And Now Introducing…

Posted on by CourageInStone

Back in October, I wrote a post describing how a ‘Behind the Scenes’ day came to be.  You can read it here.  My talented photographer friend from Three Continents Photography came out to the warehouse and captured a ‘day in the life’ of CourageInStone.com.  I have to admit, it was kinda weird.  When you’re having your photo taken of your everyday actions, it’s terribly difficult to remember to act naturally.  But, all the dusting and cleaning and primping paid off and I think she created a perfect photo story of what life is like here at our offices.  Hopefully you’ll enjoy ‘meeting’ us and getting to know us a little bit better.

I will start by showing off a series of my favorites from the day.  These photos I think capture the essence of our business, personalities and philosophy.

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Come on in!
This is me, Brenda, looking through the glass window from my office into the front office. Suzi works at her desk in the background.
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A broader view of the pass through window in my office. Just to the right of me are several framed newspaper articles from 2002 and 2004 when the business was just getting going. I like that they remind me of how far we’ve come.  You can also see a few clues that my son spends time in the office with me!
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So lucky to work with these ladies everyday. We laugh. A lot.
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An integral part of the business. Both the truck and the dogs. Suzi’s Baxter is on the edge of the dock; my dog Louie is a cautious distance back.
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Beth is in charge of packing and shipping.
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Bins, bins, bins. We ship thousands of packages via the United States Postal Service.
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It took years to tweak a perfect packing station and this is the result. It’s roomy, efficient and custom built by my helpful hubby.
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I don’t get to do it much anymore, but I really enjoy pulling and packing the orders. There is a huge sense of satisfaction in seeing the order on paper, neatly packaging the items and sending them on their way. I know how much I enjoy getting packages delivered to me, so I like to think of how our customers will be excited when they see our package show up.
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Our entire staff. Some are squirmier than others.

Obviously, packing is a huge piece of our business.  Like the packing station, it took years of trial and error to fine tune our shipping methods.  Finding the right packaging materials and most efficient manner of shipping sounds easy, but it’s an oddly tedious undertaking.  Customers order all kinds of different combinations of items.  And the difference of a few ounces in weight or a day or two quicker in time in transit can mean a huge difference in shipping costs.  So over the years we’ve gotten pretty darn good at using each shipping method to our advantage.  So, while our shipping ‘department’ is only one person, it’s a very, very important and detailed part of the company.   Here’s Beth in action!

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One of the super fun parts of the job is bringing in or designing new merchandise.  It’s a tricky thing, though.  Even after years and years of practice, sometimes we just don’t get it right.  But, when we do, it’s super satisfying and exciting.  Once we decide on a new product, photos need to be taken and merchandising begins.  We have to think of descriptions, take measurements, and list them on 5 different websites.  It’s a process, for sure.  Here is Suzi and I working on a new project – these are our new Ceramic Stone Necklaces, which are only found in our Etsy shop.

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And what office is complete without a canine staff?  Surely we have the cutest and cuddliest 4-legged workers in all the east?!  Baxter is the worlds friendliest cockapoo and most definitely the favorite of the delivery folks.  He takes his job as dock door greeter very, very seriously.  Louie, on the other hand, is a mutt who is slightly suspicious of those loud trucks…but he serves as a great guard dog!  Of course, he can always be convinced to relax with a cookie or two.  The delivery people take great pride in winning him over!

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So, the next time you order, I hope it helps that we’ve ‘introduced’ ourselves.  Are we and this place what you imagined?

~Brenda, Suzi, Beth, Louie and Baxter

Behind the Scenes of Behind the Scenes Day

Posted on by CourageInStone

Louie

One of our great challenges around here is connecting with our customers on a personal level.  Although we sell very personal things, our business format is very impersonal.  A few clicks and keystrokes and a package shows up at your door, right?!  Bam!   Sometimes I wonder if customers think there are just a large bunch of robots sitting in a warehouse somewhere…pulling merchandise and somehow magically transporting it your front door.  Well, check that.  I don’t wonder…I know.   When we get email messages that say things like “please place behind screen on side door” or when someone places an order at 10PM and wants it in hand by noon the next day we are often left shaking our heads thinking “um, you do realize that’s physically impossible, right?!”

