Fulfillment + Lead Time for Handmade Products- Jimmy Page V. Foundry

 As the creator behind tatine candles, I have come to understand and appreciate craftsmanship, true handmade arts and supporting the small independent artisans. When I was one of 2,500 people lucky enough to snag a copy of Jimmy Page's gorgeous gold tipped, leather, hand bound, signed, limited edition book, this was cause for celebration! I ordered the book and paid for it in full in August to guarantee it. The publishing house in the U.K. needed to know that all the work and thought going into it was paid for in advance. The book was supposed to arrive 2 months later, then got pushed to a Christmas release, then pushed even further into the next year. All told, the book took almost 7 months to arrive.

I popped open a bottle of champagne, overjoyed to be unwrapping this gem. Totally worth the wait, I appreciated each page as I turned it and read all that Jimmy had to say and admired each and every picture and caption. Taking off the felt jacket that protects the leather, unveiling the golden secret Jimmy Page ZoSo emblem.

So excited that the books cover dons one my all time favorite pictures of Jimmy!

While I was impatient for the books release, I appreciated the thought, the heart and soul that went into it and final result of how it made me feel to own it. The publishers informed us that they wanted Jimmy to personally hand pick more photographs from his already curated collection. This also meant more writing for Jimmy, and more design layout and handwork for the publisher before it went off to be hand bound. So we the fans, had to patiently wait. [I did find other geeked out fans such as myself who posted their own unveling of the book on youtube!]

The Led Zeppelin

This is the wording on my Founry packaging, and it rings true. I won best of show for this product in New York this past January, only to learn the initial promised release of the product to my customers, now had to be pushed back two more months due to issues with the glass makers.

The product was conceptualized and designed the previous year. Rushing samples to show at market. Toiling over each and every element. Finding just the right motorcycle gears, the right weight of packing that was recycled. The glassware, the leather. Choosing the wrap colors, imprint color, writing all the text, designing and layout then formulating the scents and then onto custom designing the glassware.

In the research and development of my products I always make sure the packaging has recycled content, I always shoot for 100% but won't sacrifice style if I can't get it to be quite 100%. This product is special in that the glassware is also 100% recycled, therein lies the hold up. The glassware is handmade and problems with the kilns held up production on the other end before my crate of glass could hit the water and be shipped to me.

The extension of two months turned into another two months, then the glassware finally arrived, and had to go into production to be custom tinted to my specifications and each glass decorated with a different bin number, or motorcycle racing number. Samples had to be sent back and forth over and over until I approved them.

 This meant many trips to my Letterpress printer to proof designs and approve vegetable ink colors on my stock.  Glass shipped back and forth for approval. A trip to the leather tannery was also in order to pick out scrap hides to be cut into strips that would become the leather pulls on each box. Before the boxes could go up on the letterpress they were sent off to have the antique grommets put on the lids that the leather pulls would go through.

Each box is completely hand made from start to finish. The concept was in my head and designed and collaborated with perfection by the darling Becki, my beloved designer. The dieline is custom made for me to house my glassware specifically and is cut on a wood and rubber die made for me.

The recycled chip board is prepared with the green paper I chose and then put up on the vintage letterpress to be decorated. After which plates are changed by hand to match each bin number to the glass that goes inside each box. The boxes arrive flat to my studio and are completely put together by hand, leather pulls and all. The candles are then made by hand, cured, wrapped in butcher paper, decorated with a sticker and butcher string, nestled into the box and case packed for my customers.

my stock on the letterpress.

Tatine's Foundry Die.

The glassware before and after decoration. I went back and forth about 15 times until the colors were done right.

Foundry plates up on the press.

All told it took nearly 7 months for the end result, which is actually just arriving to my studio this week! Then all the candles still have to be hand made, hand packed and and had shipped. We put each and every box together ourselves and string the leather pulls by hand on each box let alone all the production that goes into making the candle iteself. I am anxious to re-launch this product and send it off into the world. It took months upon months to research, develop, design, create and approve the end product. Winning the award after pouring my heart and soul into it was extremely fulfilling. I have been distraught to disappoint all my customers who placed orders at market that are still waiting so long to receive it. Sometimes it's just completely out of my hands and I have to wait for each material component to be handmade on the other end.

I hope everyone who gets it feels as I did about receiving Jimmy's book. Worth the wait for a unique custom hand made product.

tatine foundry collection wins best of show in new york city