davebrethauer

Eclectica - Memphis, Tennessee

I really enjoyed my visit to Memphis, especially my time at Eclectica (a gigantic stamp and scrapbook store owned by Rhonda, left, and Ellen, on the right)! I taught two workshops on a very hot afternoon, while Monica and the kids explored the city a bit. Eclectica had a huge inventory of stamping and scrapbooking supplies, as well as a spacious classroom area for classes and crops.

What really struck me was how organized the store was - they had created several boards of Memory Box die cut samples, for example, over the die section, to show customers how all of the dies looked once cut out. Here's a few:

The two "bows" shown above are the dies from the 98197 Crisp Bows pack.

This swirling snowflake line is the 98171 Frosty Border

They combined two dies beautifully here, the 98191 Grapevine Wreath and the 98160 Perched Reedbird. Don't they look great together? The wreath can be decorated with all sorts of things!

 The Bianca Snowflake (98193) is super-intricate, and cuts out every little detail (hint, use a piece of wax paper between your die and cardstock when running everything through your die cut machine - it will make the paper release easier).

There were plenty of Memory Box samples around the store, including the Orchid stamp (G1718) above. Tons of beautiful ideas to get you going, so be sure and stop by!

We left that day thinking about ribs, coconut cream pie and duck parades (didn't see the duck parade, so I'll have to go back!) - and loving Memphis. We couldn't have had a nicer time! We did receive a "hot tip" on a cupcakery (that's a cupcake bakery you know) called Muddy's, but unfortunately had to leave too early and they hadn't opened up (even when the 4 of us stared through the shop window!) - will have to report on that one in another class tour!

My Heart's Fancy - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

I was finally able to connect a face to a voice when I made it to My Heart's Fancy in Oklahoma - I've talked to Lisa (on the left) for many years now - she's been an active Memory Box supporter forever and always seems to have a Memory Box class going. Here she is with Maura (right), who I also got to meet for the first time. Together, they run a beautiful shop with a well-edited selection of stamps, papers and embellishments.

Oklahoma was definitely the hottest stop on our trip - the weather was well into the 100's while we were there! On a tip from one of the students at the workshop, Monica took the kids to Pop's to cool off and try a soda from their HUGE collection of carbonated beverages (over 500 flavors of soda pop). Cooper got "Brainwash" soda - which dyed his mouth bright blue for an entire day (he loved it).

Lisa does some amazing projects for classes in the store - metal and alcohol inks sparkled on this beautiful project.

I really liked their displays of trays that held all the components to be used on a sample project - really convenient if you are interested in making a project on display.

It was a full day of classes at the shop - from 10 in the morning until 9 at night! It was great connecting with people at the store - everyone has been so friendly on the trip - so teaching classes is so much fun, it's not even work. 

If you are lucky enough to be in the Oklahoma City area, check out their store!

 

A Break at the Farm

We stopped in Wray, Colorado for a day and 1/2 break at my aunt and uncle's farm after we left New Mexico. Picturesque, peaceful and full of the Brethauer humor - the acreage is filled with flowers, animals and happy memories. My Aunt Ann and Uncle Steve have hosted many a gathering here at their farm and have always made every single visitor feel special and taken care of - it was a perfect break before continuing with the tour.

Note the sign on the old manure spreader - my uncle is hilarious!

The dogs were thrilled to stretch their paws - and make some new friends. They hadn't had a yard to run around in for weeks! Kip is playing with Shorty on the left and Biscuit is staying is still as possible as Sassy checks her out.

Isn't this a special place? I usually walk around the grounds for a good hour or so each morning we stay here, there are all sorts of little places to linger. Blooms poking through little fences, antiques here and there - Ann has a beautiful design aesthetic and Steve keeps the farm well maintained (a lot of work for such a huge place!).

And look at the vegetable garden - a bounty of food each summer with acres of corn in the background.