To be clear, there’s a lot of this we love.  We want our customers to be able to push a few buttons and have what they need delivered to their front door with very little effort.  We want them to say “Wow, that was easy!  Let’s do that again!”  But sometimes it’s also fun to reveal ‘The (wo)Man Behind the Curtain.’  After all, we don’t have anything to hide…we’re quite proud of our little world over here.

I am lucky to have a lot of talented friends that I consult with on random things that make my business better.  One of these friends is a phenomenal photographer (take a peek at her website www.ThreeContinentsPhotography.com, you won’t be disappointed.)  We were chatting one day and came up with the idea that a ‘A Day in the Life’ photo shoot would be fun…a way for our customers to get a glimpse behind the scenes, see us in action, and get to know us a little better.  We discussed what things would be good to shoot, then set a date.  Exciting!

Oh, wait a minute.  Someone’s gonna take pictures of us!  At work!  In the warehouse, that looks like a warehouse!  Gah!

Luckily we scheduled the shoot a few weeks out, which gave us time to scrub down the warehouse, dust off our desks, and discuss our outfits.  One thing I did forget to do was get my dog Louie groomed.  But he’s so dang cute, you’ll forgive me I’m sure.

But as I was cleaning and straightening and preparing, I had some concerns.  How much do I really want folks to see?   I occasionally bring my toddler son to the office with me.  Do I want customers to see his toys mingled with our stones?  Do I want people to see his toilet paper roll artwork – albeit the most adorable toilet paper roll artwork ever – on my desk?   And what about the fact that we are only three people?  In the world of companies like Amazon, maybe bigger is better and we’ll lose respect because of our size.  And then, what about having my photo published for all the world to see?   Am I who people think I am?  Do I have a face that makes you like me, my company, my products?  Do I look honest and funny and happy?

But then I realized, all these concerns **were** the point.  The point to having a ‘Behind the Scenes’ photo shoot is to divulge ourselves.   Our customers share their private, personal, painful, sad, happy stories with us all. the. time.  It is without a doubt a huge privilege to be a part of these strangers lives.  So, it’s about time we share our ‘stuff’, too.  And so we’ll start with our faces, desks, dogs and maybe a few glimpses of some brightly colored toys.

The full series will be coming soon.  In the meantime, the above is a sneak peek at my non-groomed dog named Louie.  He’s a mutt my husband and I found at our local SPCA.  He is named after a now closed restaurant that my husband and I used to enjoy in Healdsburg, CA called Felix and Louie’s.  He and my son are best buds.  (Side note, we someday hope to have a dog (or cat) named Felix in our life, too.)

~Brenda

 

 

 

 

It’s hard to say goodbye

Posted on by CourageInStone

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Years ago when I first started this business, my first line of word stones were very similar to the picture above.  They were made of marble, and were etched with about 50 different words.  They were great sellers, but they needed some improvement and we eventually decided to design our own using a new manufacturer.  The line pictured above was born.  We call them Marble Energy Stones.

We eventually expanded our inventory to include words engraved or imprinted on river rocks, glass, pewter and even ceramic.  But as we grew our lines, the marble stones took a back seat.  River rocks became our #1 seller…I think because of their organic nature and price points.  The marble stones just weren’t holding their own anymore.

The shift happened about 5 years ago, and each year since, as we brought in new product and liquidated old, I would campaign to keep these marble stones that reminded me of how far we’ve come and carried a nostalgic weight.  Deep down I knew it was not business savvy to keep these stones.  But I have poured my heart and soul into this business and to give up on an original product seemed like failure.

That is, until we had so many other great, wonderful and fantastic products that we just don’t have room for those original stones.  We are beyond excited about all the new stones and tokens and pocket pieces we have in stock and in the works.  Our creative juices are flowing…we’ve got so much new energy and we’re so jazzed to spread as much inspiration as we can!

