Espresso Yo’self

Pumpkins, spice lattes, and apple cider cocktails are back on the menu as we adjust to work attire sans flip-flops. We’re getting back in the swing preparing for the adventures of autumn. Between updating our home decor, travel, and family commitments, things can get frazzled around the edges if we’re not careful. Let’s temper the fall frenzy while we take care of business by keeping artisan inspiration close at hand. Of course, we have ideas…

Your Secret Stash of Summer - Collect your note cards, photographs, and mementos in a luxurious gift box for a bit of inspiration. When your mood needs a boost, the fun memories are close at hand. The visual display makes them easy to enjoy and share the vibes with visitors.

Espresso Yo’self - Level up your beverage cup when your daily agenda warrants a wake-up call. A unique pattern or a special glaze could be just what you need to perk up a meeting.

Post-Its with Panache - Upgrade your post-its to something with a little more panache. With the colorful graphics and variety of these Little Notes (non stick), to-do’s and requests appear with a festive flair instead of presenting as a pesky reminder.

Re-imagine the To-Go Cup - Breathe deep and relax in the rocking chair, catch up on reading on the window seat or take the office on the road. Look for alternatives to the traditional travel cup, like this hand-thrown ceramic mug that sports a cork lid. No spills, whether your goal is to explore or escape. The lid also keeps your morning java from spilling on that important client folder.

Ride the Wave Into September Celebrations

A few more weekends remain to soak up the sun and take a dip by the water's edge. After a season of hosting happy hours by the beach, patio parties under the summer sky, and floating festivities, your party invite is on everyone's wish list. To finish the season strong, we're sharing a few of our favorite casual yet stylish moments to inspire you, with the help of our friends in the Red & Rugged community. (A hat tip to all who shared photos.)

Here's to riding the waves into a new season of celebrations.

• Table for two? Treat yourself to the easy and elegant style of serving boards as you watch the sunset by the water.

• Sip a flute of your favorite sparkling as you lounge lakeside.

• The door is always open to welcome friends.

• An invitation to mingle with guests is in full bloom on this colorful patio.

• Keep the festive mood rolling by mixing treats and textures on the bar cart.

• Whether it’s shaken not stirred or Margaritaville, a happy hour on the deck, amid fresh flowers and lush greens, is music to our ears.

Feisty at Five

In July, we passed the five-year mark in our business. It's a milestone for the company and as a husband and wife founder team. Looking back on photographs and our weekly emails (This month marks #114 emails, plus the blogs.) reminds us to be proud of the progress. When you're knee-deep in all the things, you forget how much has been accomplished. The list of future goals is long, so we don't spend much time looking behind us. We'll make an exception today and take a moment to share photos from our first year compared to today. Here are three lessons learned, a testament to how things change over time.

1. Partner preferences.

If your significant other, with whom you are in business, tells you they don't want to be involved in “X” (finances, operations, marketing, sales, business), believe them. Don't spin your wheels trying to use your superior persuasion skills only to be frustrated. Take that energy and find an alternative; do it yourself, hire help, ask a colleague, move forward. If your partner changes their mind, great; if they don't, you've already found a solution. For those of us who are more stubborn or persistent :) this lesson took a while to learn.

2. Pause before you proceed.

As designers of handcrafted wood pieces, we like to create new pieces each year to add to our selection. We listen to our clients, look at the Marketplace, consider the trends and go from there. With a talented craftsman at the helm of our workshop, there are many beautiful options to consider. What type of wood, which combinations, what is the price of wood, and how can we make this efficiently in quantity? Creating a brand new design is about a three-month process, from design options to prototypes, evaluations, and final craftsmanship edits. Once the specialty item is declared complete, photos are taken, descriptions written, and content is created for the website.

Creating a new product is not something we take lightly, and it's done with intention and careful consideration. In the early days, we made pieces and posted them online in a much shorter time frame. Then, we'd inevitably determine that a few design tweaks would look even better and allow for a more efficient process. But by that time, all the front office work of descriptions, promotions, pricing, and posting had been done. It's not ideal to backtrack from there. No one is happy to rewind a project at this point.

