Hand turned pens, shaving accessories, and more.
Did you get the chance to grab a sample of our new Pedler’s Balm? If so take a minute or two and fill out this quick survey for your chance to win a $25 gift certificate.
All entries need to be submitted before 12:00 AM Pacific Time May 15, 2017. We will be randomly selecting the winner on May 15, 2017. Be sure when filling out the survey that you use a valid email address that you check.
Thanks again for trying the Pedler’s Balm and we look forward to hearing from you.
The rebuilding of the site continues, and it really starting to come together. Honestly, I think that it is shaping up a lot better than it used to be. Currently, we are busily adding items to the inventory of our online Catalog as well as the Etsy Shop. Be sure to check back regularly so that you can see all the great pens, shave products, and other items we have been making.
Along with the Catalog and Etsy Shop, we have been creating and adding items to our Portfolio. You will be able to view many of our past projects.
When we changed our name from Chryspy’s Crafts to the Pen Pedler we figured that the hardest part was going to be getting all the stuff reprinted. Getting new business cards led us on to getting some custom logos made for us over at Fiverr.com, and that was an amazing time working with someone who was able to take the vague descriptions that we gave him and turn them into just what we wanted. Once we had the new logo it kinda inspired us to really just want to put a fresh face on everything. So the next thing to tackle was our website.
The website honestly became just one little thing after another as we kept digging into changing themes so that everything would have a consistent feel to it. It finally got to the point where we were going to spend more time and effort into fixing all the little problems then we would if we just started over. So that’s what we did, one night we backed up most everything that we could and scrapped it. So now we are slowly in the process of rebuilding. 
While the rebuilding of the site is at times overwhelming and a bit tedious, it is also a great chance for us to learn and grow. It has provided a chance to reflect on what we are really wanting to accomplish. We have gained focus and a clearer vision of what we want in the future of The Pen Pedler.
As I have spent time rebuilding the site it has become a metaphor for life. In my life, as with many others, we find ourselves in situations and places where we find it better to start over. To stop and look around and reevaluate if what we are doing is work and what direction we want to proceed. I know that when I am in the middle of those situations that it seems scary, it can be overwhelming to change course and direction, but I can also say that often much good comes of those time and from those situations.
Things are changing around here, and we are pretty excited about it! When Chryspy’s Crafts was started we had no idea where it was going to lead us. At the time we were exploring various creative avenues and wanted a way to share what we were doing with our friends and family. Over time a sense of identity and purpose was found. We are beginning with a name change to better reflect who we have become and where we are going from here.
Did you know that we also can make acrylics in just about any color imaginable? We were recently contacted and asked to come up with a something that incorporated the colors of red and black for a full shave kit. I must admit we were really pleased with how it all came together. This kit features the Delux Stand, a Safety Razor, and the Premium Badger Brush.
https://goo.gl/photos/h2orasPimPNPEee79
So the journey of the Epic Shoehorn has ended for me. It has been sent off to its new home with much anticipation and excitement. The journey was a great one, one that taught me lots, encouraged me to learn new skills and try out new techniques. Not everything went according to plan, but then the best journeys rarely do, in fact, I believe these are the ones that become the most memorable. Often it is these journeys that become our favorites, the ones that are passed along in stories oft begun with the words “Do you remember when…” And so it will be with one also. I will remember when I got to hear the story of how a friendship has grown over of all things a shoehorn.
The Steampunk genre finds its roots in the writings of authors like H.G. Wells, Jules Vern, and the visualization of Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Wikipedia describes Steampunk as:
… a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy literature, but has developed in recent years to become a craft and lifestyle movement that commonly features some aspect of steam-powered machinery. Although its literary origins are sometimes associated with cyberpunk, Steampunk is often inspired by the industrialized Western civilization during the 19th century. Steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the 19th century’s British Victorian era or American “Wild West”, in a post-apocalyptic future during which steam power has maintained mainstream use, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power.
Steampunk has become increasingly popular with its retro-tech stylings and inventive reimaginings of current technology. These Steampunk pens are straight out of Victorian science fiction and the industrialized 19th century. The pen combines flat head screws, riveted design patterns, replica Gatling gun barrels, a Bolt Action mechanism plus a mixture of industrialized Antique copper, pewter and brass finishes.
The best part of these pens can be the barrels. The metal barrels of each of these pens have been hand crafted, and uniquely designed for each person. After they are made each one is individually cast in an optically clear, UV resistant resin that protects the barrels. We are able to add small details like small messages, initials, or even special dates like anniversaries or birth dates.