And the Brethauer tradition of eating sweets is alive and well here at the farm! Ann (along with cousins Jenna and Kelsey) baked a couple dozen Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting (maybe they'll open a bakery?).

Can you tell that they were drizzled with a little caramel sauce?

Delicious - and special served here on my Grandmother's china.

These were truly inspired and we ate them until we were stuffed - our trip to the farm was complete.

Bakeries of America - {Real Food Nation} Santa Fe, New Mexico

We are still talking about the breakfast tacos at this gem of a bakery/restaurant (and supper club!) in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We discovered Real Food Nation just as the sun was rising above the hills and we were the first to dive into their cinnamon rolls that morning - and enjoyed the place so much that we ordered a full breakfast. Organic ingredients are sourced as locally as possible, and the veggies come right from the farm in back of the property!

We visited with the kitchen staff outside while they harvested beets, kale, chard and cabbage for the dishes to be made that day. From farm to table in a few minutes - can't get fresher than that!

It took only a few minutes after the place opened for a line to form - this place was popular among the locals.

Isn't the garden growing out in front amazing?

This is another example of a beautifully done local business - where the owner has a vision and it carries throughout the property, food and even the artwork!

On a side note, Monica and I noticed that certain stops (mainly the ones associated with baked goods) were more popular with Emma and Cooper. The stops that had an educational edge to them were a little less exciting - nevertheless, we did our best to expose them to some things that hopefully they'll take with them forever. We stopped by the Hoover dam, which was quite amazing - I told them about the amazing feat of structural engineering, the crazy amounts of concrete, how it helped nearby populations, how it effected the environment, etc. Of course, they let me know how boring it was, but maybe some day they'll appreciate it (smile).

By the Numbers

I thought I'd share with you some of the numbers involved with preparing for and running a 2 month class tour today! Surely this has been the biggest tour yet and there was so much involved with making sure it ran efficiently! I have a terrific team that I work with (all the staff back in Seattle as well as my family who have helped with the tour) and I could not have done all this without them!

Number of cards prepared for the tour = 5,750 cards

Number of miles driven once the tour is over = approx. 13,000 miles

Number of states driven through = 31!

Number of times we ate at Chipotle on the road = 21 times!

Number of hotels we stayed at = 28 (we started getting mixed up on our room numbers!)

Highest daytime temp on the trip (Oklahoma) = 107 degrees

Lowest daytime temp on the trip (Connecticut) = 72 degrees

Number of polar bear shirts for me to wear at class = 5

I put that last item on there because I've had several people wonder if I am wearing the same shirt throughout the entire tour! We bought extra just in case we weren't near a washing machine!

We led our kids to believe that this was a "vacation", but it didn't take very long before they realized that it was a LOT of work. Moving stamps and dies in and out of hotels and stores and prepping kits along the way, keeping up with inventory levels back in Seattle, updating the websites and blogs and traveling up to 10 hours per day - this has been the Brethauer family's biggest adventure ever!

Can't wait to share more of the trip - stay tuned!

 

Stamp On Over - Sunnyvale, California

It was a terrific day of workshops at Stamp On Over in Sunnyvale, California (see the students above doing some serious concentrating as they work on their projects) - workshops ran from 10 in the morning until 9 that night! 

I had lots of help from Charlene all day long, setting up in between workshops and keeping me going. Thanks so much Charlene, I couldn't have done it without you!

There was a nice class space in the store which we filled to capacity, and everyone painted and colored throughout the day (see the photo above of one student's creations).

There were tons of Memory Box samples in the store - including the "fleece Navidad" sample (Fleece Navidad B1815, Puffy Sheep C1812 and the Ringed Buckle Die 98186).

The Tree Silhouette (E1302) stamp looked beautiful on this simple greeting above ...

... and the Brilliant Tree F1332 sparkled with jewels and lots of color on another card.

