Frequently Asked Questions
ere are some of the most often-asked questions I get via your emails and letters; both business and personal…I’m sure the list will grow over time; let me know what else you need answers to (but no math or anything like that).
Is it OK if I borrow the art on your website to use on my blog?
e love it when people want to use my art — but if you’re making something with it to sell, the art and content on this site and on my products is copyrighted/protected; and would be done through LICENSING.
For online use; please EMAIL KELLEE and let her know if you’d like to use my art on your blog; we’d love a credit with a link back to www.susanbranch.com with each use.
Help yourself to BUTTONS.
Will you come speak to my group?
es, I will…here’s how…SCHEDULING EVENTS WITH SUSAN
Who makes your fabric and where can I find it?
y FABRIC is made by Quilting Treasures, which is the division of Cranston (in Rhode Island) dedicated to the independent quilt store business (my fabric is not available in chain stores). If you would like to order my fabric for your store, please contact them (or with any comments you might have) at: http://www.quiltingtreasures.com/content95.html.
e always encourage you to spend your time and money at the wonderful, small, creative quilt shops across the country (they teach too!), but if you live too far away from a store, or simply can’t find it, we do carry a small selection of my fabric in our WEB STORE (for as long as it’s available; fabric is often gone before we know it).
Will you ever send your WILLARD Newsletter out again via Snail Mail?
e’re thinking about it, we’d love to; it was always free before, that’s what stops us… we would need to make it a subscription because the whole industry of snail mail has gotten so much more expensive. It’s sort of been on the back burner for a while, do you think we should? You can WRITE and tell me; but until then, you can sign up for our monthly WILLARD that comes to you free via email.
Do you sell or loan out your mailing list?
o, never, ever, ever.
Why is shipping so expensive?
everal reasons, the price of gas is one of them. Another is that we’re not Amazon or Zappos, we’re small, so we don’t receive the lower prices (due to volume) that big companies do. We’ve thought of trying to “hide” the cost of shipping by including it in the price of the products we sell — but there’s no hiding it. Like hiding an elephant under the sofa. Emma cups for example…come from England, are so expensive we only order six, sometimes twelve at a time, but they are WONDERFUL, and collectible and I would buy them myself, so we want to have them. Add shipping, and we’re talking investment. I can’t tell you how hard we’ve tried to get the costs down. Some things we even pull out from the others and drive them to the post office ourselves because in some cases, not always, it’s cheaper to send things that way (we’re too small for the PO to do a pickup with us). The big shippers, who will come and pick up, give us one overall price, based on the price of the item, not on how far it goes. That’s the rules. We’re just happy we can still do it at all…
Do you accept advertising on your blog?
es, if I love the product and would use it and rave about it anyway. Emma could have an ad here anytime. Creative blogs too, food and cooking things would be good in our Home Cooking section; tea rooms, independent bookstores and fabric shops; yarn stores and cozy B & B’s; Cunard and Amtrak, something wonderful about places and events on Martha’s Vineyard or in England. Here’s how you can contact us about ADVERTISING.
Why can’t I find stickers and other things?
e don’t manufacture things ourselves; artwork and design is licensed and products are sold wherever the manufacturer chooses, for as long as they like, which, unfortunately, these days, isn’t long. (That’s why nothing stays in stock in our store very long.) Manufacturers are always looking for “new.” Getting a product that would be around forever and never change, like Lifesavers or Levis, is fairly impossible today; the manufacturers really don’t do it anymore. They say the market wants new. (We know, we don’t like either.) When my products come out, we purchase as much of it as we can for our WEB STORE (otherwise we never know where it’s being sold), but it’s only a matter of time until it’s gone and no more to be found. We get calls all the time from people looking for a certain teapot or fabric or scrapbook. Your best bet for old out of stock items is Ebay. Sorry, I don’t have a better answer than that!
