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The Tip is 'Ask Before You Buy' I went to a department store for a pair of dress shoes recently. The clerk helped me with three different pairs that I tried on. 'The Big Secret' was on the forefront of my mind so I asked, "Are these shoes imports?" The salesman responded that they were in fact imported. "Do you have any Made In America shoes like these?" I asked. To my surprise he said, "We have a whole line of Made In USA shoes." I was able to purchase the same color and style with the Made In USA label. These Made in America shoes were less expensive, came with a better warranty and were more comfortable. It's amazing how often this simple Made in US question yields unexpected and often times pleasant results. I now ask this question regularly, whereas before I would not have thought to ask for a Made in America alternative. More often than not, I can find a Made in America product of higher quality and at the same, or slightly higher price. Asking the question is so simple and can make a positive impact, in both the short and long term. Try it sometime. If you are like me, you may be surprised with how many Made in US products are out there. You will love it when you realize you are making a difference that benefits many. With your help America will be ours again and that is a good thing. Buying Tip Continued - Read more on Made in America Products by Twisted Limb Paperworks Sheryl Woodhouse-Keese's, the original founder of Twisted Limb Paperworks, inspiration for protecting the environment was derived from the long camping vacations she took as a child with her family every year to see America's national parks. She discovered her passion for the natural world falling in love with the exquisite beauty she experienced in the national parks of the Rocky Mountain west. Since she was a child, dramatic natural settings, perfect autumn days or star filled skies have often moved her to tears. She's even run towards the large setting orange moon on multiple occasions. She was fortunate enough to return to those national parks, including three seasons at Grand Teton National Park in her first career as a naturalist park ranger. While living in the heart of the mountains she followed a friend's advice to try papermaking to complement her calligraphy, avid letter writing, and environmental advocacy. Sheryl began Twisted Limb Paperworks in 1998 after moving to Bloomington, Indiana, ending a 21 year sabbatical from the paper business. She had been aware of my entrepreneurial tendencies since age 9, when she began selling handmade stationery surprise packages to her sisters for 5 cents each. Though her prices have had to change and her customer base expanded over the years. She was truly inspired by any small experience of someone paying attention to the details, going the extra mile for someone else--any indication that someone is not just going through the motions of life: witnessing a funny conversation initiated between strangers, a stunning flower display on a porch, a touching and well crafted message in a birthday card. > VISION Sheryl wants her home and life to be simple, spacious, and filled only with the things she needs, or with items she finds particularly lovely and inspirational. She is most content with the material goods of everyday life that are all three at the same time-functional, beautiful, and meaningful. She does not like clutter, and as a designer, she does not want to create clutter or unnecessary products for others' lives. Her vision was to create small, practical works of art to help people announce and celebrate life's events, and to custom make those only when they are needed. It's extremely rewarding to provide someone with the small, delightful experience of finding a striking and carefully handcrafted invitation or thank you note in his/her mailbox, especially in a world where so many of our possessions are mass produced and of inferior quality. The fact that the announcement or note is a fleeting piece of beauty makes it even more special, and it pleases me that after it has served its purpose, it will be recycled into new paper, or planted in the ground to produce wildflowers, said Sheryl. > THE NAME The name Twisted Limb is a bit unusual for a fine paper and invitation company, and people like to ask about its origins. Some time back around the mid 1990's, when Sheryl was working as a naturalist for the Arkansas State Park system, her husband Brian was making some very creative rustic chairs out of sticks. He was considering selling his work, and Sheryl came up with the name Twisted Limb for his furniture. He decided not to turn his hobby into a business, and a couple of years later when she decided to pursue this recycled paper making studio, asked for the name back. Not only did she get the name, but Brian designed the awesome twisted logo that we are still using today. Twisted Limb relates to the studio's interest in protecting trees through our strict recycling standards, or that twisted reflects our non-traditional approach to papermaking and invitations. All this is true! However, choosing the name Twisted Limb mostly had to do with just really liking it. We hope that you like our name too, as well as the fine handcrafted and eco-friendly products that it has come to represent. |
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