Out of Our Hands Gallery - fine handcrafted creations

We are so proud to be part of Emmaus! Often we hear how much people enjoy the small-town feel, mostly due to the number of small independently-owned businesses that add to the charm.

Support them this holiday season! (more…)

Jon Parker is not just your typical carpenter. His passion for conserving and breathing new life into lumber makes him an ecologist. His use of historical artifacts to re-purpose into new items makes him a preservationist. His original designs and creative prove that he’s a true artist. And somehow with his many talents, he remains one of the most humble and down-to-earth people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.

We are extremely happy to include him as a member of our talented team, and we take great pride in having him as our featured artisan. Take a moment and get to know Jon Parker…he’s really one in a million.

OOOH:  How would you describe the craft you work in? What sets your items apart from other artisans?

JP: I design and build unique woodcraft from recycled lumber and salvaged logs. Many times the found wood has an aged patina that cannot be duplicated using new lumber.

OOOH:  How long have you been crafting? Have your interests and materials changed over the years?

JP: I started as a young boy making my own toys with wood from salvaged vegetable and fruit crates. The warmth and organic character of wood have never lost their charm.

OOOH: Typically, what steps do you take when working with reclaimed wood to enhance its beauty?

JP: I choose the most beautiful or interesting “face” of each board for the outside surface, carefully join the parts, progressively sand to enhance the grain and figure, and carefully finish to achieve a soft “hand”. (more…)

The latest edition of Lehigh Valley Style, a gorgeous and always beautifully designed magazine, has given props to our little town of Emmaus. Though there have been numerous blurbs in the past mentioning us in the past (usually highlighting a specialty shop in town), this time we’ve got a FULL ARTICLE! My heart swells with pride like a proud parent. Give it a quick read, go ahead (starts on page 45 on the Ezine)!

Though written to be informational and to comment on the town as a whole, I wish they would have gone into all the wonderful businesses we have to offer. People JUST. DON’T. KNOW. It boggles my mind when a customer comes in and says, “I’ve lived in Emmaus for X-amount of years, and never stepped foot in any of the shops.” Sometimes they live a block away! It makes me cry at night. Okay, that’s a little dramatic.

But still…residents of the Valley often go to Bethlehem for the specialty shops they love to browse and purchase in, when really what they are looking for may be right in their backyard (literally). Even if a store doesn’t carry the things you need and just gotta have at that very moment, please do yourself a favor and just go to look. Meet the owners and sales associates. You probably know them. Or if you don’t actually know them, you’ll leave the store feeling like you just chatted with a friend. We’re very welcoming here in this little charming town.

Thank you, Lehigh Valley Style, for giving us that shout-out. We really appreciate your kind words encouraging readers to check it out!

And please keep ALL of our businesses in mind when you’re gearing up for the holidays. I promise you’ll enjoy discovering what we have to offer.

Continuing with my themed blog idea, Bloggin ‘Bout Blogs, which I last wrote one back in August (sheesh, has it really been THAT long?!?!)…I would like to add to my amazing-blogs-that-you-must-read list: IndiePA.com!

I was actually embarrassed that I had never heard of it before. Then I realized it’s somewhat new, and then I gave myself a pat on the back for being so up-and-coming. {I like to think I know a few things about handmade crafts in Pennsylvania, although it’s a continuously growing beast of information that I will never fully conquer.} I actually happened upon it on one of my clicking adventures while catching up on another of my faves: HandmadeinPA.

What you’ll find on IndiePA, aside from their blog articles, is a directory of independent artists from all over PA. It organizes them by area or medium, and they even throw in a category for Indie Markets (one of my favorites in the Lehigh Valley is Indiemade Craft Market, which takes place in June and December each year). Because the directory/blog is still in the building stages, some of the information is not complete…but we totally see the potential for an explosion of information and exciting things in the near future!

If you’re an independent artist from PA, then submit your work and bio…NOW!!! It’s free, and who knows what doors it will open for you!

We are also honored to be one of IndiePA’s newest sponsors. Check out our new ad on their sidebar!

*** If you’re on our email list, this may look familiar. We’re re-posting this with a clickable link to take you directly to the coupon, in case someone NOT on our mailing list would like to also partake.  Feel free to share. ***

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO OUR COUPON:

http://mim.io/0e0821?toolbar=promotions%2Ftoolbar_preview

Dad’s a special guy. He checks the oil level in your car, kills the icky spider on your wall, and barbecues like a pro. Don’t forget him on his special day…because though he seems like the toughest guy in the world, a thoughtful gift from his kid is sure to melt his heart.

Remember when a “handmade gift” was a doodle of Dad on construction paper, complete with huge muscles and a goofy smile? Now that you’re grown, that may not go over so well. Our gallery carries beautifully handmade items, and though not made by you with blood, sweat, and crayon…he’ll appreciate the handcrafted beauty all the same.

Bring our coupon in between June 1st and June 19th and save 10% on your gift for Dad…or if he’s already got his eye on a Kegerator, then feel free to use the coupon for
any purchase over $20.

Keep an eye out for our weekly sales…we’ll be posting them on Facebook and our website. Each week we’ll offer a discount on items that are featured during that time (for example, pottery items). No coupon is necessary for the discount…it’s an automatic percentage off at our register.

Thanks as always for supporting our gallery and the amazing local talent that we have the pleasure of representing. Keep in mind that our merchandise is always changing because our super-creative artisans are always hard at work…so if you haven’t taken a peek in a while, it’s worth stopping by to say hello and to see what’s new. We’d love to see you again!

