Workshop Upstairs, and Showroom Down!

Welcome back to the "New and Improved" Wooden Toy and Gift Shop, now sharing its space with Quilters' Quarters. There is something here for every one.

The smaller tools have been relocated to the new second floor workroom of the barn, and the Wooden Toys and Gifts Showroom has moved into the brighter, renovated (former working space) at the back on the ground floor.

In his upstairs studio Rick has shifted his production to smaller pieces that can be varied and customized. Once known for his original 18" doll furniture, most often admired but not easily sold due to foreign competition with lower prices, he is now being recognized for small and large quality art pieces of scroll-saw work, and lathe-turned natural wood pens and pencils, and a plethora of child powered work trucks and other vehicles.

There is a new and growing supply of small wooden vehicles: collectible models  of sports cars, SUVs and limousines waiting for the new owner's paint brush details.  But they are already quite attractive in their natural wood tones and very safe for little one's hands, though not intended for children under three who might be at risk of putting small items into mouths.
In stock you will find, for the youngest, rolling rattles that clickety-clack across the floor inviting the chase of a crawling baby. For the sand-box-set of toddlers, all wood dump trucks, tow trucks, tractor-trailers with flat beds carrying bull-
dozers, and a new lumber truck complete with rough-cut "log" branches.  The puzzle trucks are as intriguing and challenging to grand-parents as they are to grand-kids.

Simple wooden jig saw puzzles for Valentines are available in sturdy 3/4 inch pine blocks of wood, and there will be more seasonal and holiday-themed puzzles in the months to come.














The newest pieces in the shop are worked by hand on a scroll saw.


Each of these ornaments is backed with quilt-quality 100% cotton. Those without a second layer of wood will allow the sunlight to shine through when hung in a window. The patterns for these ornaments and plaques are purchased from artists here in the U.S.A.  One's name is Sue Mey, and her patterns can be seen at www.scrollsawartist.com, and another is Steven Good, at www.stevedgo.ipower.com

Scroll-sawn wall hangings and tree ornaments range from those with Christmas themes to career plaques honoring police, fire and military personnel. And quilters and knitters will also find sweet sayings in the scroll saw ornament area (and some have found their way into the quilt shop as well.)

Remember, Wooden Toy and Gift is celebrating a Twentieth Anniversary (and Quilters' Quarters First Anniversary) on Small Business Saturday, November 29th (Thanksgiving Day Weekend) from 11 am to 7 pm at 59 North Street, Georgetown, Massachusetts ... "Just two doors north of Perley School." Hot cocoa and tea, brownies and more will be available to those who come visit!

It's Summertime!

Wooden Toy and Gift will be hold a special cooling weekend soon: We're going to celebrate Christmas in July again! Last year saw Rick marking down his 18" doll furniture, and the rocking motorcycles.

This year the motorcycles are just a memory, but there are a few pieces of doll furniture still available, and those will be available at reduced prices again this summer. And in addition, Rick has some new scroll work ready for show and sale. Watch for our signs, as we may open a few extra hours during the sale that will run from Friday morning July 11th through Sunday the thirteenth! Here are a few of the 2014 items he'll be offering-- click on an image to enlarge for details:

And here are some old favorites for Christmas in July: 

 As always, if you are reading this in your email, we invite you to share this message with your friends and relatives. We would love to have them, too, join our mailing list to receive these newsletter updates.

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We're happy to meet new friends, at our shop or virtually on the web, and are thrilled to see that we've had over 4,000 guests at blog since we opened it one year ago this month!

Thanks for visiting!
~ Rick and Terry Palardy, 

Wooden Toy and Gift & Quilters' Quarters

Wooden Toy and Gift Diversifies~

The winter weather will soon come to a close, and the construction will soon after begin to take place, making more room in the Wooden Toy and Gift Shop by opening the second floor of the shop for quilt classes.  As the snow melts, some flowers will begin re-appearing in front of the house and the shop.

Rick is consolidating and diversifying simultaneously. His original 18" doll furniture is dwindling in number as customers hear about his 33% markdown and have been finding their way in to purchase the remaining pieces. There are still a few pieces left in stock that could be put on layaway for birthdays and holidays yet to come, but it seems likely that by December 2014 they will all have been bought or reserved, so come in now to make arrangements so that your little one can enjoy this furniture for years to come:

    

His new collection of scroll-sawn plaques made of Baltic Birch Plywood is also growing. In addition to the Military and Public Service plaques, the Butterfly Disability Awareness plaques and the Retirement/Career plaques, he is branching out into Spring  Flower plaques, which can be viewed hanging in the shop door window, just above our old-fashioned brass turn-key door bell (please make sure you ring it as you enter, or let your little one do it for you.) 

 

                     
                                                                
                                                        

They are attractive inside the windows as well, with the sun shining through and giving the look of stained glass to the color backing (which is quilt-quality cotton fabric.)

                                                
                                            

Rick will soon add a larger plaque incorporating all four: rose, tulip, sunflower and daisies. Individually, they are beautiful, and as a  larger piece, they are strikingly eye-catching.  Stay tuned for the reveal.

Of course, Rick is also still adding to his line of toy trucks, made of quality Eastern White Pine in its natural, smooth, hand-rubbed state.  He's added a new one for this year: an ATV on a trailer pulled by a monster truck with oversize wheels. The trailer can be tipped back by pulling a dowel to allow the ATV to roll off, just as a real one might! 

Remember to visit at www.woodentoyandgift.net to see these pieces with prices. And check out what new arrivals for spring are coming in to the Quilters' Quarters by visiting us: AtQuiltersQuarters.blogspot.com. 

Be well - remember to play with toys now and then - and thanks for coming in to see all of ours!

~ Rick and Terry Palardy