And look at what someone did with the butterfly dies! These were just stunning! A very talented person stopped by during class to show me these butterfly creations that she had been working on (maybe she'll teach a class at Stamp On Over?). The Selena Butterfly Die (98159) and the Maribelle Butterfly Die (98156) were layered together to create these beautiful collage cards.

I'm not sure which I like better - the butterfly with the rainbow background or the one with the washi paper. They are both so beautiful! It's always a treat to see what other people do with the products I create!

SInce the day was full, and we had to leave bright and early the next day to start our drive West towards more stores, I was unable to visit a bakery in the area (sad!). But I did get a "hot tip" on a bakery to try next time! So if you are in the area, I suggest you try Dick's Bakery in San Jose. When I asked if there were any bakery recommendations in the area, no less than 10 people said,

"The Burnt Almond Cake at Dick's in San Jose. You can't eat just one slice!!". Can't wait to try it next time I'm in the area!

 

Bakeries of America - {Miette} San Francisco, California

Ahhh, Miette.

We discovered this gem of a bakery a few years ago and have been making it a required stop every time we pass through the San Francisco area. For those of you who have taken my classes and heard me speak of French Macarons - this is the place to get them. They don't worry about turning the Macarons (not Coconut Macaroons by the way, which are much different) to neon shades of pink and yellow and blue - they just focus on making the sandwich cookies crisp and light as air, and the filling in between creamy and delicious. After I ate about a dozen of these tasty morsels, I took a picture with one of the staff, Kelsey, who laughed at how much we bought at the bakery (I think we ate our weight in cupackes that day!).

There's candy and baked goods in the pastel colored store - and everything is so well edited. Only the best of the best in here - and Miette is known for it's high quality products. I love it when an independent store creates an entire shopping experience - from the wallpaper to the glass dishes for display.

We try something new every time - they have lots of niche brands of candy, caramels and chocolates, as well as their own specialty items, like the meringue rosettes.

And if you love pattern and design - the beautiful packaging on the candy is just as wonderful as the candy itself! All of the delicious goodies are perfect for special occasions!

This, I think, is a room I'd like to have in my house! Wouldn't it be great to have a room that you could walk into and have color coordinated glass jars of candies arranged on shelves on a wall. And look at the assortment of French Macarons on jars in the foreground - chocolate, hazelnut, pistachio, lemon - and on some days, they'll offer handmade cotton candy flavored with seasonal fruit!

Be sure and save room for their cakes - including their beautiful and out-of-this-world cupcakes.

If you're not close enough to Miette for a visit, you can check out their book of recipes. I picked up a copy and can't wait to try things out when I get back to Seattle! Read the info on their book page - there were a few measurement errors printed in the book, but there is a list of corrections that is easy to use to make necessary changes (having written a few books myself, I know that getting all of those details exactly correct can be a little overwhelming for author and editor!).

The Cat's Meow - Oakhurst, California

We arrived in this mountain resort town on a hot and dry sunny day to find the most charming shop and shop owners at the Cat's Meow.

"Bring the dogs in, so they don't get hot!", Sharon said right away!

Sharon is not only the owner of the Cat's Meow, but also the head of the county SPCA- and you can see she has a soft spot for animals, including the two store cats that she kept in the back while our dogs toured the air conditioned store. Sharon also organizes a terrific annual stamping workshop, called the Great Yosemite Stamp Escape, that is wildly popular. The event is famous, and draws students from all around the globe!

Here I am with Sharon (left) and Melissa (on the right), who helped me set up and change out 3 sessions of students (51 wonderful people!) throughout the day. She provided pizza for students in between classes, which was a treat, and everyone felt quite welcome and taken care of.

Here's one of our Halloween samples in the store - we used the Locina Buckle die (98184) to embellish some black ribbon.

Sharon had lots of amazing ideas in the store - check out what she did with our Flowering Christmas Tree die (98195)! She cut the tree out of dark green paper and bright red paper, then cut the flowers out of the red paper and layered things together. Some sparkly jewel stickers finished things off!

