Ass over Teakettle

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It all started with a 19 year old bartender and a 64 year old lady. During the summer of 2001 at Lakewood Inn Restaurant Katie Quinn (the bartender) & Jan Powers (the lady) began the study of making the perfect bloody mary. Katie being 19 thought she knew all….so her very first bloody mary was made with horseradish mayo. How was Katie to know the difference between horseradish and horseradish mayo, she was only 19 for goodness sake! I’m sure you’ve figured out what happened next…the worst bloody mary in all of human history. Jan laughed and of course didn’t drink this bloody mary, but instead took Katie under her wing and through out the summer, Katie listened, practiced, and took the criticisms but alas! Finally the day came when Jan and Katie created the perfect bloody mary!

In March of 2017, Katie purchased back original family property in Cornville, Maine. The renovations began! After a long summer and quite a bit of ups and downs the new kitchen facility began pumping out bloody mary mix and bbq sauces in November of 2017. Katie has a wonderful group of people behind her helping her every which way. Mickey Powers (Jan Powers husband) is her number one sidekick! Mickey has been through think and thin with Katie from idle chatter, solid business advice and the best bloody mary maker in the world! That’s right Mickey has been stirring it up with Katie since 2015!

Town View Leather

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Town View Leather is a family business operated by Galen and Gayanne Wintle, located in the heart of Central Maine. We have been making moccasins since the late “80’s in our home based leather shop. Before we started our own business, Galen worked at Dexter Shoe for 22 years. Learning the art of handsewing from the “oldtimers”, he came to love the work and look of genuine handsewn footwear. We like to please our customers with good customer relations and a product that they will love to wear.

The Double Sole Ole’ Maine Comfort Classic Moccasin is genuine handsewn around the toe and heel (not whipped or laced) using soft textured Top Grain Cowhide.  A thicker, more durable Bull Hide leather is used for the double sole. The Deerskin lining is an added touch of softness next to your foot. Our double sole moccasins are really “triple” soles because we put an extra layer of leather between the moccasin and the stitched on double sole for added comfort. Combining that with great classic looks and craftsmanship it creates a long time friend. There is nothing quite as special as handsewn moccasins.

Elise Marie DeSigns

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I grew up on the small island of Jamestown in Rhode Island. I was always fascinated and inspired by collecting and manipulating various materials. Jewelry making was something that came naturally to me as a child and something that I continued to grow with and explore as I matured. My creative drive led me to complete a bachelors’ degree in Textiles, Merchandising and Design at the University of Rhode Island in 2012. Motivated by my love of the ocean and the trendy culture of Portland, I moved to coastal Maine and established my jewelry company: Elise Marie DeSigns. The entrepreneurial spirit and beauty of Maine continues to be a great inspiration for new designs and business growth for my company.

Island Apothecary

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Laura Serino worked for years as a writer in New York City until a fateful trip to Maine changed everything. During a weekend visit to North Haven island, she met a very handsome lobsterman and moved to Maine six months later. They are now married with one child and are based on North Haven full-time.

I have always been passionate about environmentally conscious practices and have educated myself as a journalist about what I put in and on my body. I solved my own skincare issues with an oil-based approach and decided to begin selling it and offering it to the masses.

We operate year-round and make all our products in small batches. Everything is made on North Haven and shipped from North Haven to homes all over the world.

the pop company

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Meet Liza

She’s the POP Company’s CEO, creative director, designer, seamstress… heck, she does it all from her cozy workshop in Birch Harbor, Maine.

She was born in Argentina, raised in New Hampshire, and spent quite a bit of time with her mother’s family in NYC – which sparked her passion for the arts. She dabbles in silversmithing, stained glass, knitting, photography, and design. But it was her sewing skills and business savvy (she’s owned two successful hair salons) that helped her build POP.

Liza’s Morkie (Maltese and Yorkie) Harley inspired her to create her original Purse of Pockets. Harley is a therapy dog and the two often travel to visit hospitals and nursing homes. Liza was frustrated by juggling two bags along on every trip.

What if… she thought, What if I had one bag that could hold it all – separated by pockets, so I didn’t have to root around trying to find the poopie bags, treats, and my car keys? God, I’m brilliant.

She really is. Her friends thought so, too. Liza suddenly had a business on her hands.

She knew that she wanted to support other small, USA-based businesses, so she sources all her materials in America. She uses sustainably-produced organic waxed cotton canvas and makes her bags to last a lifetime. Liza donates 1% of her profits to her local animal shelter – so you’ll not only look freakin’ fabulous with your new POP company bag, but you’ll feel good about your 

And here she is, working on another gorgeous creation for you!

