Mapleseed Gallery | Artisan Pepper Mills, Bowls and Original Art

Guest Artist at Owen Sound Artist Coop

Mapleseed — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:01:52 +0000

June is shaping up to be another big month for Mapleseed Gallery and we are proud to have been selected as the guest artist at the Owen Sound Artist Coop (OSAC).

Our Artisan Spice Mills will be featured at the OSAC during the month of June (2012). Drop on by and try one out.

Handmade in Owen Sound from a wide variety of domestic and exotic hardwoods and featuring our hallmark minaret design, these spice mills include an authentic stronger than steel CrushGrind™ ceramic mechanism. Made to grind peppercorns, sea-salt, or almost any dried spice, our Artisan Spice Mills are the ultimate combination of art and function and would be a perfect fit in any kitchen or dining room.

About the Owen Sound Artist Co-op: Discover the artistry of the Grey and Bruce Counties of southern Ontario at the Owen Sound Artists’ Co-op. The unique and personal gifts hand-crafted by their artists reflect the creativity of the thriving arts community in the region. The Artists’ Co-op was formed in 1994 to offer public exposure for the many fine artists in Grey-Bruce and to serve customers in their search for a broad range of high quality gifts and collectables.

The Artists’ Co-op is located in downtown Owen Sound at 279 10th Street East (just west of 3rd Avenue East). You can find lots of parking in the municipal lot just behind the store (parking lot entrance off of 3rd Avenue East). The Co-op is open from 9:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, and Sundays from noon until 4 p.m.

More info at www.osartistsco-op.com.

One Spot Left For May 26 & 27th Beginners Bowl Turning Workshop

Mapleseed — Sun, 13 May 2012 15:04:39 +0000

Have lots of fun learning to turn wood bowls. In this two day Introduction to Bowl Turning program we will introduce you to the exciting world of turning wood bowls.

Individual attention and hands on instruction are essential components of the program and class size is limited to 2 participants. With a separate lathe for each, the emphasis of this woodturning course will be on safety, fun, and general woodturning technique. Various turning skills will be discussed, demonstrated and practiced with the hands-on course culminating in the creation of a unique take-home project.

No prior woodturning experience is required.

Full course details (and registration links) at www.mapleseedgallery.ca/instruction/wtbwl101/ (or call 519-270-5531 to reserve your spot).

Artisan Spice Mills Now Available at The Cheese Gallery in Thornbury

Mapleseed — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:19:59 +0000

We are pleased to announce that Mapleseed Gallery Handcrafted Artisan Spice Mills (by Irwin Seidman) are now available at The Cheese Gallery in beautiful downtown Thornbury.

Starting in May 2012, a special selection of our one-of-a-kind locally made spice mills will be available in-store at The Cheese Gallery.

Located in the heart of downtown Thornbury, The Cheese Gallery is a cheese shop and tasting bar nestled within an Art Gallery. Their focus is on providing their customers with extraordinary local and international cheeses, locally produced artisan’s foods, and the talents of a group of artists who work in all media. Drop by to savour the tastes, feel the energy, and experience the art!

More info about The Cheese Gallery at www.thecheesegallery.com

Store Hours:

Sunday – Thursday: 10am – 6pm
Friday: 10am – 7pm
Saturday: 9am – 7pm

Store address:

11 Bruce Street South
Thornbury, ON N0H 2P0

Art Crawl: Open Air Art Market in Downtown Owen Sound

Mapleseed — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:01:30 +0000

Visit us Saturday May 19th, 2012 from 8am to noon at
Owen Sound’s Art Crawl … Where main street & artists meet!

Discover a wonderful selection of local artists selling local handcrafted goods in an open air style art and craft market in the heart of Downtown Owen Sound.

Located in the Percy England Parkette (cobblestone courtyard beside City Hall) Owen Sound’s Art Crawl is held every Saturday morning from 8am to noon From Victoria Day weekend (May 19th) to Labour Day weekend (September 1st), weather permitting.

