As it turns out the nice couple that called was, in fact, looking for a very particular color for the mug that they were seeking – Burgundy. The only inn in Duluth that has burgundy mugs in stock was the Firelight Inn on Oregon Creek. That being said, Julie our now infamous GM, looked at the order history of each of our Duluth Inns before finding the location of a burgundy mug.

In alphabetical order… Our favorite Inns of Duluth:

A. G. Thomson House

Cotton Mansion

Ellery House Bed & Breakfast

Firelight Inn on Oregon Creek

Mathew S. Burrows 1890 Inn

Olcott House

Solglimt Jewel on the Water

Let it be known that each property and each innkeeper(s) are equally our favorites and we hope to stay with each one!!! Most importantly, we hope that everyone that reads this blog will take time to stay at each property and will purchase a mug to remember that stay… These amazing Inns are just like our handmade mugs – No 2 are exactly alike!

Thank you for reading our blog!

Niles Deneen

Well, this happened last Friday as a couple was at the Split Rock Lighthouse and they didn’t see exactly what they wanted on the shelf. It should be noted that Split Rock is celebrating it’s 100th Anniversary this year, so with the increase in interest they’ve sold out of some pieces. So the couple called us to find out where they could find another mug. Julie, our amazingly talented GM, referred them to the B&B that she recently stayed at, the Firelight Inn, located in Duluth, MN – the innkeepers Jim and Joy Fisher are the best!!!

Like most calls that we get about finding a mug we never hear anything and just hope that our assistance was appreciated… This time, we did hear and it was posted on the facebook page of the Firelight Inn!!!

So the phone rings this afternoon and a couple tells us they saw some stoneware at Split Rock Lighthouse but its not quite what they want. They see its made by Deneen Pottery and they give them a call and, off course, Deneen Pottery sends them to The Firelight Inn. They just left with two Firelight mugs which they considered “perfect”! Sweetness!

Once  you have an appreciation for handmade mugs by Deneen Pottery, nothing else will do! Even thought the couple didn’t stay with Jim and Joy Fisher, they loved their mugs enough to buy a pair. That certainly is much better than getting a parking ticket!!!

For more information on how you can place your first order, or find your next mug, just give us a call 888-646-0238!

Thanks for reading our blog.

Niles Deneen

Shortly after that post the commander of the unit and I, while working within a budget, came up with an order that allowed us to produce both a small run of Nordic Tankards, and Rancher mug. I was able to save one of the 196th Military Tankards and have photographed it so that you can see it here.

The second part to this order includes our spanking new glaze – RED. Yep that’s right we have invented a LEAD FREE, CADMIUM FREE, RED GLAZE and it is so full of vibrancy and pop that it is certain to become one of our most popular glaze colors yet!!! I haven’t had time to add it to our web page yet and the only other place you can see it is on our facebook page. I must apologize for this size and detail of this second photo as I only had my iPhone with me.

Seeing as this is the first military order that we’ve completed with our new red glaze I had to post a few pictures in a blog. Although summer is a busy time, it is always important to keep working on the ‘fun’ projects. Sharing bit of information with the greater world is definitely one of those things – Even if one a few in the greater world read this.

Ultimately we are proud to work on order for our troops, be they in Hawaii (like the 196th) or in Iraq, Germany, or Utah.

If you have any questions about ordering, our stoneware, or the new RED GLAZE just let us know.

Thank you for reading our blog!

Niles Deneen

Estes Park, CO – Owned and operated Lois H. Smith – Stoneware by Deneen Pottery

We are now in our second year of working with the Baldpate Inn and we are just into the heart of the busy season. Thing are going well… Really well actually:

“HELP!  The mugs are flying off the shelves!  We can barely use them in the restaurant we have sold so many!!!   Can we get another order ASAP?  I think you have already sent all I had on my January Pack & Ship order.”

“I guess I should have realized these would sell so great, but just didn’t anticipate the demand” wrote Lois in a second email after her next order of 350 handmade custom mugs was approved.

What can you do except make more and get it out as quick as we can! Finding the perfect place, and the perfect season, and then the right people is how we are growing our family business. When more and more products are made outside of our country, with fossil fuels burned to get them here, we feel like we are doing our small part to make the world a better place.