And so here we are.  I am ready to say goodbye to these marble stones.  And yes, they are ‘just’ stones, but they are more than that to me, and always will be.

~Brenda

P.S. These Marble Energy Stones are now on sale while supplies last.  A superb deal at $1.25/each (down from $2.50/ea)!  They truly are beautiful stones…deeply engraved with gorgeous swirls of color.   But I’m not biased.  😉

It’s spring! Out with the old and in with the new!

Posted on by CourageInStone

Who doesn’t like this time of year? Seriously, is there anyone? Explain yourself! We’ve had a long winter in this part of the world – mid-atlantic – and we are chomping at the bit for some new buds, warmer temperatures and a fresh perspective on the world.

Coincidently it’s springtime in our warehouse, too. We’ve spent the second half of the winter cleaning out our inventory, sweeping up the warehouse and tracking down new merchandise. We are very, very excited to be bringing in some fresh, new pocket tokens and putting some oldies but goodies in the clearance bin!

We are super excited about our new line of mini-keys.  These small keys are perfect to thread on a keychain or necklace.  Take that ‘Key to Happiness’ with you wherever you go!  Need to know the ‘Key to Love’?  No problem!  $1.95 gets you the answer!  😉

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We also added a few adorable tokens to our Inspiration Coin line.  A favorite of mine?  An anchor that says ‘Refuse to Sink’.  Who can’t use a reminder to never give up?

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Also new is the pewter Pocket Cross.  Simple, elegant and streamlined.  Slip it in your pocket for a daily reminder.

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When you get a chance, come visit us.  Check out our sale items and browse our new tokens.  I can almost guarantee you’ll find something you like!

Happy Spring!  May the birds be chirpin’, buds be poppin’ and inspiration be flowin’ in your neck of the woods!

~Brenda

 

I might just need a hug…

Posted on by CourageInStone

We sell the word ‘Hugs’ in our glass engraved spirit stone line.  The word has been offered for a while now, and when we first carried it we sold them with pink ink instead of our standard black or gold.  It was the only stone we sold in pink ink – the color just seemed to fit the sentiment and the stones were very popular.  Ultimately, however, we decided to switch the ‘Hugs’ back to the standard ink colors to give the whole line a more uniform feel.

Recently a customer called and asked if we had any ‘Hugs’ left with pink ink.  She needed 5, but specifically only in clear glass with pink ink.  We had just gotten in a new shipment of stones, but I was pretty sure we had a few pink ones left on the very bottom of the bin.  I told the customer I would look for the stones, but couldn’t make any promises.

Trust me, unloading and sorting through 2000+ stones is not a daily occurrence around here, but I was sure there were some pink ones, and for whatever reason felt compelled to dig.

After pulling out all the stones, out came 7 clear stones with pink ink!  I called the customer and told her what I had found.  She was thrilled and said she’d take all 7.  Woo hoo…what a salesperson I am!  And while the sale wasn’t huge, she sounded so happy it was definitely worth the effort.

She then went on to explain to me why the stones were so important.  Having just lost her husband to cancer, she attended a meeting at the hospice for grieving spouses.  At the end of the meeting, the counselor had set out a bowl of our glass engraved spirit stones, so that each attendee could pick a stone to take with them.  Most of the stones were dark in color and as she looked through the bowl, none of the words seemed right for her.  She initially chose a blue stone with the word ‘Remember’ on it, and was getting ready to walk away when she swirled the bowl of stones one last time.  This time she saw some pink ink peeking out from the bottom of the bowl.  She pulled it out to reveal the ‘Hugs’ stone and started to cry.  She explained that she had gotten in the habit of talking out loud to her husband, knowing he could hear her wherever he was.  Just the day before the meeting, she had said to him “I wish I could have just one more hug from you.”  Finding the ‘Hugs’ stone made her feel that he was watching over her.  She immediately felt compelled to figure out where the counselor had gotten the stones and to buy some for her children as a remembrance of their father.