Today, the process has evolved and allows a window of time between when it's "finished" and when the front office team engages. We let any brand new designs rest on the workshop bench for a time for us to review and discuss. This way, any changes in the design can be done at a reasonable pace; there's no wasted time or money spent before the final version is complete.

3. Sometimes, things don’t go as planned.

In 2020, we wanted to create a holiday card to bring "Joy" to our clients. You may remember there was a U.S. election that year and a global pandemic happening. A big decision was determining when to send the card. Before the election? Is that too early, and people would be distracted? Or later, after Thanksgiving, they'd be swamped with other holiday cards and seasonal events. It was decided that "Joy" was a good thing to send earlier that year rather than wait, so the first week of November was it.

Our cards were meant to be fun and included a tear-off postcard (stamp included) that you could mail to family, friends, or a colleague. Checkboxes and fill-in-the-blanks let the sender personalize the message. Many hours went into the design and handwritten notes on each card. We were excited to send them off, imagining the big smiles of our recipients during such difficult times. Weren't we surprised when people sent us photos of their festive holiday cards arriving in March 2021? Say what? Turns out that the postal service had some machinery removed, and deliveries were impacted that season. All that excitement and debate around the perfect date didn't matter. It wasn't exactly the seasonal impact we had planned, but we like to believe that joy is welcome anytime.

Photos below left to right: The workshop has expanded significantly with tools and ergonomically improved design; we started with two box options, detailed specialty boxes and other pieces have since been added; and the days when “red” was still red, and today.

Notes from a Napkin: Peaks Island & Portland

The crew member opened the gate, and our morning ferry crowd began to shuffle across the dock, past the indoor seating, and up the steps to the top deck where we could take in the view. The buzz amongst the locals was the heat wave with temps climbing into the 90s, documenting the hottest day on record in Maine, or so they said. Looking at the view from the upper deck, the Portland dock scene was spread out before us with its bright red tug boats, ocean vessels, and sailboats navigating the channel between the city, the islands, and the Atlantic ocean. The call of the seagulls, blustery ocean winds, and busy boat traffic were all part of the 18-minute ride to Peaks Island. If your travel plans take you to the coast of Maine, here are some of our highlights from Peaks Island and Portland to consider for your adventure.

Before the ferry departure, just across the street from the terminal, we ordered freshly baked chocolate croissants and blueberry oatmeal scones at The Standard Baking Company. Much to our surprise, we came upon a long line there Saturday morning (yes, we went every day), waiting for 45 minutes to reach the counter. We adjusted our arrival time for the next two days and stood for 15-minutes before ordering. Well worth the wait! Standard Baking on Fore Street is a must-visit for anyone who appreciates fresh bread and delicious baked goods.

Most of our weekend was spent with friends and family on Peaks Island, which is mainly residential. Beautiful homes of all sizes are perched on the waterfront. The annual Peaks Island Road Race kicked off the first day. Each participant in the kids’ run wore the #1 pinned to their shorts and tops as they sprinted around the block, panting, cheering, and yelling at siblings. The more serious 5-mile runners came next. We offered a brief respite from the heat by spraying water across the road at the three-mile marker. The rest of us who didn’t run cheered the racers with another discovery in hand, Rally and Patina beer from the local Austin Street Brewery.

Golf carts are the mode of transportation on Peaks as you wind around the weathered island roads to the Back Bay. Without the mainland and other islands to block the wind, this area feels the full force of the ocean crashing onto the rocks and the wind blowing in from the Atlantic. The raw beauty of mother nature is on display.

Those who venture here from bigger cities are used to scheduling around train times; however, on Peaks Island, residents follow the low and high tides (and the shark sightings). As beach-goers, we set our folding chairs on the rocky sands at low tide, where a few brave souls ventured into the 62-degree water. (I waded up to my ankles and decided that was far enough.) We witnessed a stunning sunset later that evening from the same beach. The sand and rocks we traversed earlier had disappeared under the ocean waves.

On Sundays in the summer, the live jam of reggae music can be heard from the Jones Landing bar and restaurant. It’s a convenient venue immediately off the Peaks Island ferry, with an amazing waterfront lawn. Be sure to put this casual party on your calendar.