As a person who has dedicated quite some time to an education degree, as well as a daughter of a retired teacher, I’m quite aware of the pure dedication every type of teacher puts into their job. Even with a tiny little peanut of my own, who is really only in a pre-toddler class **insert Mommy gush here**, I’m incredibly thankful to her teachers that give her love and guidance every single day.  They often go un-thanked. Don’t forget them at the end of the school year!

Since your kid’s teacher has put a handmade touch on your child’s education, why not go with a handcrafted gift to show him/her your appreciation? (more…)

We love pottery.  Our customers love it too.

Although, it’s a fact (at least here at OOOH) that pottery sells WAY better in the fall/winter.  Customers picture wrapping their hands around a beautifully-glazed mug of cocoa.  They imagine a bubbling hot pie coming out of the oven in a vibrant pie plate.  They smell the stick-to-your-ribs mac n’ cheese baking in their uniquely designed casserole dish.  It’s not often that the average customer decides to purchase pottery in the blazing hot summer.

Well!  I’m here to tell you that our pottery, especially our traditional glazed stoneware by Monica and Ray Sommerville (the artisans that we’re featuring), most certainly has a use for many of your spring and summer needs.  Here are some (exquisite, if I do say so myself) photos of how to put your pottery to good use during these seasons.  Please enjoy…I’ve taken time to let you know exactly how I envisioned each piece being used.  Maybe it will inspire some pottery sales for us. (more…)

One of our beloved artisans, Kathy Dries (who lives right in our town of Emmaus!) has created a stand-out collection of children’s accessories that truly belongs in fashion magazines. These gorgeous floral items (hats, pins, hair clips, headbands) compliment her adorable vintage pillowcase dresses, and their brilliant colors and textures are certainly appropriate for the upcoming spring weather! We’re happy to present this artist interview to show just what inspires Kathy’s line of beautifully crafted accessories. Stop by to see them in person…they are a delight!

OOOH:  How would you describe the craft you work in? What sets your items apart from other artisans?

KD: I do several types of crafts mostly needle arts and floral to decorate my home. Right now I am continuing to do knitting – something my grandmother taught me when I was a girl. I resumed my interest in knitting about 10 years ago when all the beautiful Italian yarns became available and I made many scarves. Since then I have followed the trends and have quite a stash of yarn. I love to add beads to my work. I also had an aunt who taught me to sew as a girl and I have made clothes, learning to smock when my own girls were little. I think I also made every Disney Princess costume for Halloween. Although my girls are grown and I am not yet a grandmother, I still love to make fancy things for little girls – hence the vintage pillowcase dresses and fabric roses. (more…)

As a gallery manager I have many hats each day…the “face” of the store, the customer service expert, the display and decorating whiz, the engaging and charming blogger *sarcasm*…but many of our customers do not know a huge perk to my job description, and that is to build wonderful relationships with the artisans.  I must say that our group of talent continually surprises me with their inventiveness, but it’s astounding how humble they truly are.  Truly.  And it’s so surprising to find that because they are literally oozing with creativity…they have every right to have big-head syndrome.  I am always in awe.

We have lots of artisans that have been working with their craft for many years, but we have some that do it as a side-passion or have less experience.  Many times pricing comes up as a HUGE question…”Just what do I charge an interested customer for something I put my blood, sweat, and tears into?”  It can be daunting to overcharge for your work…but even scarier to UNDERcharge. (more…)

We first wanted to pass on our heartfelt sympathies to the friends and family of David Heard. Though we had never met David, his mission to give others symbols of hope in the form of a beautiful origami crane has inspired us greatly.

Our paper folding event that was planned for this Sunday, February 13th from 11am-2pm will still be taking place.  We will be folding as many cranes as we can in David’s name in order to be donated to the National Crane Project.  Though it will be most appropriate for children ages 7-14, all are welcome.  THIS IS A FREE EVENT…paper and snacks will be provided, but any paper donations would be greatly appreciated.  Our talented origami artisan, Karen Gualtieri, will be here to demonstrate folding for those who are beginners. (more…)

We like our earth. Therefore, at our gallery we are always making attempts to be more eco-friendly, and this year I’ve made our resolution to be even more proactive at it.

Things we’ve done so far:

• Updated our lighting and are almost all converted over to those funny-looking curvy bulbs that use less energy.  We also turn off lights when customers are not browsing. (more…)

My mom and I agree…yesterday was a good day.  And it had nothing to do with sales.

We had appointments with two wonderful artists scheduled…each had completely different work, but both were a pleasure to meet and to view their wonderful items.  It  got me thinking about all the different types of individuals we have that are interested in our gallery.  Like snowflakes, no two are alike…but I must admit that in my mind I  rank them.  Professionalism and how well they represent themselves do come first…and then I consider their talent. (more…)

It’s a question that we’re asked at least once a day.  Though I feel it’s slightly forward to ask about such things, I have to remind myself that when a customer asks about our sales it is usually because they’re concerned about one of the small-town shops that they know and love.  But just an FYI, it stings a little less when the customer asks about our sales when they are actually buying something.

Though I feel put on the spot a bit when someone is inquiring about the amount of money coming in, I do know it’s probably on everyone person’s mind.  It’s totally normal to be curious.  We’re still not out of these bad economic times yet.  Therefore, when a person enters an independently owned business, it is natural to wonder how they are getting through. (more…)

Hello all, and yes, you are correct in seeing that 4 months have passed without a new blog post.  I am truly sorry.  Let me give you an explanation of why that is (though I agree, it’s inexcusable).

Number One:  Time. You all will nod in agreement when I say, there are just not enough hours in a day.  I wear a lot of hats during my daily routine; I’m a sales associate and manager, an office assistant, a store layout designer, a maid, even a direction-giver and story-listener on some occasions.  Don’t get me wrong, I love it.  Wouldn’t change it for the world, but you can see I lead a busy life.  Thanks for understanding. (more…)