At the beginning of the year I briefly mentioned that there were 3 new styles of bolt action pens. Well, here is the first one, The Bald Eagle Insignia pen.
The Bald Eagle Insignia found on the Great Seal of the United States of America, the Presidential seal, as well as many U.S. Military insignias, is a symbol of freedom, and the rights enjoyed by citizens of the United States.
The clip has a cast Bald Eagle at the top and the American flag running the length of the clip. To cap it all off the words “God Bless America” are stamped into the cap of the pen.
While the craftsmanship of the metal parts is a first rate, the wood of this pen is what sets it apart as a truly unique pen. This buckeye burl has been stabilized and dyed twice. It is through this double dying process that wonderful swirls and contrasts start to really show up. I love the way that the orange and blacks, and natural yellows mix and swirl around one another. It reminds me a bit of the cosmos. Of a nebula as seen from the Hubble telescope.
This pen is of medium weight, providing a nice heft and writability while not being heavy and weighing your hand down. The total length of the pen is 5-1/4″ allowing it to fit comfortably in a pocket or purse.
Walnuts are one of the world’s oldest foods and have been cultivated for at least 2,000 years. These nutritious nuts have been linked to love and fertility throughout history. Although the exact origin of walnut trees is unknown, Persia is their likely birthplace. English walnut trees were first cultivated in California in 1867. Today, California grows most of the walnuts consumed in North America and two-thirds of the walnuts enjoyed around the world.
Walnuts have been used to symbolize love and fertility and can be found in many wedding traditions throughout Europe. In Italy and France during the Middle Ages, walnuts were given as love tokens. While in Rome and Greece it was customary to serve stewed walnuts at weddings to bless brides and grooms with fertility and good health.Though it sounds painful, it was also traditional for newlyweds to throw walnuts at children attending the ceremony. This walnut tossing custom symbolized that the couple had embarked on a new phase of life, leaving their youth and immaturity behind.
While the Native Americans view the Walnut tree as symbols of clarity and focus, and using our intelligence and mental gifts wisely, and the start of new projects.
In China, pairs of walnuts have traditionally been rotated and played with in the palm of the hand, both as a means to stimulate blood circulation and as a status symbol. Pairs of large, old and symmetrically shaped walnuts are valued highly and have recently been used as an investment, with some of them fetching tens of thousands of dollars. Pairs of walnuts are sometimes sold in their green husks for a form of gambling known as du he tao.
Symbols are something that we use everyday and are often overlooked in our modern life. Symbols have the ability to convey whole thoughts, concepts, or even ways of life. Symbols can elicit great emotions, cause us to rally together in support or to fight against something. Symbols are used everyday to help keep us safe, whether we are on the road driving, walking across the street, preparing food. Symbols help us to identify one another and the groups that we belong to. Symbols can be powerful and thought provoking.
Just take a second and look around you and see all the symbol around you. From company logos, to the ring on your finger. Each one these symbols can and does convey far more than just the literal meaning itself. One of the most common is a wedding ring. What does it mean to you? Is just the metal and possible jewels that make it up, or does it signify much much more to you? What about the parts of the ring the metals that it was made from, the stones that were chosen. Each of the elements can further change, and reinforce the symbolism of the ring.
In the not so distant past, we used to take these sort of things into consideration. Giving a bouquet of flowers wasn’t just something nice we would do, but it would hold a whole message within. If you receive a red rose, do you see it as a symbol of passion and love, or is it just a pretty flower that smells nice? Did you know that if you receive a yellow tulip that they are saying they are hopelessly in love with you? What if you were to receive rhododendrons with marigolds? To learn more about the meanings of different flower you can start by visiting this page from aboutflowers.com.
Just as with the flowers the symbolism of the materials used for a pen or other items can raise it from being just pretty to having value that will last for generations. The type of wood, the color, the metal, the style of the pen all of these individual elements all combine together to form something greater than the individual parts. The gestalt of the item.
So you might be wondering just where it is that I am going with all this, well, I am going to start posting about the various woods that I am working with. Their histories, legends, cultural significance, all the interesting (well at least interesting to me) tidbits that I am learning. Sure, sometimes I have chosen a wood because it looks awesome, others I have sought out because of where they come from. One thing that is for sure is that as I have spent time on the internet researching wood each one is very unique and a great story to tell.