Hearing her story gave me chills and everyone I’ve told feels the same way.  I am so glad I took the time and little bit of extra effort to look through the stones and find those hugs for her.  I interact with our products everyday and continue to be astonished by all the different ways each item can touch someone’s life.

~Suzi

Upgrade traditional planter rocks with inspiring word stones

Posted on by CourageInStone

Lucky Bamboo can make a great gift for anyone in your life or you can build this simple project to help with your own good fortunes.

Items needed:

I used about 20 River Rocks to fill my planter using inspirational word such as “Wisdom”, “Strength” and “Success”.  After arranging the words facing out and adding 3 Lucky Bamboo plants, I filled the planter with water.  Project finished!  This simple upgrade from traditional planter stones give so much more meaning to anyone admiring this elegant arrangement.
~Suzi

How to give your fish bowl a make-over

Posted on by CourageInStone

They say that plants are good for the soul.  OK, maybe that isn’t what they say at all, but around here we love to have greenery and something easy to take care of.

I had an unused fish bowl at home (previous occupants have gone on to fish heaven) and decided to liven it up a bit.  And here’s how!

Items you will need

  • Fish Bowl
  • Aquatic Plant (purchased from local pet shop)
  • Glass Engraved Spirit Stones from CourageInStone.com (Item #8400)
  • Fish (optional)**
This how-to is simple.  I placed 50 glass stones with different inspirational words on them in the bottom of the fish bowl, filled the bowl with water, and then placed my aquatic plants into the stones.
**As noted, fish are optional with this project!  No one here at the office has jumped at the chance to clean the fish bowl if a fish inhabits it, so for now we are enjoying the red glow of our Swedish Fish (with the help of a sewing needle, thread and clear tape…)!  ~Suzi

Fun With Plaster!

Posted on by CourageInStone

So I decided to see what I could create using our stones and tokens and some store bought plaster.  My plaster was actually a large stepping stone kit that I portioned into smaller amounts so I could make multiple items.

If you have never used plaster before (which I hadn’t) let me tell you it dries fast!  Before you begin mixing it make sure you know what design you are creating on the stones.    I ended up making 4 small stones which can be used as paperweights or markers for your garden.

As far as the how to on this one, I basically just followed the directions for mixing the plaster and then as soon as I had my forms molded I placed the different items into the plaster before it had any chance to dry.  I did pour some of the mix into large cookie cutters to help with a couple of the shapes, the others were formed by hand.

After I let all the stones dry I used paint to add a little more color to the stones.

These easy to create pieces can make great gifts, wonderful memorials, or just a nice project for a rainy day!

Have fun and use your imagination…the possibilities are endless!  ~Suzi

Simple Wedding Keepsake

Posted on by CourageInStone

Items you will need:

What to do:
  1. Make sure your frame is clean and dry.
  2. Insert a favorite picture or poem.  I am using a photo from a recent wedding I attended.  You could also use the cover or inside of a greeting card.
  3. Apply hot glue directly to the back of the kanji stones and quickly place on the frame.  Press firmly.  Glue will dry rapidly.
  4. Repeat with other tokens.  Your finished product will be a simple and elegant keepsake for years to come!

B-E-F-O-R-E & A-F-T-E-R

Posted on by CourageInStone

Wondering how to use your new river rocks?

We recently had a customer love and purchase different product, most being river rocks. After receiving them she then actually called us back to ask how to use them! So besides thinking our product is just beautiful, we are coming up with new and different ways to use our gorgeous stones!

Flower/Tree pot With River Rocks

Got a plant that needs a little sprucing up?!
B...O...R...I...N...G...
We added 60 stones to this large pot.
Voila! And the stones even help with drainage!

And speaking of River Rocks, if you’re feeling creative you can design your own! The promotions just started so don’t miss out!  We’ve lowered our minimum purchase requirement to just 50 for each custom design (down from 100)!  Come visit us soon!

~Brittany