Crysta goes Visiting: Winter 2022

Getting Crafty with Local Woodworker Chris Blackford

Chris Blackford grew up in southern Indiana. “After attending Western Kentucky University I came to Eastern Michigan to be involved in the Forensics Speech and Debate team. Fell in love with the community, the state, and my lovely wife.”

He learned woodworking from his crafter mother, Donna, starting at an early age. He told me, “She taught me not only how to use a bandsaw, but also the joy of seeing someone’s appreciation of something you’ve created with your own hands. After attending art school at both Western Kentucky University and Eastern Michigan University I honed my skills in woodworking, and after over a decade in the hospitality industry I found that the two could connect for me in a way I didn’t realize.”

Blackford recently launched the well-named tYpsi Woodworking, based in Ypsilanti. He makes a variety of beautifully crafted wood items such as cutting boards, platters, coasters, customizable tap handles, bottle openers, wall art, and magnets. There are even a couple of tongue-in-cheek T-shirts with Ypsilanti puns. The shirts are not made of wood, but they are printed locally by family-owned Elmo’s T-Shirts.

What made Blackford make the leap to starting his own business during a global pandemic? “I’ve been working in the service industry since I was 15 years old,” he said. “As with many of the 20 to 40 year-olds who have decided to plant roots in Ypsilanti, we serve not only Ypsi, but the surrounding communities. The nights are hard and the winters are long, and as we all know, there is little to do in Michigan on a February night other than to frequent your local watering hole or attend your favorite restaurant. During Covid, many of us realized the value of serving ourselves in our own homes. My goal was to create utilitarian art that helps us pamper ourselves in the comfort of our own homes.”

I had to ask about the obvious pun in the name tYpsi. Blackford is proud to live in Ypsi, he said, and, “While I plan to sell my work state-wide, I want everyone to know where it came from. The majority of my materials are locally sourced, including staves from Arbor Brewing Company barrels. We live in the best state of breweries in the country. You can get drunk anywhere, but in Ypsi, we get tYpsi.”

He isn’t sure what the future holds for tYpsi, but, “I’m humbled by the support of my friends and the community so far. Hopefully we’ll be integrated in the community, working with restaurants and bars to help local businesses keep building and thriving.”

As the child of a woodworker myself, I find myself delighted by every unique piece in the tYpsi online store. Blackford really manages to bring out the beauty of the wood. And I am impressed that most of the wood is sourced from Washtenaw and Wayne counties, and sustainability is a priority. I look forward to seeing the tYpsi logo in more local homes and businesses.

tYpsi can be found on Facebook and Instagram @typsiwoodworking and at tYpsiWoodworking.com. For more information, email typsiwoodworking@gmail.com.

Storytime with Ann Arbor Writer  Shanda Trent

After growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Shanda Trent moved to Ann Arbor with her husband in 1983. She originally went to school to be a teacher. She shared with me, “[I] started out at Kalamazoo College with the intent of becoming a High School Spanish teacher. After working at the Kalamazoo Nature Center, I transferred to Michigan State University. (Kalamazoo College didn’t have an elementary degree at that time.) A year later, I learned that M.S.U. didn’t give me full credit for my Kalamazoo classes. I finished my degree at Eastern Michigan University eight months sooner. I loved all three college experiences.”

As for honing her writing craft, she said, “Besides a heavy focus on English Lit, Journalism, and Expository Writing, [I’ve done] ongoing polishing and craft of writing via SCBWI—Society of Book Writers and Illustrators.” Her inspiration comes from life experience. “I write for and about very young children, ages one to six, informed by the experiences of students along with my now grown daughters. I now have the blessing and another perspective with my two newborn grandchildren.”

Trent finds herself drawn to “terse verse.” Depending on the age of the targeted audience, a typical picture book has between 400 and 800 words. Said Trent, “I love the challenge of telling a satisfying story with word count limitations; every word has to pack a punch.”

Her books are often fun as well as educational. In Farmers’ Market Day, the readers follow a little girl as she excitedly makes her way through the Saturday farmers’ market. The brightly colored illustrations by Jane Dippold really draw the eye. Giddy-Up Buckaroos! takes readers on a Wild West adventure and includes some Spanish words sprinkled throughout with a glossary at the back of the book, and The Planet We Live On lovingly teaches children all about our home, Earth.

We can continue to keep things local by purchasing Trent’s books through our local independent bookstores. If you don’t see them on the shelves, ask to special order. The Planet We Live On is also listed for purchase on Trent’s website.

Find Shanda Trent online at shandatrent.com. She also has an author page on Facebook @ShandaTrentBooks. She can be contacted by email at shandatrentbooks@gmail.com. 

Feeling Good with Jerome Stuart Nichols and The Butters Hygienics Co.

Jerome Stuart Nichols wants his customers to feel “The sense of being cared for. That’s all I really care about.” And I absolutely feel it.

I’ve been using shea butter lotions to soothe my dry skin since a friend recommended it to me while I was living in California, which has significantly dryer climates than Michigan. So, I was excited to find a handmade, plant-based company offering shea butter moisturizers practically in my own neighborhood here in Michigan. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. The Butters Hygienics Co. offers over 50 handmade items, “everything for face, body, hair, bath, and bedroom.” Bonus, they are unabashedly queer—just like me!

Where did The Butters come from? Out of necessity. “I need lube and a lotion that meet my high standards. I’ve always been a person to just create what I don’t see in the world. So, I gave it a try. I used my training in pâtisserie and viennoiserie (French and Italian pastry) from Le Cordon Bleu Scottsdale as well as cultural knowledge and research to figure out what I wanted. The same thing remains true today.”

And as for the name, he said, “‘The Butters’ comes from a viral video where a white lady had just found out about raw shea butter and posed the question: where are y’all hiding the butters? Well, one of my goals with The Butters is to educate white people about oils and butters. ‘Cause, honestly, white people have a lot of cultural fear of being oily, greasy, and looking poor or unkempt. In the black community (and many brown ones), these plant extracts are considered crucial to hygiene and almost spiritual in importance. Hence the full name The Butters Hygienics Co. We are here to help you take care of yourself, in the best ways possible.”

As with all businesses, the Covid-19 pandemic and shutdowns had an impact. “We’ve gotten rid of all in-person marketing. No more cons, fests, markets, or fairs. But the pandemic has been excellent for us. Our business grew 400% last year and doubled again this year. We’ve focused on new marketing strategies and word of mouth to help us keep growing.”

I became one of those new happy customers after seeing a post about The Butters on Ypsilanti’s Neighborhood Theatre Group’s Instagram. It was mid-pandemic, I was working from home, and the only other human I saw in-person was my husband. I needed to pause and relax badly! Luckily, The Butters sell bath bombs. I also picked up a bottle of Anti-aging Facial Toner made with rose water, calendula, and hyaluronic acid; deliciously scented sugar scrubs; and body moisturizer that all make my skin feel amazing. 

If you have not yet discovered “the butters,” you are missing out. In addition to these fantastic products, The Butters’ website also has an educational blog so you can learn more about skin care, hair care, sexual health, and how different substances benefit different body and hair types. You may find just the thing you’ve always needed.

Shop The Butters Hygienics Co. at GetTheButters.com. Follow @getthebutters on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and YouTube.  

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