Glazing the plates, one-by-one, is the founder, president, Peter Deneen… The gizmo that he is using is a pending a patent, and is affectionelly called the Glaze-A Whirl. It is just one of the many machines, and processes that we invented in our pursuit to create the finest handmade stoneware.

Creating functional, durable, American Made Stoneware is what we do – It’s who we are as a family!

If you have any questions just give us a call, or send an email using the ‘Contact Us’ button on the left.

Thank for reading our blog -

Niles Deneen VP, Marketing – Deneen Pottery

This is the second blog that I’ve done showcasing some of the work that we have done for military units – The mugs that were shown on the previous blog were all done specifically for our customers and the designs were perfected through an approval process. To see those images and that blog click here.

After I posted that earlier blog I did some additional searching and came across one more military mug design – Detachment 14 Silent Warriors. This was one of about 3 orders that we crafted for a special client. The artwork, as you can see, has a great amount of detail and pictures a Bald Eagle with a Native American dream catcher.

Our Glaze-Engraving™ process allows us to capture the greatest detail, and the finest lines, so that YOU will have an amazing emblem on a mug that was crafted by 24 pairs of hands. Yes, you read that correctly – Each mug is touched by 24 different hands through the production process, and that all takes right here, in Minnesota, USA!!!

This specific Custom Military Mug was created in a very limited run, only 50  were made, and they shipped out from our factory in the summer of 2009.

Our family pottery company strives to produce the highest quality, handmade stoneware for each and every customer – We look forward to answering your questions – Call us anytime!

Sincerely,

Niles Deneen, VP-Marketing

888-646-0238

For more information on our stoneware just click here, or use the navigation bar on your left.

]]> http://www.deneenpottery.com/blog/2010/07/another-handmade-custom-military-coffee-mug/feed/ 1 http://www.deneenpottery.com/blog/2010/06/military-mugs-by-deneen-pottery/ http://www.deneenpottery.com/blog/2010/06/military-mugs-by-deneen-pottery/#comments Wed, 30 Jun 2010 13:38:24 +0000 Niles Deneen http://www.deneenpottery.com/blog/?p=648 Only our best for our Nations best!

We love working with military units – and given the chance we will create a the finest handmade mugs in this country. For some clients, like the Patriot Shop in Tennessee, we have produced designs for each branch of service so that they can retail individual mugs through their website.

We have more fun when we are given a challenge… For Camp Lejune we combined the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor along with the famous tree from the entrance of the base for a custom design that looks like this:

The Spartans, 2nd Special Troop Battalion that were stationed in Iraq we integrated the country outline, their insignia, and their name for a mug that was given out at their Battalion Ball in February of this year. The Battalion Ball mug was a hit and many were pleased to see our ‘Made in the USA’ stamp on the bottom of each mug.

Just a few weeks ago we created a mug for the TSgt Joshua Trotter who is stationed at the Geilen Kirchen Military Base in Germany… Joshua ran across a mug that we had made for the Hill Airforce Base in Colorado and wanted a custom design for his outfit. We scrambled and put a RUSH on the order so that mugs would arrive in June. We pulled it off and heard back from Joshua.

“Thanks Niles for all the efforts of you and your family.  The event did go well and people are really impressed with the mugs.  I think the next place I go I will change up the color and possibly the design, because one can only have so many blue mugs.” Till next time. Josh

As I type this we have another Military Mug project in the works for the 196th Infantry Brigade stationed in Hawaii. We have taken the insignia and the patch and have woven both pieces into a design that is just about to be approved. Once approved we’ll aim to produce the finest mug for the brave men and women that are protecting our country.

If you have any questions about starting a design, costs, or anything else just send an email to niles@deneenpottery.com and I will get right back to you!

Thanks for reading our blog – Have a great Independence Weekend!

Niles Deneen

Following the Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Conference Jay Karen stopped by and toured our studio. Halfway through my dad, Peter Deneen, sat Jay at a wheel and let him give it a spin! Keep in mind Jay is not a professional potter…

The mug, that has now just come out of the kiln, is truly one of a kind.

With an instructor like Peter Deneen, who is narrating, what could go wrong?

Thanks for reading our Blog.