After all the food and fun, you may want to hit the Joseph E. Gray Jr. trail just beyond the bustle of Commercial Street in Portland. (The Ocean Gateway visitors building is right before the trail; a good stop for clean, public restrooms.) The paved Gray trail hugs the coastline for miles offering a beautiful view of the water. It’s a place walkers, cyclists, skateboarders, and runners (and dogs) enjoy. Looking out across the ocean one can’t help but dream of the next excursion by the sea.

Photos top row: Sunset from Peaks Island look across at Portland, Ferry arrival at Peaks, festive golf cart, Peaks Island beach. Bottom row: Peaks Island road racers enjoying a cool water spray, Standard Baking, a marina view from the Joseph E. Gray Jr. trail.

Hats Off to Traveling with Ease

When you’re on the go, it’s nice to have a few travel hacks and accessories that are functional and look good while you’re at it. You’ll appreciate this accessory if you’re not a fan of carrying your hats or digging for gloves. It’s an easy addition that’s portable, offers mix and match options, and is hearty enough to trust with your favorite wearables.

This two-piece magnetic leather clip can safely secure your hats or gloves onto your bag for a trip to the ball game, beach, or out for a walk. It makes one less thing to carry, and you can easily access your items. We use it to clip on a sun hat, ballcap, or leather gloves so they’re available without rummaging through bags (or putting them into pockets where one invariably falls out.). The detachable ring clips to backpacks, beach bags, your market tote, or an oversized purse. With different colored metal clips that slide into the leather magnet, you can dress up this accessory by selecting the gold or silver clip for a night out or keep the look subtle with all black. The magnet is available in various shapes, materials, and colors (although it seems the white option is always sold out when we look). Because of its smooth interior, the clip is gentle on delicate materials.

We made a quick video to share how the clip works. Enjoy this simple accessory by Lindsay Albanese to keep your hands free from carrying and available for tasting, sipping, or cheering on your favorite team. If you pick up this “toptote,” let us know what you think, or if you have your own favorite travel accessory, please share at greetings@redandrugged.net. (Note: this is not sponsored content.)

Cottage Charm

When we envision cottage charm, we see alcoves dotted with family gems like carved figurines, engraved keepsakes, and heirloom clocks. We find a photo in an antique picture frame next to a hand-painted treasure. Stepping outside, the gardens and gathering spaces continue the sentiment of delicious details. Reading nooks tucked away in the gardens, porch swings and oversized rocking chairs on the screened-in porch are a few of our favorites. The long days of summer invite us to claim our restful hideaways. Blend the character of old with a hint of new, the antique metals with rich wood, and the vintage with vivid colors to craft your escape.

Create your inspiring enclave:

Follow the pebbled path to an old metal bench and surround yourself with natural color. A new spot for your morning coffee.

Add treasures like a small hand-painted birdhouse to mirror the feeders and fountains in the garden.

Pair a vintage table with a handcrafted serving board to savor the sweets in the summer breeze.

Sneak away on an afternoon break to claim your seat among the wildflowers.

Rolling Residences Add a New Twist to Home Design

Summer vacations are hot on our heels, and modern-day "mobile" homes (#vanlife) are headed toward scenic destinations. As our lifestyles intersect with travel and workations, sports vans and pop-tops are equipped with accessories and custom pieces that add a new twist to artisan home design.

Originally, handcrafted cutting boards began as a kitchen essential for food prep, then evolved into serving boards for home entertainment. Next, what started as a kitchen tool morphed into an option for countertops. The beauty of natural wood gained popularity in kitchen remodels and interior design.

Now, as remote workstations become the norm, vans, RVs, and buses are retrofitted for extended living. That same cutting board concept has taken another turn. This time we're making dual use cutting boards used for meal prep and as custom sink covers, part of custom van conversions. The cutting board continues to have practical use and adds the style of rich wood grain to an already upgraded interior.

Part of the fun of artisan craftsmanship is seeing the different ways a design is used in beautiful and functional forms. The pictures below start in our workshop (left) as the custom cutting board sink cover is made and ends in the “kitchen” of the camper van. Also, a customer’s kitchen countertop, made of individual pieces of rough-cut lumber, is shown on the far right.

