I might be a little slow to catch on sometimes – but I do know that if “getting inspired” walked out the door – something new walked in.

Here’s what just sauntered on in… “getting it done.” We’re dually inspired. That took 10 seconds. Now, we’re moving on to “getting it done.” We’re building, singing, crafting, publishing. You name it. It’s getting done.

I like this.  I know, it does sounds little like a phrase you might see a lot at  the monster truck jamboree – let’s ignore that for now.

I’m all for getting it done. There’s nothing quite like that feeling of wrapping something up. Speaking of which, what are your creative dreams? Let’s get them done.

This awesome poster is by RedBishop. Check it out here.

This post was “inspired” in part the burgeoning interest in pinterest. If you’re so inclined, I would love to see you there.

We just finished our all new 2012 Gatski Metal Catalog. Have a look here. If you like the feel of real paper in your hands – please do sign up here to get one in the mail. The completion of our catalog puts us one step closer to being ready for the Buyers Market of American Craft Show.  We come off of “Gatski Mountain” for just one show each year – and the Buyers Market is it. We’re looking forward to seeing our buyers there!

Are you planning a garden this year? I am coming to realize that even something as small as a little potted plant on the stoop can bring much satisfaction. In reality- a garden is what you make it. Although, my mother is an accomplished gardener- my garden does not have that je ne sais quoi.  That’s putting it nicely. Honestly, in August you might think it’s where the cows graze. Despite it’s appearance – it provides. Thru the winter, we usually have something from the garden to eat.

My favorite place to shop for garden seeds is Fedco. Their selection is fabulous and their descriptions provide great fodder for garden dreams.

What will you be putting in dirt this year?

Ben is actually responsible for some of our finer garden moments.

No one ever promised me, or promised any man- Indian, Eskimo, or white man- that life was easy in this country. You had to fight for whatever was important to you. You had to be tough…. But it can be done.

“On the Edge of Nowhere” is a great mid-winter read. I do recommend it.  Can you imagine living in Alaska at the turn of the century?   What an incredibly brutal and dramatic landscape upon which to carve out a life.  “You had to fight for whatever was important to you.” This little dandy of a quote really stuck with me.

This is another key to a creative and rich life – the willingness to fight for it. It’s sounds more fierce than it is. Most of us have to fight through our everyday anyhow. You might as well shove a little harder towards something that fulfills you.

What would you recommend reading this winter?

We have nurtured a creative and independent life – and it is flourishing. There is pure joy in something you’ve created yourself. But, you know that already – you’ve felt the sublime satisfaction of mixing up a cocktail on Friday night or whipping up a batch of pancakes on Saturday morning. It’s not complicated.

What is complicated is taking that leap of faith to do something a little bigger than making your own mixed drink. The  “hey, why don’t we dig up half our backyard and grow our own vegetables.” Or, the “hey, I’m going to quit my job and make kites for a living.”

Here’s the happy news. You don’t have to start with a leap… just a small step in the direction you’re going. While we did start our full time business with a leap  [and the interweb is chock full of people encouraging you do that] – I’m actually a fan of the small steps. It is the small steps that have kept us going for nearly 10 years.

This is my first tip…. take one small step towards your own independent and creative life.  Do it old school. Go to the library and get a book about it, gather materials from your house and talk to someone in person about it.  Whatever it may be – cooking, crafting, growing, building – focus on doing one thing. Take one small step for now.

About seventeen years ago – Ben picked up the scrap metal lying around his parents farm and set to work with the welder. One small step.

What are your creative dreams?

Click here to view the embedded video.

We were given a creative inheritance. It wasn’t fancy and many times, not too pretty. Nonetheless, here we are. We’re steering a tidy little business making sculpture & furniture with old farm machinery, dreaming of making cheese and writing something you’ll find either useful or entertaining. It feels like an accomplishment- to be here – and to have somewhere to go.  Our inheritance is really the guts to do something strange – like figure out how to blend creativity and dirt – art and agriculture.

