Lots of new stuff!

It has been a while since I've posted here. Thankfully only two or three people (and my dog Kelty, who I read the posts to before publishing them) have noticed that, and you guys have been kind enough in allowing me time to get my thoughts together. Ok. None of that is true. Truth is, the dog only pays attention to me if there is some possibility of getting food. And there is nobody who has said "Geez, Owen, when will you be updating your blog?"

I had great intentions of getting the blog in order. I was going to write serious, scholarly articles and contribute my tiny bit of knowledge to the universal database of pottery techniques. Then, the Christmas holidays ended, and I had orders to fill, and had to get back into the studio.

In February I started a blog post on mug handles and how I've arrived at a handle that I really like, and that people like, and how it took me years to figure out what kind of handle really works on a mug, and I never finished the post. I happen to own two mugs made by a very well known potter who has written a well known book on functional pottery, and I took pictures of his mugs to show that his handles are really, um, disfunctional, in my humble opinion. I was going to take him on! But I didn't finish the post. I've just realized that the reason I did not finish the post is that I have started too many things. And I'm in the middle of too many things, and I'm finding that I just want to get these projects, as I like to call them, turned into reality, and then do more new stuff. (I will finish and publish the post on handles one of these days, I promise.)

Just after New Year's, I signed up for a Pilates class. It's twice a week, at noon, and each class is an hour long. It has been tough for me, and way out of my comfort zone, and because of that I've stuck with it. (Best time I've ever had in my life was in my early twenties, traveling alone in Mexico, completely and totally out of my element yet somehow that forced me to be open to everything I was seeing and experiencing. The closest experience I've had to this recently was watching the movie "Slumdog Millionaire" in the theater.) And in the 3 months since I started Pilates, I've realized that this is the best thing I've done for myself and my body in a very long time. So until the nice weather really arrives here, (which can be in July, seriously) I'll be doing Pilates, then switch to get as many bike rides in as possible before cold weather arrives next fall, damn her.

My 19 year old son and I have signed up for a bike tour at the end of June. It'll be super, I've gone on two tours before with this company, which is run by two very good friends, and a lot of the people who I have met on those tours go every year. It's like a family reunion, except that you genuinely like everyone there. Anyhow, twice a week my son and I meet at lunch at the gym and do a spinning class. We'll switch to real riding every chance we get to get on the roads.

So, I'm doing okay in the physical fitness department.

I hired a web design programmer at the very end of 2008 to update Mug Revolution's website. This has taken a lot of time, and quite frankly has been somewhat frustrating in that it is taking forever to get done, and I'm used to being able to do all the updates by myself. However, the site is now relaunched, looks really good, and the list of things to fix keeps getting smaller, so that's a good thing. [edit, 12/09-I had to fire this guy in June! No, I did not fire him in my kiln, though truth be told there were times I would have liked to, sad to say. Bad, bad experience. But I am super thrilled with the new site my new developer created. It is getting high praise indeed!]

So, that's 3 new things. What else?

I've got several mug related things that get on the list:

• a new glaze color (earthtones), soon to be announce on the site
  
• a new "Bend, Oregon" mug
  
• a new "Love mug"
  
• a new, small, 8 oz. mug
• a new product line, soup mugs
• a new "Mother's Day" mug
• and, potentially, beer steins. Sample steins look awesome and I may add them to the product list on the website.

And today, I had a new, wider door installed in the studio. This is the door from the studio to the kiln area, and for years I've had to do acrobatics to carry boards filled with mugs through the narrow door, and back through the door when the firing is done, always worrying that I'll bump the board and drop it. It's never happened, but I've always had that worry. So, I hired a contractor and today was the day. So glad it's done, and looks good!

Sheesh! That's a lot of new stuff. I didn't mention that I've joined a business group and also have been taking a class at our community college for small businesses. (Wait...I just did mention that. I should have started that sentence with "I should mention...". Had I done so, I would have not had to clarify the use of the word "mention," and potentially piss off the two people who might chance upon this blog and read it. It is a dangerous business, this blogging. Live and learn, eh? It'll never happen again.)

'Nuff said for now. I'll be back soon. I'll be super pleased to hear your comments on the new, improved, and shinier website, how your life is going, and your observations on the current state of mug technology.

