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The Tip is 'Teach Grandchildren' One day, while I was on the Made In America Secrets site my granddaughter noticed and asked me what I was doing. I told her about the Big Secret and as I explained, she began to ask me more questions. After several minutes she left my office to play with her little sister. Months had gone by and until recently, I had forgotten about that moment. She was visiting again and I was talking to her about buying a custom printed T-Shirt. She immediately told me about a website that I could use to buy one. Wow I thought, she is only eight years old and already teaching me. The most amazing thing then happened, she said "Pops they sell Made In America T-Shirts". Thanks to her I purchased six custom Made In USA T-Shirts. Her name is Britton, she understands the Big Secret and I love it when she tells me her Little Secrets! Now she is ten and writing a screenplay called Mertastic. It is a story about a mermaid. Recently, she was visiting our house again and using my computer. She called me to come into my office and of course I came to her because that is what grandparents love to do. One of the reasons I love to be with her is because it is always interesting to see what she is up to. This time, she needed a mermaid tail for her movie, so we began to look around using Google. Her mother is a talented seamstress and will make the tail so we were looking for fabric that would be satisfy my granddaughter's vision of her mermaid tail. Once again we began to talk about Made in America and therefore started to investigate the country of origin of the fabrics she was considering. Because of that experience Made in USA fabric is now one of Made in America Secrets products. Thank you, Britton. Buying Tip Continued - Read more on Made in America Products by Kaminer Haislip Kaminer Haislip is a contemporary silversmith who designs and hand crafts all of her work in her downtown Charleston, SC studio. Her work includes functional objects, jewelry, and custom commission pieces in silver and gold. The balance between my aesthetic and a successful function defines my creative approach to product design in silver. I am inspired by the concept of enhancing domestic functional rituals through traditional techniques underpinned by a contemporary approach to design and production. As art and function combine to create design for living, utilizing an object to perform a function contributes to that design. In my view, functional objects display both the visual and conceptual relationship between art and living. Specifically, through the intrinsic ideas of my work's visual theme, function, and ergonomics this relationship is exhibited and accentuated. For me using a teapot that inspires thought and effectively works enhances the process of making tea. The activities of contemplation, favorable usage, and successful function take place within one domestic ritual. My work strives to demonstrate this theme and is inspired by interaction with functional objects. Fine craftsmanship is an equally important aspect of my work. My design approach is not steered by fashion or trends, but focuses on timeless quality that is durable and lasts. I am devoted to exceptional craftsmanship and all of my work is exquisitely fabricated by hand. My concepts vary for different series, but all of my work is unified by elegant design. Additionally, designing and creating custom commission jewelry and objects for clients is another facet to my metalsmithing. A commission piece merges the client's vision for a specific object with my technical and artistic ability. For me this combination is a unique approach to designing, because it creates an opportunity for my work to take a new direction. |
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