We’ll be there under the spicemills.ca tent with a great selection of handcrafted:

artisan pepper & salt mills
spice bowls
hand-blended peppercorns

Hope to see you there

Hanover Home and Garden Show

Mapleseed — Sat, 05 May 2012 23:30:20 +0000

Mapleseed Gallery will be part of the Hanover Home and Garden Show at the P&H Centre in Hanover on May 5th & 6th, 2012. Look for us in the spicemills.ca booth.

We will be there with a great selection of our unique Mapleseed Gallery handmade spice mills (pepper mills) and some of our delicious hand blended peppercorn mixes. We will also have some of our one-of-a-kind spice bowls and wine bottle stoppers on hand too.

“Nothing beats the taste and texture of freshly milled peppercorns, spices, or sea-salt. Whether used in the preparation of a fine meal, or as a table grinder for everyday use, our spice mills are the perfect touch. The ultimate combination of art and function . . . a hand turned wood spice mill spices up any culinary experience and adds elegance to your kitchen and dining room.”

About the show:
Hanover Home and Garden Show
May 5 & 6, 2012 (Saturday & Sunday)
(Sat 9 to 5 | Sun 10 – 4)
P&H Centre in Hanover (269 7th Ave. Hanover, ON N4N 2H5)

The Hanover Home & Garden Show is the premier regional home show in Grey Bruce, setting the standards to which others strive to achieve. From inspired décor to renovating ideas this event has it all. Our show provides the most comprehensive shopping opportunity for buyers and sellers of renovating, decorating and landscaping products and produces leading edge and never before seen features in the marketplace. Come get inspired, get informed, be entertained and most importantly be ready to shop.

Click here for more info (and you will be redirected to the Town of the Blue Mountains Cottage Country Show website)

New Woodturning Shop Smock

Mapleseed — Sat, 05 May 2012 23:29:54 +0000

Stay clean and comfortable with the
new Mapleseed Gallery Woodturning Smock.

Our shop smock (jacket) is definitely designed with the woodturner in mind. Well made (in the USA) it features:

light weight nylon fabric
short sleeves
open mesh under the arms to keep you cool and comfortable
zippered front and roomy construction
stretch fabric on the back of the collar which makes for a snug, but comfortable fit (designed to keep the dust and wood shavings out)
large flap-covered front pocket
two large open back pockets (where they are less likely to become filled with wood dust and shaving)
available in three sizes: medium, large & extra large

Call us at 519-270-5531 to place your order today

$55 (CAD) plus shipping

Markham Village Music Festival

Mapleseed — Sat, 05 May 2012 23:08:51 +0000

spicemills.ca (part of the Mapleseed Gallery family) is delighted to be part of the 35th annual Markham Village Music Festival (Markham Village, Ontario) on June 15 & 16, 2012

We will be there (Saturday June 16th only) with a great selection of our one-of-a-kind Mapleseed Gallery handcrafted spice mills (pepper mills) and spice bowls, as well as some wonderfully fragrant and flavourful varieties of hand blended peppercorns.

About the 2012 Markham Village Music Festival:

Date: June 15 & 16, 2012
Times: Friday evening from 6 pm until 10 pm & Saturday from 9 am until 6 pm
Location: Main Street Markham (a.k.a. Markham Road or Highway 48) is closed to traffic from Highway 7 north to Parkway/Bullock for this annual event
Admission: FREE

In this, the year of the dragon, the Markham Village Music Festival will be celebrating three things: The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 (where we sent the American invaders packing) and the Village Festival’s 35th annual street party.

Music and Entertainment for all ages

From rock and roll to classical, from country to hip hop, you’ll find a sound to please your ears. As well as music, the Markham Village Music Festival features amateur and professional entertainers from Markham, York Region and the GTA. See dancers, jugglers, clowns and much more! Check out their entertainment page for the latest news.
Local & International Arts and Crafts

You’ll find great crafts and art, produced by local artists and artisans, and from around the world. Paintings and sculptures, to flower pots and jewellery (and yes . . . handcrafted spice mills and spice bowls too). Each year brings new artistic delights for your enjoyment. See who else will be there this year on the Markham Village Music Festival Crafts page.

