Casting Pewter – Made in the U.S.A.

Mark and Sherry Steinmiller made this video yesterday of the casting facility at T&T Designs. T&T is known for making high quality pewter castings for pocket tokens and pet collar tags, using their registered Guardian Angel® Brand and for charms for their AVA Czech bead collection. For over twenty years Mark has made the molds himself and cast the product right here in Manchester, Connecticut. The rubber molds are set into the vulcanizer at 350 F. Sprue lines are cut into the molds to channel the metal to the actual casting cavity. The molds then are put into the centrifuge chamber which spins like a washing machine. Molten metal (625 F) is poured into the center hole in the centrifuge and spun to get into all the tiny details such as the feathers of the angels and faces of the dogs. Once released from the molds each piece is separated from the casting ring by hand and then put into a tumbler to remove the parting lines and to be polished. If it’s to be a pewter piece, it’s done! If it’s going to be plated silver, copper or gold it needs to go out for plating.

The Power of Simple Paper Keepsake Angels

I just received a very touching call that I thought I should share with everyone. Karen S lives in Florida and she was given one of our Guardian Angel® Simple Paper Keepsakes about seven years ago as a gift to help her go through a difficult situation. She has kept this with her and every time someone she knows is going through a bad time she hands this out to them to give them guidance and help them through their difficult time, and every time she gets it back, she is told it works!!!! It really works!

When I was talking to Karen she became a little emotional because she really believes that Angels do guide and protect us, and everyone she knows believes that our SPK makes a difference. Karen called to buy more of these pieces, because she wants to give them out to her friends and allow them to keep the piece for themselves.

These keepsakes are one of T&T Design’s best selling lines for many years. They are a laminated die-cut angel and a card with saying. Both are easy to tuck into your wallet and carry with you.

Wally’s Humble Opinion on NCAA basketball

Wally’s Collegiate Corner:

I really did not expect to be writing many blogs until the collegiate football season started winding up, but I feel I must write on the present situation that our Championship NCAA basketball team is involved in presently. I am in total dismay with all the players who are leaving the program and the way the NCAA Committee has handled the situation. Let’s start by discussing the present 6 players who have opted to leave the program. You went to college to get an education, and play ball for a highly ranked college and learn from a Hall of Fame coach You achieved part of your goal, but to leave for the NBA draft because you are a lottery draft pick (Jeremy Lamb, and Andre Drummond) or because of the Academic Progress Rate score, I feel is wrong.
I do understand that players want to play in the post-season, but really, the UCONN program is one of the best in the nation and to jump ship when this only effect the 2012-2013 seasons really bothers me. All of you players could use another season or two to hone your skills and be ready to showcase your talent in the next season, and do what you came to college to do, which is GET AN EDUCATION, what if you are hurt and can never play again? What than? As far as I am concerned you all still need some work and working with a Hall of Fame coach is what you still need!
Now let me make my point with regard to the NCAA Committee and its harsh penalty on the present players of this team or any team. I fully agree that the players and the school should be penalized for actions that happened in 2009-10 and the poor scores, but C’ MON GUYS, these kids do not deserve this to effect them. You could have been more creative, maybe imposing monetary sanctions through the NCAA, loss of wins during the 2009-10 season, post season wins, things that effect those two years ,and those players in those years. If your going to PUNISH, do it correctly, don’t hurt players that had nothing to do with the situation.

Uconn’s Annual Blue/White Spring Game

Wally’s Collegiate Corner:

Well, it is hard to believe that I am writing a college football blog in April, approx. 20 weeks before the collegiate season begins, but I’m talking about the UCONN HUSKIES and THE ANNUAL BLUE/WHITE SPRING GAME, this Saturday April 21, 2012 at the Rent.

This game represents the conclusion of Uconn Spring practices; 16 weeks of intense conditioning and preparation of many players vying for a position under the watchful eye of Coach P, and all his coaches. . As Coach Pasqualoni begins his 2nd year at the helm of a developing Husky team, I want to say that the 2013 season will bring new excitement to the team. Many moves have been made during the off-season to replace some strong departing seniors, and they have been lucky to pick up some transfers from some other nationally ranked schools to add to the roster.
I have watched the changes emerge over the last 4-8 months and I foresee an emerging program, that I think will be in a great position to make a run in the Big East. In the next 20 weeks, we will see many of the players take hold of their positions in the team schematic,  A few names I have been watching that I really think will make a substantial impact this year include;
Shakim Phillips   -  WR
Sean Mcquillan  -    TE
Max Deloranzo   -   RB
Nick Williams   -     WR
Chandler Whitmer – QB ( new QB coach Shane Day will make an impact on QB’s)
Yawin Smallwood – LB
Brandon Steg     -   LB
Xavier Hemmingway – OT
Kenton Adeyemi  -   DT

I really think that this year will continue to be a re-building year, but the Huskies will have some surprises for all of us, and will surprise a lot of other teams in the conference. I will continue to watch this team develop and will occasionally write on some developments as the season gets close to fruition. So get out there Saturday, enjoy this beautiful Spring weather, wear your UCONN jewelry and watch some football!

Anna gets a Rescue Dog

Finally after several months of searching and being 3rd or 4th in line to get a particular rescue dog online, our art director Anna has gotten a very cute spaniel. He came from Alabama and was listed at the American Lab Rescue, although he’s a cocker/field spaniel mix. His name is Finn, and he’s so quiet, you wouldn’t even know he was at her desk…

Now we need to put on one of our Lucky Dog collar tags on him and he’ll be all set!

Modeling Shoot

Casey, Jen, Robin and Victoria show off their favorite college team’s jewelry during our photo shoot. Photography is by Chris Lynch.

Happy Easter

Brandon, Faith and a friend enjoy an Easter egg hunt on a beautiful day. Brandon is the son of Cindy, and Faith is the granddaughter of Mark + Sherry here at T&T Designs.