Niles Deneen

Well, the response to that ad? It was good. And last week I began to do follow up calls to those that we sent mugs to. In the course of my calls I came across a property called Harpole’s Heartland Lodge, an Illinois hunting lodge / bed and breakfast located in serene Pike County.

I am a very visual person and one that likes to find connections… This connection hit me when looking at Harpole’s Heartland Lodge was one of a big buck. As I’ve been adopted by my in-laws into the traditions of white tail hunting in northern Minnesota, anytime I see a buck my thoughts turn to the season in which we wear blaze orange and sit quietly in the woods.

The second thing that hit me was that Harpole’s Heartland Lodge had an authenticity similar to one of our most successful Inns located in Gatlinburg, TN – Buckhorn Inn.

Besides the fact that one is a hunting lodge, and one is not, both properties are bed & breakfasts and I figured that Wanda, the owner of Harpole’s, might benefit from knowing a bit about Buckhorn. That’s when I picked up the phone and called Lee, the owner of Buckhorn.

“We love our mugs, – More importantly, our guests love our mugs,” was one of the very first things that Lee said. Since 2005 we have been making Footed Mugs in Hunter Green, at a rate of about 200-400 a year. Pictured below is one of the mugs as it is coming through production – The artwork for Buckhorn prominently features a majestic looking multi-point buck, one that any hunter would sure be proud to bring home.

The difficulty of bagging a big buck was kinda like the decision that Lee faced when trying to find the right mug for her property.  “[We] couldn’t find anything that looked as good as your mugs [with the] feeling that they’ll hold up,” Lee said.

“We thought the mugs were too expensive – You’ve got to be kidding, we’ll have to sell them for at least 16, and we thought that they wouldn’t sell.” But that all changed once that first order arrived…

“We’ve just been delighted and the sales have been fantastic – Sure some guests won’t buy them but we are probably selling 375 per year – That is a lot of money for no extra effort.” The secret is that you just serve coffee in the mugs, “you don’t have to build a room, people just have them at breakfast.”

Since we’ve been perfecting the craft of handmaking mugs for over 30 years, ensuring their durability is paramount. “[Deneen Pottery is] known in the industry – I have seen your mugs in some really nice places,” Lee mentioned.

Having a mug with your name on it can be a great marketing tool, but if that decal wears off, or the mug is easily broken, it will end up in the trash. Our mugs are made to be used, handle abuse and still look good! “We love them, and use them for serving morning coffee, we’ve only broken one as the mugs are sturdy, and most importantly they have a great look” Lee said.

Lee also said that she “likes dealing with a small company – We know you and you know us!” It’s been wonderful to have the opportunity to work with Lee over the years and we look forward to continuing that relationship in the years to come.

At the end of our conversation I suggest that Lee try a new glaze color on her next order… Be it known that there will be 20 Footed Mugs in a new color – Our Marble Hunter w/Blue White Top going to the Buckhorn Inn. If past performances are any indicator of future results, then we had better get another order of Marble glazed mug into production! I have a feeling the new color will be very popular this summer!

In closing I’ve pictured the home page of Harpole’s Heartland Lodge – As you can see the prominence of that buck is what sparked this blog. Hopefully the similarities that I see will be noticed by others… It’s never fun to extend trust and open yourself up to a new relationship, especially a business relationship in these economic times… Hopefully this blog will help ‘others’ know that with Deneen Pottery is worthy of that trust!

Thanks for reading our Pottery Blog!

Niles Deneen

I’ve been waiting to find the next Innkeeper to interview and after hearing from Katherine Brown of Bloomsbury located in Camden, SC earlier this week I knew she would be perfect. In October of lat year we first talked about her property and our mugs and a few weeks later we combined a photograph of her property, and a drawing, by Randall Peterson, into this beautiful creation by Teena our Art Director.

At the start of the week I received a sorta tap-on-the-shoulder email that, more or less, hit me over the head and prompted me to see if Katherine would want to be the second official participant of  our Innkeeper Q&A.

“Good morning Niles – this is where you can share a ‘great laugh’ with everyone at Deneen Pottery!  When we ordered mugs a few short months ago, it was primarily because I like them–I wanted to try them on our breakfast table.

As it would never have occurred to me to buy a mug (with some logo) when I was traveling — I rather dismissed when you said how well they sell.   OK – I need to place an order.   Quit laughing and tell me what you need.”

