The Swicegoods
Patti and Allen - Established 1979

Happy Independence Day! Hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday weekend!

I just received a forwarded email from a friend that had pictures of church signs with different sayings. I had to share this one:

As you pass this little church,
be sure to plan a visit.
So, when at last you're carried in,
God won't ask, "Who is it?"

Happy Father's Day to my Dad and Allen and all the other dads out there!

There has been a buzz of excitement in the air around here for the past few weeks. I have been doing ceramics since Allen introduced me to them in 1978 when I made some Christmas presents for my brothers. We started a business, The Ceramic Workshop in 1980 and have sold the ceramic pieces at arts and craft shows throughout the country since then. A few years ago, Travis set up a website for our ceramics to help with our sales. In 2006, Sarah and I started pouring soy candles (The Six Scents Candle Company) and they were added to our website and sold at shows. Last year we combined the sites into one website, www.TheSixScents.com. It has been my dream to open a retail shop to sell our products and to also be able to offer ceramic classes. A few weeks ago, we found the perfect shop to do all of this! Renovations to the shop are being completed and we will take possession on July 1st. We will be moving in and setting things up during July and have scheduled a grand opening for August 4th. We are so excited! Travis is making some new changes to our website and Sarah and I are busy getting more pieces ready to put in the shop and designing a new look for our candles. Allen is busy pouring ceramic molds for us and promoting his new candle line for hunters, Mule Deer Jack's Cover Candle! Everyone is working hard but we are really excited and looking forward to getting the shop open. We hope everyone who is local will stop by and see us when the shop opens. For those of you out of town, please keep checking on our website www.TheSixScents.com because we will be adding new items during the next few weeks. Yes, excitement is certainly in the air!

There have been lots of whispers around here the past couple of weeks as plans were made for Allen's surprise birthday party. It is really hard to keep 'secrets' from him. He thought the family was all coming over for a birthday dinner this evening. I suggested that he and I go out to dinner just by ourselves last evening. Yesterday, after the market, Sarah went out and bought all of the food and drinks and picked up the cake so she had everything ready to go as soon as we left the house for dinner. When Allen and I got home from dinner, "Surprise!!" The living room was full of friends and family! We really were able to surprise him so thanks to everyone for keeping our plans quiet! It was a really special evening! Today is his actual birthday so Happy 60th Birthday, Allen!