We thrive on this opportunity. We are driven to creating something beautiful from nothing. Our home started this way- a bare, rocky hilltop of logged over ground. Our business started this way- from a pile of junk laying in the weeds.  Our passion for farming came from this-  transforming an empty patch of dirt into an exquisite meal.

The idea of creating something from nothing is not new. It might even sound a little tedious. You’re right – it can be. Frankly, it can be maddening. To know that just a shred of the money, people, tools and opportunities that exist could launch you so much further in your efforts. Thankfully, it doesn’t take much to remind you that isn’t the point.  It’s about cultivating your grit.

photo courtesy of amishalso 051

It’s January. It’s a fabulous time of year to play in the kitchen! My kitchen was having a field day yesterday.

I didn’t dress it up for you. I wanted to share it just like it was. Scrapple was thawing,  amish butter lying about with a lone scrap of homemade bread, a roast strewn with bacon was in the oven and carrot cupcakes waiting to be iced.  It was a glorious moment for my kitchen. The bacon, scrapple and beef roast were from animals we butchered. The butter was local, and the bread and cupcakes were whipped up earlier. There is glory in cooking with local, fresh foods. It is immensely satisfying and it doesn’t have to be hard.

There is even more grandeur in doing it simply.  Although, I absolutely love reading everything written by Chris Kimball of America’s Test Kitchen, I am in no way shape or form scientific about cooking. To me, cooking is about simplicity and instinct (and of course, don’t be shy with butter & bacon).

*there is usually a chair up against the counter cuz that’s where the kids stand to help me cook!

Enough with the chatter. How about whipping up a great batch of carrot cupcakes?  Mix these things together, and there you have it….

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

1.5 cups vegetable oil

3 cups carrots

Mix above ingredients together and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.*

*This recipe was adapted from the deliciously simple carrot cake at epicurious

Easy as 1. 2. 3. Enjoy!

1. the birth of our new baby daughter Evelyn in May.  She joins our other two little delights (oldest started Kindergarten and second started preschool this year)
2. creating a new  Gatski Metal website
3. taping our first ever video from Gatski Metal
4. receiving a phone call from Lifetime TV to participate in their “Project Runway” for furniture makers (it’s not looking good for this shot at fame – we’re holding out for something “a little more better“)
5. selling two Ford tables to the Ford offices in Michigan.  Ben’s great grandfather Bruno was recruited from Capistrano, Italy to work for Ford – so this had some very special meaning for us.

There is always a flurry of action up here on the hill.  In between the regular stuff, we try to carve out some time for some “fun.” Ben enjoys raising livestock and butchering. We took a little time off between Christmas and New Years and…. Ben made some scrapple. It’s a Pennsylvania Dutch tradition made with meat from the pork bones, flour, cornmeal, buckwheat flour and some salt and pepper.

This is the kettle of the meat boiling off the bones – this is the first step in making scrapple.

This is Ben chopping wood to keep the fire going.

and… the scrapple is delish! No doubt about it.

We’re looking forward to another fabulous year for Gatski Metal. One of my goals is to be more useful to you. I want to give you some ideas and inspiration from our independent and creative life. Please do let me know if you have any suggestions. I love hearing your thoughts. Until next time….

The inner web is bustling with all sorts of fabulous holiday gift ideas and traditions. I really enjoyed this “10 Experiences To Give” by Oh Happy Day.  I also enjoyed some of the ideas in 5 New Holiday Traditions from a Southern Heart by Dolan Geiman. Both of these provide some great inspiration to, “Get Up and Get Doing.” I like that.

We woke up to a skiff of snow. It really boosted the holiday ambiance.   It looks pretty calm here at our shop – but it’s bustling inside. There’s lots of grinding, hammering, sizzling from welding going on in there.

Let us know if we can do anything for you. Enjoy your festivities!