Also, for new product, a manufacturer has to CONTACT US and request to LICENSE my art. And here’s where you can help, because we would really like to have stickers and scrapbooking things again. There are several wonderful manufacturers out there, who would no doubt LOVE to hear your thoughts on the subject. You can email them and suggest that you would like to see Susan Branch stickers — or really whatever product you’re interested in! Because you, as the consumer, are most powerful of all. Who knows, maybe they will call us! Here are a few links to some manufacturers; and you being your creative self, may have your own ideas; just direct your questions to the Licensing Departments and include our web site address… www.susanbranch.com . And p.s., thank you.
EK Success (includes Kay and Company); for stickers and scrapbooking
Hallmark (for stationery and greeting cards, and probably everything else!)
Wilton love their fun products–lots of baking things we’d love to see Susan’s art on!
Checks in the Mail; We know, everyone wants checks! Us too….
Esportia; these are the people who made our jammies!: (626) 301-0280
Do you carry other things in your web store besides Susan Branch products?
es, we do. Because we find things we fall in love with, books or cooking things, special garden things like our BEE SKEP, darling dish towels, Vintage things when we’re on a road trip; things I have in my own house and think you might like too.
Are you ever going to tell us how you and Joe met?
t was pure luck on my part, sitting in the right chair in a restaurant at the right time. I love love stories, so I just wrote ours into my next book. I was saving it for the right time. Now that we just celebrated 24 years together, I think I can safely write about it — looks like we’re going to make it! (Knocking on wood).
What got you started cooking?
ell, the real beginning was the brownies and peanut butter cookies I was baking at around ten years old. I’m the oldest of eight children and we had lots of lunch boxes going out of the house every day! I was also in charge of the bowl and beaters, and learned early about the good feeling you get when someone says, “Mmmmmm, can I have more?” That was reason enough.
ut cooking as a passion, for me, happened in a flash of a moment — it was a vision of inspiration that changed my life. And (I hate to say this, I don’t mean to tease) I also put that story in my next book. It’s long, you don’t want it here anyway. Sorry, don’t be mad. It’ll be fun in the long run, you can have tea with the book.
When is your next book coming out?
keep fooling around writing this, painting new fabric and calendars (having tea, visiting my family, working in the garden), also Twittering, writing Willards, checking Facebook to see what the FOSB are up to, and every other thing, because I really love our connection and have gotten slightly addicted to all the back and forth between us. Procrastination is my middle name; which causes all sorts of problems and slows down the book. But it’s coming.
Now that the blog design is done and up, I’m really buckling down, refusing to let myself get distracted; start early, quit late; focused like a laser, protecting myself from dangerous outside influence. I’ll be dedicated and discip . . . Oh! Did you see that? My girlfriend Martha just walked past my window; wonder where she’s going. Her daffodils are blooming. Is she coming here? I better go check….
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
Art and Content for Susanbranch.com is protected by registered copyrights. Please ask before using.
i had a fire in my home 11/30/12 – i lost my vineyard seasons cookbook. every year for his birthday, i make my son boston cream pie. his 21st birthday is tomorrow. can i get the recipe from you?
Well, I’m so sorry, it took a while because this recipe has never been posted, but here it is, the Boston Cream Pie.
Hi Susan,
I have just found your website/blog and absolutely love your work, i live in the beautiful Devon countryside in England, and am a stay at home mum of 4, I love to write, paint, and anything crafty, and cooking for my family.
I am currently writing notes and doodles for a book i would like to make for each of my children, similar to your style, i would like to hand write and illustrate it myself, my book is basically about life, and daily livng, favourite recipes, money saving, handmaking, mending, growing veg any advice i can pass down to them for when they are older and have there own families.
As i would need 4 of these i would like to get them printed/published professionally, so is it better to do my final writing and illustrations onto card, rather than in a note/art book? any advice you could give me would be greatly appreciated, thank you.
kind regards
Clair Louise
I think it would be better to do each page individually rather than in a notebook, for printing purposes. So nice to meet you Clair! Have a wonderful day!
Thank you so much for your reply, and enjoy your day
x
Where are you located? Thanks!
Located? The studio is in California on the Central Coast, and there’s another studio here on Martha’s Vineyard, which is where I am.
