A New Year

Each Year a New Beginning at Tico Art, LLC

 

Although production continues year round in sunny Costa Rica, our New England sales team hibernates for the winter deep freeze. Our part time Floridian, Pat continues to dazzle the children of all ages on the southern circuit but I miss the look of amazement when someone opens their first puzzle box and says: "ahhhh!".

This week my friend Diego at the Spanish School gave his two daughters each their first puzzle box. That evening Diego sent this wonderful picture of his six year old daughter opening her "Colibrí", Hummingbird box. He said the look of amazement of her and her three year old sister's faces was indescribable.

I could only feel that I missed that part of our sales experience while working on production through the winter and can hardly wait for my first event in May.

Lee awoke from hibernation early this year and has already started his season off with three shows. The first was in March and was the first Home and Garden show that Tico Art has attended. He had a great reception. So good in fact that we were mentioned in a local paper, Foster's Daily Democratic:

"A crowd of people was seen at the Tico Art booth, which showcased handcrafted Costa Rican hardwoods, such as puzzle boxes with secret compartments, bowls, and kitchen accessories.

“Have you seen the woodworking man? Oh my God, they’re awesome,” said Manchester resident Ellen Weist about the Tico Art booth."

The complete article

Elaine, Rocco and I arrive home on April 29th to be greeted by all the new item that we made this winter and shipped ahead of our return. Our first two events are the first Friday and Sunday of May in Downtown Crossing and SoWa in the South End. We await with bated breath the faces of the first children to see out new designs and we'll see you soon. Nos vemos pronto y Pura Vida, Don Federico

 

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Tranquilo amigos:

¡Hay más tiempo que vida!

There is more time than life

 

It usually takes a while after I return to Costa Rica to slow down to the relaxed pace of this tranquil country. Its been four months and I guess I am as slow as I will get this year.

 

As an American from Boston I usually have two speeds.....on.....and......off. What is called slowing down to Tico Time is a Zen way of looking at life and the expression: "Hay más tiempo que vida" or "There is more time than life" explains this attitude. It says to me enjoy life and there will be plenty of time to get things accomplished.

 

We North Americans have a strong sense of urgency and purpose but often feel the resulting stress and worry. It seems the Tico's have adopted the Eastern Philosophy referenced on the following article:

 

The Zen master's to-do list: Do nothing and accomplish everything

 

Things seem to get done here but their natural rhythm and without a lot of worry and frustration. When one does seem worried or concerned another will say: "tranquilo"....."relax" or "Tenga paz en su corazón"....."have peace in your heart".

 

Costa Rica is not for everybody but I feel it is for me. I continue search for the "Pura Vida" or the "Pure Life" which is the national "Aloha or Shalom" greeting of the happiest country on this planet, Costa Rica.

 

Pura Vida, Don Federico

 

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Mom's Spirit has Wings

We are joyed to be able to have our hummingbird touch the heart of a new customer we met last weekend.

We received the following yesterday:

"Hello Fred,

It was a pleasure meeting you in Salem.......................... I’m also interested in the large Hummingbird puzzle box.


Xxxxxxx, my soon to be fiancé, lost her mom some years ago and was ‘visited’ by a hummingbird the same day she died. She since is convinced her mother comes to visit now and then in this form and is fond of anything hummingbird. It would
be a great surprise to her to give her this puzzle box at Christmas. If you have one available, please send this also."

Tico Art un negocio espíritual

Tico Art es una asociación de cooperación mutua entre Los Estados Unidos y Costa Rica creada para compartir el espíritu y la belleza de los Ticos y su cultura con el resto del mundo. Ticos y Estadounidenses trabajando juntos en el diseño y la producción artesanal de piezas decorativas y funcionales a partir de maderas finas cultivadas Centro América. Estas piezas son terminadas y traídas a Los Estados Unidos por medio de Tico Art en Nueva Inglaterra.

Okay, now a translation for our Gringo friends:

Tico Art a spiritual business

Tico Art is an American/Costa Rican cooperative partnership created to share the spirit and beauty of the Ticos and their country with the rest of the world. Ticos and Americans work side by side designing and producing handcrafted decorative and functional items from Central American farm grown hardwoods. These are finished and channeled through Tico Art's New England facility.

This is our Mission Statement and has been added to our website. After five years we have grown into a cooperative of three American and four Costa Rican families plus loads of others that provide help, labor and services. Here are a few of them.

Although the Mission Statement doesn't address it, the spirit, joy and enthusiasm of our American customers is the third component of our "Spiritual Business". Each day that we sell, there are at least two or three heart warming stories or special customers. I hope to share some of these in future blogs.

For today I will share portions of a thank you letter from a lovely lady:

"Dear Mr. and Mrs. Drew,

I am xxxxxxxxx. So happy to meet you at Boston Summer Street Market in June.

This is my first time to see the puzzle boxes. They are so beautiful and amazing!

Thanks Mrs. Drew for introducing me the "secret" of the puzzle boxes!

Also thank you for designing those wonderful and beautiful products!"

Even though "Mrs. Drew" was my business partner Pat that day, we appreciated the thought and the photos that she enclosed.

We hope to share the Tico "Pura Vida" with all we meet.

 

Pura Vida, Don Federico y familia

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Poor Pat P. ponders puzzle boxes

Poor Pat P. ponders puzzle boxes.

After a perfectly positive puzzle box presentation in Wells, ME yesterday; my partner Pat woke at 2:00 AM perturbed over the possibility that we lacked plentiful product to peddle today.

When I awoke at 6:20, I had an email time stamped at 3:43 AM asking for me to bring some Masonic boxes in addition to her other sold out items. It was a joyous Sunday morning so I opted for a motorcycle ride and delivered in time for our 10:00 AM opening.

And what was our first sale of the day?

A large Masonic of course!


It was great to see Darr, Laurie and lots of other crafter friends today. Pat and George are doing a great job taking over events but we miss our friends when we're not there.

Pura Vida, Don Federico

Greenway Openmarket

If you haven't visited Boston lately, you should this summer. There are a number of organizations that have worked hard to make our city a composite of historical, cosmopolitan, hip, entertaining and relaxing.

Last year the Boston Improvement District invited us to be part of their Art Fridays Market. They continue to add Music, Markets & More to downtown Boston. The twice-weekly Summer Street Markets continue all summer on Wednesdays and Fridays.

In addition to the Summer Street Market, we were accepted as part of the Greenway Open Market. The Greenway Open Market is an expansion of the successful and nationally recognized SoWa Open Market in conjunction with the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy.

We have been there five Saturdays thus far and in addition to receiving a wonderful reception, we have enjoyed the beauty and atmosphere that the Greenway has added to Boston. Of course! it is a stark contrast to the old Expressway that loomed over that area.

Boston’s ribbon of contem

 

We are off to Wells, ME this weekend but will return on July 14th for the last of our original scheduled dates.

 

Having applied for additional dates this week, we have been accepted and confirmed that we can display there through the first weekend in August.

 

Come explore the parks, take in the city sights from the comfort of tree-lined promenades, soak up sunshine, play in the Rings Fountain, eat at a food truck, and of course shop a variety of other market vendors for something truly original!

We hope to see you there.

Pura Vida, the TicoArt.com cooperative family

 

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It's a Small World - continued

I received a nice response from Ted from Long Meadow and the story continues:

Ted wrote,

"Enjoyed your "blog" and passed it on to some of my family. I hope it gives some of your customers and prospects some ideas. It simplifies buying Christmas presents for me. My wife died 3 years ago and she used to take care of buying the presents ........ Regards, Ted"

Pura Vida, Don Federico