for a Sticks piece.

I did notice that there is a second style of growth chart that has the ruler running up the center and a series of peg holes - so you move the peg up as the kid grows. But, it's another $800 in labor to drill the holes - and there is no space to record the height. My friend and I like those old doorways where people recorded the growth of the kids. So I came up with the idea of making a little metal plate each year and tacking it to the board. I think that will be very cool. You can buy a set of metal embossing things (dies?) to make the metal plate or tag.