Designing New Work – 2012
We’re working on all new sculpture and furniture in preparation for the Buyers Market of American Craft Show. Watch the video below for a sneak peek into how our discussions go (it’s not too fancy and doesn’t always work out) In this case we had a design idea for a hexagon style table base- but it really isn’t playing out like we hoped…
The Creative Agrarian – Cultivating Your Grit
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
doing what it takes – all new for 2012
All new tables and wall sculptures coming your way soon! Here’s our shop helper, Jordan crouching on top of the welding table. He’s doing what it takes to weld this large reclaimed metal console table up (similar to this one).
We’re burning it up to get ready for our photo shoot on January 30th!
Kate’s Kitchen – Simplicity and a Recipe for Carrot Cupcakes
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!
Happy New Year! 2011 Highlights + One Goal
Happy New Year to You! Here are some highlights from 2011 – some more momentous than others (#1 trumps all others for sure).
- 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)
- creating a new Gatski Metal website
- taping our first ever video from Gatski Metal
- 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“)
- 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….