All the best! Owen

I thought it would be slow after Christmas

I really did. Last year I was pretty busy in January, but I had a thought in the back of my mind that maybe this year would start off slow because of the bad news we keep hearing about the economy. However, two of my regular customers placed nice sized orders, two new customers placed a nice sized orders, I have orders that were placed on the website since Christmas, and all of a sudden I'm swamped. 

A lot of good stuff is going on, too. KPOV, Bend's community radio station, placed an order for logo mugs, and I will be getting some local underwriting spots broadcast a couple of times a week. I'm interested to see if I get any business as a result of this. 

At any rate, a short post this time--but better to post good news than no news at all, right?

OK, everyone, all the best until next time.

Owen

A Revolutionary Year For Mug Revolution

It is the last day of 2008, and as I look back on it, a very successful year for Mug Revolution.

Paw Print Mugs and Baby Handprint Mugs

At the end of 2007, I had had a frantic but rewarding ten weeks leading up to Christmas. The local paper had published a story about my business which made my phone ring off the hook, and brought me a lot of local orders, especially for the Paw Print mugs. Because of the interest in the Paw Print mugs, I was inspired to create a kit that allowed Mug Revolution to sell the Paw Print mugs online starting earlier this year. A few folks inquired about the possibility of using the Paw Print kit to make baby hand or footprint mugs...aha!-how interesting!...and soon we will be adding a new product to our line up of mugs.

Finally, I Can Relax!

I had truly thought that once holiday orders were filled in December 2007 that my business would slow down, and I was looking forward to a break. At the time I was working full time in a printing company, and the thought of having early mornings, evenings, and weekends free was wonderful--but it turns out it was just a thought. 

A few orders had come in after Mug Revolution had either sold out or the cutoff date for the order to be filled in time for Christmas had passed. So, after a nice break to celebrate and relax with family and friends, I got back into the studio to finish the orders and get my inventory of stock mugs back up, thinking that I'd be able to take a break for a couple of months after the firing was done. Once I started making mugs, more orders came in--some of my local customers needed more mugs, more online orders came in, and pretty soon all of the kiln space for mugs was filled up, and I could only fit in a few stock mugs. This pattern repeated itself all year long, much to my surprise. I never did make as many mugs for stock as I wanted to, and in fact sold out of them in early December. 

The Power of the Web

In June an online order came in for a couple of Paw Print kits and mugs. Noticing that the customer lived locally, I phoned to say that if she could come to pick up the kits and the mugs I would not charge her shipping and handling fees. She told me that she hadn't realized that we lived in the same town, and that she had been looking at mugs for her company's Christmas gifts later in the year, but saw the Paw Print mugs and got sidetracked. A month or so later, when she came to pick up her order, she said that she would be in touch soon to get a quote for her company's mugs. Well, I got the job, and made them over 250 custom mugs. They were very pleased and mentioned more than once that this was the best gift they had ever given...the folks who got them were really happy to have such a nice mug. 

It occurred to me, all of a sudden, sometime during the time I was working on this order, that I never would have had a chance to know about the order unless I had a website. Even though Mug Revolution is in the same town as this company, the first thing they did to find handmade coffee mugs was to Google it. So, folks, if you don't have a website, get one. Best money you'll ever spend for your business.

Finally, I'm  A Full Time Potter!

On October 1st of this year, I was thrilled to be able to start a new phase in my professional life-that of a full time potter. Since getting into clay and quickly getting hooked in 1988, I've always dreamed of doing this. Now that it is a reality, I feel like the luckiest guy on the block. 

A few months ago I had a few improvements made on my studio and hired Tim, a contractor we've worked with a few times over the years as we've done bigger projects on the house. I told him that I didn't know exactly when it would happen, but I was within a year or less of being a full time potter. Tim looked at me and said "A lot of people will be telling you how lucky you are to be a full time potter." I said something to the effect that I would be feeling lucky if, in fact, my dream did come true. Tim said, "They probably won't have any idea how hard you have worked over the years to make this happen. In my view there's not much luck involved. You worked for it, and you deserve the chance to be able to do it!" 

I've thought about this from time to time, and you know, he's right. It's a lot of work. Those of you who have started a business know exactly what is involved. But it's more than that, and it doesn't always feel like work. It's being able to do what you are passionate about, to pour all of your energy into something that you believe in. 

It sure makes Monday mornings a lot easier! Happy New Year, everyone. I wish you all the very best for 2009.