This is an example of craftsmanship and creativity leading to three different products (cutting board, kitchen countertop, and van kitchen accessory). There’s a similar look and feel for all, however, each is used in a unique way. We love when our customers take our contemporary artisan pieces and create their own design ideas. You never know where the creative road will take you.

Pop-Up Pizza Oven Party

Updated February 9, 2023

Pop-up pizza parties and ice-cold refreshments are two ways we make the most of the outdoor cooking season. We welcome any opportunity to fire up our portable wood pellet pizza oven. If you’re looking for an excuse to kick off your deck or patio party season, this may be the one.

Two questions to get started, are you adventurous in your culinary skills, and are you a pizza lover? If so, this behind-the-scenes look into cooking pizza in a portable oven is for you. As a result of our periodic Instagram videos (@red.rugged) of Rugged making his pizzas, we get a lot of questions about his homemade pizzas and the Ooni oven. We thought we’d have some fun today answering those questions and share how to fire up the oven and create a delicious experience. Try pepperoni, margarita, or our favorite, homemade pesto sauce topped with thinly sliced Yukon Gold potatoes and fontina cheese finished with a sprinkle of cracked pepper; it’s a tough choice but tasty to sample and select the winner.

You may be curious about this process if you’re already cooking pizzas in the kitchen oven or perhaps on the grill. Rugged graduated to cooking our pizzas in the Ooni portable wood pellet oven, thanks to a friend and fellow pizza maker (Hat tip to Jeff Markham). Here are our tips and tricks to get your mouth watering.

A Heads Up: Clear off some space on your deck or patio to make room for all your new friends. Your pizza-loving buddies will be excited to taste this piping-hot pie.

In preparation:
The process we describe below starts once you’ve made your pizza. Rugged makes his own dough, and each dough ball is ready to roll between pies.

The cooking happens fast, so make sure you have your serving area set up before you begin.

The pizza size matters as your kitchen oven or outside grill is much larger than this oven. The Ooni oven we have (seen here in photos) is for a 12” pizza. (They also have a 16”.) Tip: Because the 12” is small, if you plan to serve a bunch of people, you’ll be making a lot of pizzas. Even when it’s just the two of us, we never make just one pizza :)

You might need a smaller pizza peel because the opening of the pizza oven is not as wide as your kitchen stove or the grill. (The “peel” is the piece with the handle that slides the pizza inside.). We use a 12” peel. Tip: Sprinkle flour onto the wood peel to make the pizza slide on and off easily (this is true for anywhere you use the peel - kitchen oven or grill too).

Once the pizza’s ready, here’s what you need to know for a perfect wood pellet oven pie.

• Speed and agility are essential. This process is not for the slow and cautious chefs.

• Fire up the portable oven to about 900 degrees. It happens quickly (approximately 15 minutes) using a little basket of wood pellets that slides into the back of the oven.

• Use an infrared thermometer to confirm the temperature has reached a red hot 900 degrees. Make sure the thermometer points at the back of the pizza stone inside the oven. (Tip: Be sure you get a thermometer rated for 1000 degrees.) Be patient, don’t start before it hits 900 degrees.

• Stay alert around the back of the oven. When you pop open the front to slide the pizza inside, flames can appear out the back if there’s any breeze. Quite the surprise if you’re not expecting it.

• Once the pizza goes inside the oven, the timer starts. Get ready to pull the pizza out and rotate it a quarter turn every 12-15 seconds. (The back of the oven gets hotter than the front, so these quick turns are essential.) Pull the pizza out, turn it, and pop it back in three more times to ensure the pizza is cooked evenly. If you hear sizzling, it’s probably too late, and it’s burnt.

• Be sure to keep checking the temperature if you’re making multiple pizzas. The wood pellets burn quickly. (We add more pellets between the second and third pizza.)

• Tip: The oven weighs 20 lbs. You’re not likely to store it someplace high if there’s not enough space to keep it outside.

If pizza is the center of attention for most casual evening meals, get ready to enjoy this little slice of culinary heaven!