I don’t mind being dismissed especially when I get to hear about it – That’s why this statement is also on our testimonials page… It helps to look back at positive statements when you are having a rough day – And I figure if I keep stacking up the positive things that have been said, more will KNOW that we ARE the best at making Custom Stoneware Coffee Mugs!

Enough of the blog blabbing here – Time to get to the Questions and Answers.

Q.) Where did you first hear about Deneen Pottery? Deneen Pottery mugs have been around the B&B industry for years.  I do not really recall when or where I first heard about them…most likely from an innkeeper when Bruce and I were visiting an inn who featured the mug.  We love upscale B&Bs — upscale B&Bs are where travelers find the mugs.  So, we have encountered them often in our travels (CO to VA, TX to NH)…long before we decided to be innkeepers…long before we decided to feature Deneen Pottery at Bloomsbury.

Q. Do you use the mugs to serve coffee and/or tea? Yes, we use them for both coffee and tea…primarily for coffee.  We use them in our Bloomsbury gourmet breakfast service and whenever a guest requests a hot drink when not a breakfast.

Q.) What is your favorite thing about your mugs? This is not a fair question…there is no one favorite thing:  Favorite things:  great size with great handle size, beautiful glaze options and wonderful branding of Bloomsbury, keeps hot drinks hot, dishwasher friendly, and our guests love them!

Q.) Can you think of a story or comment  to share about your mugs? My Favorite Mug As a young female lieutenant assigned to an all male Air Force Field Maintenance Unit, I chose a gracefully unique coffee cup from which to consume some of the worst coffee ever brewed (or should I say rebrewed).  Through 25 years of serving our great Nation, I followed my tradition of using a “pretty” cup.  When we opened Bloomsbury Inn in 2005, I continued to use a cup unique to all the others in the house.  Yes, cup as in cup and saucer — never a mug.   With the arrival of Deneen Pottery mugs at Bloomsbury, I decided I should try them.  Well as I write, my Royal Crown Darby cup and saucer are well-displayed in the kitchen, and my coffee sits before me in a Deneen Pottery mug. (PS…no Niles, I did not make this up as a good “story” for the interview…it is oh so true!)

Just as Katherine has served our country for the Air Force , our mugs are now serving her and the guests of Bloomsbury! I do feel sorry for the Royal Crown Darby cup and saucer, much the same as I feel for Winnie the Pooh, but new relationship has emerged and that brings me joy… Much the same way that Katherine now enjoys coffee from her handmade, hand-thrown, made in the USA  – Custom stoneware mug. While what we do may not be on the cutting edge of technology, or will save the world, we do bring a moment of peace and joy when you stop to savor your first sip of the day.

Thank you Katherine – We wish you the best of luck, this season!

Thanks for reading our blog!

Niles Deneen – VP Marketing

And that true story is told by Joshua and it goes like this:

“Just as we were unpacking your delicious shipment at the front counter (we call it the ‘front counter’ but it’s by the back door), our friend Philip (long-time customer) came in to buy Christmas gifts for his (prodigous) family.  He was immediately entranced by the mugs, and selected 8 as stocking-stuffers.”

So the very first day that EIGHTH day books had their mugs, they sold EIGHT… How Cool!

Eighth Day books first opened in September of 1988 and is far from being a super chain, “we’re selective, offering an eccentric community of books based on this principle: If a book – be it literary, scientific, historical, or theological – sheds light on ultimate questions in an excellent way, then it’s a worthy candidate for our catalog” said Warren.

This catalog of books was the connection that brought our handmade mugs into Warren’s sights, as they supply another customer of Deneen Pottery called Agia Sophia in Colorado Springs, CO. On a past trip to Agia Sophia Warren noticed their display of mugs and bought one to bring back to Wichita. “We’ve had mugs before, years ago, and were looking for someone to do a new series.” With our handmade quality Warren said that “[Deneen Pottery] perfectly fit he bill.”

From a independent coffee shop in Colorado, to an amazing book shop in Kansas – We appreciate the small connections that bring stories like this to our family business.

Thank you for reading our blog.

Niles

P.s. I thought it best to return to that quote that I first found as Warren so kindly explained where it cam from. “St. Justin Martyr in his Second Apology (paraphrased a bit): that which is true, is ours.”