Back by popular demand! Barkham

Barkham is back and it’s bigger than ever. Barkham’s just for pooches. It’s a special part of the Festival reserved just for dogs and dog lovers. There will be exhibits, contests, booths and much more. To find out more, visit the festival’s Barkham page.

As always, entry is FREE!

(That’s right, they have again managed to keep the festival absolutely free. No admission charge thanks to the Main Street merchants and professionals, the contributors to their Silent Auction and their generous Sponsors.)

What do customers think about our handmade artisan spice mills (pepper mills)?

Mapleseed — Wed, 02 May 2012 20:03:39 +0000

Nothing beats the taste and texture of freshly milled peppercorns, sea-salt or spice. Whether used in the preparation of a fine meal, or as a table grinder for everyday use, our pepper, salt and spice mills are the perfect touch. The ultimate combination of art and function … a hand turned wood grinder spices up any culinary experience and add elegance to your kitchen and dining room.

Great care and craftsmanship go into each of our hand crafted one-of-a-kind wood pepper, salt and spice mills. Each piece is individually turned using only the finest domestic and exotic hardwoods, and hand buffed to a soft sheen using the top quality earth friendly wood finishes. And . . . to top things off, we only use the world’s best “harder than steel” authentic CrushGrind® ceramic mechanisms in our mills.

So with all this in mind, we are especially proud when customers take the time to share some of their thoughts about their Mapleseed Gallery spice mill(s).

Here’s what a few have said:

Customer Testimonials

Can’t wait to hold my next dinner party. The pepper and salt mill will be the centre piece of my table setting. (Debbie – Scarborough, Ontario)

Wow . . . this peppermill is going to make the perfect wedding gift. (Donna – Toronto, Ontario)

Beautifully crafted – very pleased with purchase. Delivered promptly and well-packaged – great customer service. (from Etsy eStore)

Thanks ! We love our pepper and salt mills, and are looking forward to buying some more for Christmas gifts this year. (Bill – Owen Sound, Ontario)

The (special order) spice mill was a surprise and great hit with (my partner). Thanks for making such a wonderful piece . . . it will be treasured. (Stephen – Wiarton, Ontario)

I purchased a spice mill and loved it so much I had Irwin custom turn a second matching mill from a contrasting wood. They are beautiful items to put on display in my kitchen and are also very functional, I use them every day. I have been extremely impressed with the customer service both before, during and after the purchase.(Brian – Owen Sound, Ontario)

We saw your pepper mills at the food and wine show in Hanover earlier this year and regretted not buying one at the time. We were so happy to run into you again at the Christmas craft show in Owen Sound and are delighted with our beautiful maple pepper mill (Betty – Barrie, Ontario)

This is truly a beautiful hand made piece! The details in the carving (turning) that give this mill character are so unique. Great communications with this seller, very fast shipping also. Thank you! (Riki – Chatham, Ontario)

Just picked this pepper mill up in person from the Mapleseed workshop. Great craftsmanship and service. Awesome!! (Al – Owen Sound, Ontario)

The mills have arrived and they are wonderful. Many thanks! (Mark – Calgary, Alberta)

Thanks for the gorgeous pepper mill. It made an absolutely wonderful gift! (Abby – Kemble, Ontario)

Just thought I’d let you know I received the package today. Thanks very much, it’s beautiful – too bad I have to give it away! (Adam – Calgary, Alberta)

What do students think about our Woodturning courses & workshops?

Mapleseed — Wed, 02 May 2012 20:01:29 +0000

Woodturning workshops & courses are a big part of what we do at Mapleseed Gallery. Whether it’s the two day Introduction to Bowl Turning or Pepper Mill Turning programs, the one or two day Turning Designer Pens class or the five evening Wood Turning Projects workshop, instructor Irwin Seidman never gets tired of seeing new woodturners begin to relax, become more comfortable, and have fun in front of the lathe.

With a strong focus on safety and technique, students progress quickly and he always looks forward to the proud smiles that a finished take-home project brings. It is this great sense of satisfaction that makes us proud when students take the time to share some of their thoughts about their Mapleseed Gallery woodturning course experience(s).