Wildflowers and Wishful Thinking

We’re exploring colorful and curious combinations this month that exude a note of cheer. How can we sip our morning brew with fresh blooms and artful treasures that make us smile? Let’s celebrate the season with bold tulip colors, a dash of creativity, and artisan plates and cups. While friends hurry to buy their springtime delights, you can find new ways to enjoy the festive pieces you have on hand.

Lift your spirits with sprigs of color. Place flowers arranged in an old whiskey bottle on the bar, tie a colorful ribbon around a glass vase full of daisies, or add stems nestled in a champagne flute to your beverage station.

Feature your plates for more than just dining. Show off your hand-painted wares as a focal point for your cocktail cabinet.

Brighten the garden path or the fish pond with a ceramic vase brimming with florals from your garden or local market.

Combine a cheerful cup with a bloom and bunny to create your hoppy place. A cutting board turned on its end makes a beautiful wood backdrop.

Pair wildflowers with the rich wood grain of a handcrafted box. Display your flowers in unique vases and add them to your handmade box. Here, a bit of birch bark wraps natural texture around a mini glass vase. Changing the greens and flowers in your box of treasures invites you to get lost in your favorite field of flowers each time you admire your collection.

Righteous Babe Founder Sings a Different Tune

During Women’s History Month, we’re featuring stories of artisan innovators and inspirational female leaders. As we celebrate these global go-getters, you’ll see their drive and determination to build businesses and lift others. We hope these stories inspire you to take your next bold step. (Note: We are not sponsored by or affiliated with any of these organizations or businesses.)

We’re finishing on a high note. Today, we bring you the story of the singer, songwriter, Grammy award winner, mother of two, and founder of Righteous Babe Records.

Ani DiFranco has spent decades putting her life experiences to music. She uses music to tell her stories and the stories of others that often go unheard. In 2020, Righteous Babe Records released the debut album of the Prison Music Project, featuring songs co-written by incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals.

A native of Buffalo New York, Ani DiFranco began playing guitar for locals at the age of 9 and songwriting at 14. She left home at the age of 15 after becoming an emancipated minor. Reflecting on those early days, DiFranco shared in a recent Ms. Magazine article, “I feel like…I have been writing myself into existence for thirty years. I came from a place in this world where I felt very small, very disempowered, very discounted, very pushed down, very afraid. I listen to my early songs and I hear songs of survival.”

DiFranco hustled to have her music heard, selling cassette tapes out of the back of her car, on consignment, and handwriting “Righteous Records” (later changed to Righteous Babe Records because of a naming conflict.) on the front of each tape. Scot Fisher, her dedicated business partner and the man who eventually became the President of Righteous Babe Records, worked with DiFranco to self distribute her albums to over 100 indie accounts. After a few years of playing shows, she was finally able to hire friends, and slowly the record label became a reality.

Because of DiFranco’s sizeable female following, she connected with distributors specializing in women’s music. Soon after, her albums began appearing in small music shops and women’s bookstores. In 1995, after the release of Not a Pretty Girl, her music distribution expanded, as did her team to fourteen people. 2001 marked the year Righteous Babe Records opened its European office.

In 2010, another singer-songwriter started volunteering as a performer and teacher at the New Folsom Prison in California. Over the next several years, Zoe Boekbinder began working with incarcerated musicians and songwriters, leading to the Prison Music Project. What started as five songs became nine, and the idea of an album was born. A mutual friend introduced Boekbinder to DiFranco, who committed to distributing the album via Righteous Babe Records.

In 2020, the debut album of the Prison Music Project was released. Co-produced by Boekbinder and DiFranco, Long Time Gone was seven years in the making and included nine songs co-written by incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people.

DiFranco recounts 2020 as one of the busiest for Righteous Babe Records. She released her 22nd album, Revolutionary Love, and Righteous Babe Radio launched.

Outside of music, DiFranco backs grassroots cultural and political organizations and is a vocal activist for LGBTQ rights and racial justice. DiFranco’s willingness to march to a different tune empowers her as a force for positive social change. In her memoir, No Walls and the Recurring Dream, you can read more of Ani DiFranco’s inspiring story.

You might also enjoy these female founder stories:

The Woman Behind the Whisky
Elevating Artisan Entrepreneurs in Guatemala