 

Maine Authors Publishing

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We have been a trusted source for books by Maine authors since 2009. A small, cooperative-style, press; we send our full color trade catalog, followed by our sales rep, to Maine bookstores twice a year.  We offer cooperative-style marketing by training our authors how to promote and sell book and by sharing the cost of trade shows. Order wholesale or retail from our website or at most Maine bookstores. We are always looking for new Maine talent and use a hybrid model of pay per service publishing, giving authors 100% of the royalties from books sold in bookstores and shops throughout Maine. We offer full distribution services, editing, book design, printing and warehousing. Wholesale buyers may order from our website, or from orders@maineauthorspublshing.com or contact us for a catalog and order form. Authors may contact us for information or to register for our orientation presentation on the first Friday of every month-“Introduction to Cooperative-Style Publishing”.

identities by mawebber

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…as my saying goes, “What can I create for you?” is the BEST way to explain my work, Multi-media work encompasses all of my creations, I use a multitude of stock, birchbark, oars to name a few, Lobster buoys have been a popular medium lately, materials are from regional suppliers, All pieces are custom designed to fit the clients needs…. This is from my profile…. ‘ My artwork embodies a creative and distinctive flavor; and can be tailored to any individual desire. I utilize various mediums, but lately have rediscovered my early roots by using pastels, colored pencil, graphite along with pen and ink, acrylics lend a nice touch also. A REAL sense of realism is evident in the majority of my work.”

Ella’s Chocolates

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I am passionate about creating, and love all things chocolate. When I saw an opportunity to share that passion with others, I took it. After much experimenting and working to perfect my technique, I developed my first official product and Ella’s Chocolates was born.

A personal favorite of mine, the chocolate covered cherry, was where I started. Taking a big fat cherry, wrapping in a secret confection and dipping it in a bath of dark or milk chocolate. Ahh….

After sharing with family and friends, the requests starting flowing in. Unable to stop there, I went on to create a soft homemade caramel encased in a thick semi-sweet chocolate, and a creamy peanut butter ball dipped in chocolate with a surprise in the middle.

Shortly after beginning my business venture I went to Vermont to visit with family. I knew I had hit on something big when a couple of women took bites of my chocolates, they bent slightly at the knees, one said, “mmmm” I’ve arrived at “The Land of Delicious.”

Birdhouses from Maine

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How it all started…

In 1998 I had just retired from working 20+ years in a local paper mill, ready to pursue a different path of work and other interests. One day my young daughter brought home from a local craft show a small unpainted birdhouse. As a project together, we painted and installed the birdhouse out in the field. To our surprise that early Spring, a pair of swallows took up residence in our new house. “I was hooked from that point on.” Reading up on birds and their habitat in many books, I started to build basic birdhouses at first. Then as I started to use many types of recycled materials my creativity started to expand. Using resalvaged pieces of metal, stone, wood, household items, etc. my designs became unique, one-of-a- kind pieces.

My wife, daughter and I started to exhibit our birdhouses, signs and other products at craft shows. The popularity of our products was greatly received. Soon, what started out as a hobby turned into a new small business.

Although our product line has expanded greatly since the beginning, we have made sure our gift line is very affordable. We still build our basic birdhouse line for bird lovers but also enjoy making special one-of-a-kind houses that seem to add much enjoyment to all our customers. All our pieces are designed for outdoor use for habitat but many customers also use them for interior home decor.

We hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoy making them!

Jack and Mary Designs

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Jack and Mary Designs has been designing and manufacturing hand-crafted, American-made, charming accessories created from recycled sweaters since 2004.

Designer and founder, Marilyn Robertson’s commitment to creating fashion-forward, functional, stylish, accessories, that are hand-made in Maine, has earned the company a loyal following of style-conscious, eco-minded consumers.

Robertson, a former interior designer channels her eye for design and love of color into creating one-of-a-kind, artful accessories. “Initially I was focusing on creating handbags from sweaters,” Robertson says. “In 2009, a friend asked me to make handbags as gifts for her sisters using the sweaters their late mother had worn to her sister’s Olympic ski races,” she explained. “After making the bags the sweater sleeves were left over so I made mittens out of the sleeves. The mittens took off.”

Since the 2009 debut of the company’s mittens, the cold weather accessories collection has expanded to include eco-friendly scarves, hats, mittens, fingerless mittens, headbands, bun warmer skirts, flower pins and Christmas Stockings.

“Winter can be such a somber season,” Robertson says. “So I keep the line, colorful, happy…The pieces are functional with a zippy pop of color that always makes people smile.”

With the 2013 debut of their children’s accessories line, Jack and Mary Designs remains at the forefront of women’s and children’s fashion and the green movement. Jack and Mary Designs products are sold online, as well as at over 75 retailers. Shop the entire collection now.

We specialize in sweater refashion and upcycling wool into environmentally friendly accessories, giving natural fiber a new life.
We take previously owned wool/cashmere sweaters and cut them into different shapes, giving us a wide range of colors and patterns from which to craft our accessories . The cut material is then purposefully pieced back together into wearable works of art – hats, mittens, scarves, etc. Hand Wash * Air Dry

Every hand-crafted item we sell must meet Marilyn’s high standards before it gets her stamp of approval. Marilyn’s approval means you are assured of receiving quality Hand Made in Maine products from Jack and Mary Designs.