Here’s what some of our students have said:

Student Testimonials

Awesome fun! I thought I’d be really nervous, but the small class size and friendly environment made me feel very comfortable. I love my bowl and can hardly wait for the next course. Thanks!! (Angie – Toronto ON)

As a cabinet maker with 30 years experience I can tell the difference between a woodworker who is capable of doing advanced work and one who just teaches. Lacking turning was a hole in my craft and I was very pleased with Irwin’s approach, clear and concise in an easygoing manner. Just what I needed to fill this gap in my professional portfolio. Thanks. (Henry – Singhampton, ON)

The woodturning weekend was one of the best weekends I’ve had in a long time. Your ability to put people at ease and to impart your woodturning knowledge was a big part of that. The photos are a good reminder of techniques so I have printed them off and plan to hang them on the wall beside the lathe . . . Happy turning. (Brenda – Harriston ON)

… great workshop . I had lots of fun. Hopefully I can attend another session soon. (Louise – Cambridge ON)

I took your course to help me decide whether or not I wanted to invest in a lathe and associated tools. The two days were such fun that I’ve decided to go ahead and do it. I was particularly lucky to be the only student in my session. Two days of one on one instruction was exceptional… I would highly recommend (this) class for beginning turners. (Dave – Toronto ON)

Thank you for the opportunity to learn how to use a wood lathe safely and confidently. I had a lot of fun creating something functional and expressing the natural beauty of the wood. Your focus on safety gave me the confidence to have fun… Your instruction/coaching is instinctive and relaxed making it an easy environment for me to learn. I like the use of pictures as it will remind me how to hold the tool as well as its approach to the piece. I had a tremendous amount of fun and can’t wait for the next time… (Stephan – Owen Sound ON)

The photos from our two day workshop are great and will help to remind us of some of the techniques, thanks so much for sending them along. I definitely had a lot of fun, and I think the way you taught the material will make it stick in my head. For me it was really the focus on the fundamentals, rather than any fancy project, that will make the most difference in developing skills. I know that my Dad and I will plan some weekend soon to get his Shopsmith lathe fired up! (Greg – Newmarket ON)

What a sweet idea sending the photos! Thank you. I think I may print them and put them in my shop … inspiration and all. I am having a tough day at work, as I really want to be at my shop practicing. I feel you really taught me so much in such a short period of time and that building my confidence will be a few days a week practicing and having fun. Thanks so much for this special weekend, it has really meant a lot to me. (Colleen – Stouffville ON)

Wanted to thank you for making the last two days very enjoyable. I’m very pleased with the projects – I could see how easy it would be to make a huge mess of it, and you made sure we didn’t! Thank you so much, and thanks to Susan for the great lunches. (Gail – Stayner ON)

New Shipment of Wood Means More Stunning Spice Mills On The Way

Mapleseed — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:21:25 +0000

A new shipment of wood has just arrived and we are getting ready to begin our next small hamdmade production run.

Pre-order your custom handmade artisan spice mill today

Whether used in the preparation of a fine meal, or as a table grinder for everyday use, our handcrafted wood spice mills (pepper mills) are the ultimate combination of art and function. Capable of grinding peppercorns, sea-salt or almost any dried spice, they are a welcome gift in any home.

Great care and craftsmanship go into each of our hand crafted wood spice mills (pepper mills). Each piece is individually turned using only the finest domestic and exotic hardwoods, hand buffed to a soft sheen using the best quality earth friendly wood finishes, and packaged in a handmade (reusable) canvas bag.

While based on our hallmark “amrud/minaret design”, as always each mill is a one-of-a-kind. We have just received our latest supply of lumber and will be hand-selecting the finest quality pieces for our next run of spice mills. With completion dates anticipated around May 18, 2012 we will be choosing from some of the following timbers:

Applewood
Black Walnut
Black Cherry
Purpleheart
Osage Orange
Sunburst Honey Locust
Pau Rosa

Rosewood
Tiger/Curly Maple
Flame Boxelder
Spalted Maple
Olive Ash
Elm
and more

Call us at 519-270-5531 to pre-order and reserve your handcrafted Mapleseed Gallery Artisan Spice Mill today.