Time Trader Spotlight: Brittany Bakes (and more!)

 Time Traders often ask to see photographs of the work people offer in Community Weaver. It makes sense -- if someone is offering to make something, seeing a photo of their past work can help you decide if they are the right person for the job.

Periodically we will feature Time Traders here, offering descriptions of their Service Offers along with photos of their past creations. If you are a Time Trader with a talent you'd like to see in the Spotlight, email your photos to timetrader@familyservicerochester.org along with any descriptive information you'd like included. If you have been happy with a service provided by a Time Trader, please feel free to email the same address and any photos you may have along with a request that they be Spotlighted. We will be happy to post these items to encourage the community to take advantage of all the amazing talent Time Trader has to offer!

Today we are going to look at Time Trader Brittany, who has been a member since May 2012. She is unfailingly positive and enthusiastic, and has been a great addition to our community. Here, in Brittany's words, is a description of her experience as a Time Trader:

As far as what inspired me [to join], I was a new member to the area, wanted a way to meet more people. I have always volunteered in different facets and thought this was a great way to continue that, but also got a reward for volunteering.

Trades I've done:

- made frozen meals

- made thank you cards/every day cards

- pet sitting

- watered plants

- cleaned a garage

- made treats for parties, baked a cake

- called inactive members

- Family Service Rochester 2012 Father's Day celebration help

- helped pack up things for someone selling house

- helping someone place a Craigslist ad

- dining group

I have spent Time Credits on scrapbooking, graphic design, having my closet organized, and mending, to name a few.

Time Trader feels like a reward system to me. I can do things I like and in exchange have others help me with things I don't like so much or help accomplish tasks I've been meaning to get too. Especially when I can make treats and cakes, because I enjoy making them, but don't want to eat them all myself. It's been a great way to also get out in the community and meet all kinds of individuals.

Brittany has traded several times with Time Traders John and Sandy, and they have wonderful things to say about her:

We met Brittany shortly after she joined Time Trader last spring.  She proved a wonderful resource for plant care both inside and outside while we travel.

In November 2012, we were able to request her baking skills. That resulted in a yellow cake with caramel frosting for John's 70th birthday reminiscent of his childhood birthday cakes.  Brittany added colorful balloons and his aunt's words "John you'll always be young!" to the cake.

Then in February we enjoyed Pi Pizza at the dining event she initiated - and we made another TT contact.

PS: Her boyfriend, Mike, came over and in one visit fixed a bathroom fixture problem, a computer problem and gave me a simple fix to an electrical problem.  

Here's a photo of Brittany with John's birthday cake -- be sure to say hello if you see her at a member gathering!

Time Trader Spotlight: Jennifer C.'s etched glass

From time to time I like to spotlight a Time Trader's skill or talent. Often people have many things they offer in Time Trader, but this feature typically focuses on one particular thing.

Today that thing is glass etching. Jennifer offers a number of creative, crafty things -- she will teach you how to scrapbook, or make a custom scrapbook for you, for example -- but our focus today is on taking a simple piece of glassware and turning it into a treasure.

This is a simple heart-shaped glass bowl. Look how Jennifer turns it into something really special:

She adds the abbreviation for a local high school by etching it into the glass using a stencil and a chemical solution. The other side of the bowl says "Class of 2013." (She's already a year ahead! I should be so organized.)

 And here is one more item -- a wonderful wedding or shower gift. How convenient to have a baking dish with your last name on it -- it's the perfect thing to bring to a Time Trader potluck! And you know you'll always get it back.

And here's a hint from me: there are lots of glass items at the Dollar Store; vases, wine and martini glasses, serving bowls and platters, even individual dinner plates. Just think: for a dollar and a TD$ or two, you can give a memorable, personalized, one-of-a-kind gift.

Thanks for sharing your skill with us in the spotlight, Jennifer. You have earned a TD$ for helping me out.

Any Time Trader can be spotlighted. Contact me with your skill or about a skill another Time Trader has, and if I post the spotlight on the blog you can earn a TD$, too.

Time Trader Spotlight: Mike's Pumpkin Creations

Time Traders often ask to see photographs of the work people offer in Community Weaver. It makes sense -- if someone is offering to make something, seeing a photo of their past work can help you decide if they are the right person for the job.

Periodically we will feature Time Traders here, offering descriptions of their Service Offers along with photos of their past creations. If you are a Time Trader with a talent you'd like to see in the Spotlight, email your photos to timetrader@familyservicerochester.org along with any descriptive information you'd like included. If you have been happy with a service provided by a Time Trader, please feel free to email the same address and any photos you may have along with a request that they be Spotlighted. We will be happy to post these items to encourage the community to take advantage of all the amazing talent Time Trader has to offer!

That said, let's get to our Spotlight:

Have you ever seen those amazing portrait pumpkins on the national televised morning shows? The ones where people's likenesses are carved into the pumpkin? Or the beautiful Martha Stewart styled monogrammed pumpkins? Believe it or not, we have a very talented Time Trader who can do pumpkin carving like that!

This pumpkin has carvings on both sides. One image glows eerily while the reverse side of the pumpkin casts a shadow on the wall.

Mike can also carve watermelons for events in the summer time, with words:

Or images:

Or even creating a 3D stroller/fruit bowl for a baby shower.

He does lovely portraits. This animation shows the process from photograph to completed project. Amazing!

As you can see his portraits are spot on.

The pumpkins above and below are actually the artificial ones that are available at most craft stores in the fall, so they can be saved and used year after year. The pumpkin below is black but as you can see the inside is light colored and it looks amazing when lit from inside.

Mike says, "A 3 sided birthday pumpkin (cake, balloons, photo) takes about 1 to 1.5 hours per side for a total of 3 to 4 hours. A Welcome pumpkin using a previous design took 3.5 hours to cover the full surface.  (New designs and photos take a little longer.)

"In 1998 I used my young daughter as an excuse to carve a couple of non-standard pumpkins.  (She didn't really care and did not understand anything about what was different.)  Who cared that where we lived we had no trick-or-treaters that year!  I just had an excuse to do something that sounded fun.  From there it has been growing to more complicated creations.

"I have figured out that over the years creative things tended to leak out of me at times.  I finally realized how much skill and real interest I have over the last 8 to 10 years.  Looking back, I can see some of it was going on as far back as high school and even grade school.  Some of those old items included carved candles - one of which took more than 10 hours for just the carving.

"I find that I end up doing many things that are ephemeral.  Food carvings, pumpkins, window murals will all be gone after a small amount of time.  Like life, they are to be enjoyed while there and hopefully remembered fondly afterwards."

And here's a photo of Mike so you can say hello to him when you see him at a Time Trader event:

Thanks Mike, for sharing these great photos with us and for sharing your tremendous talent with our community.