I saw this sample and was blown away! It is our Arboscello Tree die (98155) and they drew in tiny lines over the branches for texture! The glitter glue on the leaves looked so beautiful!

Our Running Monkey (B1734) was on a card trying to "catch" some little butterflies.

As we were getting ready for class, one of our dogs decided to monitor the students, just in case things got a little unruly!

On a side note, I do get to meet a lot of interesting people when I go on these trips. Most of the students have stamping as a hobby and some students have stamping as a form of stress relief and creative play, to balance out their busy lives. I did meet a sweet person at class, who designed the robots that are on Mars right now (no joke!) and she filled us in on the latest news about the mission. As she was sharing with us updates of how some of the robots' wheels were getting stuck in the Martian sand, and the pride her team felt knowing that the robots had lasted much longer on their mission than anyone anticipated, I thought about how the simple process of "coloring" connects people from all walks of life.

After the sessions had ended, we restocked the store from the van (Memory Box on Wheels!) and chatted with Sharon and Melissa. Sharon let the cats, Peachy and Mittens (above, with Monica, notice his 7 toes!), out of the backroom. As soon as the dogs saw the cats, there was a 30 second dash through the store, as cats ran for their lives, dogs chasing and growling, and Monica and I trying to grab our dogs that were tearing around fixtures at 90 miles per hour!

As soon as the dogs figured out the the cats were as big (maybe bigger) than they were, things settled down and peace was restored. Sharon, lover of all animals, wasn't worried, and the cats found spots to lay up on the counter, out of the reach of curious little dogs.

County Purr Farms - Carson City, Nevada

It was my very first visit to County Purr Farms and also my first time meeting Donna Jean, the super creative owner of this big store in Carson City. Her store is half stamp/scrapbook products and half class space - which makes teaching a breeze!

She has decorated the store with lots of projects for inspiration - so many more than I can share with you here. Donna Jean has her own work space in the store where she conjures up these creative masterpieces and it was like seeing an art studio in operation!

A few of the projects are an homage to the artist herself, including the beautifully decorated and framed initial "D" and an altered clipboard.

The recipe box with the glittered spoon was definitely an eye-catching project!

I was there for an afternoon and evening, teaching inside the store while the sun beat down and the wind blew outside - which was a good way to beat the heat!

A funny story about the trip to get there - 

We had dropped the kids off in Palo Alto for tennis camp at Stanford (they were the only kids there from Seattle, and really stood out with their pale skin!) and then drove back over the mountains to spend the night in Reno.

Halfway, we stopped at a grocery store to stretch our legs and walk the dogs. I opened up the cooler in the back of the van to get a peach for a snack (we had stopped by a roadside stand near Chico, CA and picked up a flat of peaches - not thinking that eating a flat of peaches might take awhile!). I noticed that some of the peaches were getting too soft, so I pulled them out of the cooler and set them down near our luggage, to throw out. It was about this time that Monica needed some help with the dogs, so I closed the back of the van and didn't think any more about it. We drove for another couple hours and arrived in Reno, exhausted from a long day of driving. Our dog Kip was so tired of riding that he hopped out of the van once we got to the hotel and hid in a bush (and would not come out!). Picture me climbing into the middle of a giant evergreen shrub, 100 degrees out, and the hotel staff watching and wondering what in the world I was doing! After rescuing Kip, we went to the hotel room, ate dinner and went to sleep.

The next morning, we got up and went down to unload the van and get ready for classes. I tried to open the back of the van and it was stuck shut. I thought the lock was jammed so I unlocked the van several times. The door didn't budge.

Finally, I yanked as hard as I could and the door came open. The soft peaches that I had set out to be tossed had been smashed into the door, and had spread out and then cooked in the heat of the van. In other words, I made peach jam. I didn't try it, but I'm sure it was delicious! And as you might guess, the recipe is easy!