I have been reading your Blog since you went to
England. I love it, thank you so much for all the goodies you send along each time! I don’t remember which edition you had a recipe (or more like a “how-to”) about brown bread in the can. Could you send that to me again? I remember it sounding so yummy, but I can’t remember what you did with it.
I will anxiously await your response and your next Blog!
Thanks again,
Bonnie
Here you go Bonnie, Brown Bread and how to!
Thanks!
dear susan,
could you please post the recipe for the scones to make in your heart pan? I think they had blueberries and lemon in them-seems as if I misplaced it.Thank you.
I know I had Lemon-Pepper heart shaped biscuits, but right now I’m not finding the recipe … how about Orange-Chocolate Chip?
That’s it!! Thank you so much-I’ll be making them tomorrow! Thanks for sharing so much of your life with us.Can’t wait for your new book!
Hello, dear Sue! I’ve been browsing the “interwebs” this morning, looking for Cookie Inspiration . . . and came across the most darling copper cookie cutters in the shape of SHEEP! Of course, immediately thought of you, the Girlfriends, and the memorable trip to England. Mightn’t it be fun to sell sheep cookie cutters in your shop? Especially if they were such pretty ones as the three in coppergifts.com/ They also carry a very old-fashioned goat, cow, chicken & rooster, pig, etc. Just a thought! XoXo
I would love to order a pack of receipe cards but cannot pay $7.95 in postage. If you put the pack in a small bubble wrap envelope the postage should be under $3 or $4 dollars not $7.95. That is out of site. Can you list stores where your products are sold?
I understand — so sorry Elaine — because we’re so small, we are stuck with a difficult postage agreement with our carrier … we can’t deal with the PO, they won’t pick up at the studio, and the girls can’t go stand in line everyday. So we get this basic rate of 7.95 — it’s terrible, but most people order more than one thing at a time, and that 7.95 counts for more than only one pack of recipe cards. Our web site is the only place the recipe cards are sold–just wait until there are other things you want to get, then add the cards on and it won’t be so bad. I’m sorry, they don’t make it easy for us! Because you are so right, those cards alone should NOT be 7.95! We have to pay the same kind of prices just to get the products to us, so it it’s awful both coming and going.
Hello Susan,
This is probly not the right place to put this Question.But,
I dont know where to put it so here goes.
When you do a water color picture,do you draw it with pencil first and then paint,or just paint it?
Thanks
I am so fascinated with every aspect of your blogs..they are so intriguing and interesting to me..I love bird watching, especially in the winter; your photos are great, just like I would love to take. Would love to know the type of camera you use. The features are so heartwarming anfpd the relationship you and your husband have seems so romantic and true. Thanks for your fabulously entertaining contribution.
Susan
Hi Susan!
I look forward to your blog so much. My 12 year old daughter likes to read it too. She was wanting to ask, do you recommend any certain sites on starting up a blog? Any quick tips off the top of your head?
THANK YOU!
Julie (curious in MO)
Here are a couple of sites that might help you set up a blog for your daughter . . . and this one that talks about possible pitfalls . . .Hope this helps! Tell her I said hello! Also, one other suggestion … I think the reason I love blogging so much is because when I was a kid, I loved to read! I think it kind of taught me how to write! xoxo
Good morning, Susan,
At the age of 64 and when I thought I had found a nice man to grow old with, we’ve broken up. I woke up this morning with a heavy heart and instantly went to your blog because I knew it would brighten my mood…and, it worked! Thank you so much for being you. I’m going to create a “Peter Rabbit Room” and would like to know where you found the lovely wallpaper.
Carolyn from St. Louis
First off, I’m sorry it didn’t work out … it takes a really good man to take the place of no man at all. xoxo as for the wall paper, it’s so old, I have no idea where I got it … but there must be more like it out there. Great break-up project, have fun, thinking of you!
This is a quote I love and maybe you could use it for Your 2014 calendar ? Author unknown.
Commit random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty.
Love your artwork, books, calendars, stickers, creative tablescapes, recipes, gardens, musicas, favorite quotes and the list goes on!
Hello susan, i love your art and designs; at home I have 2 watercolours of Azalea and another of African Violet – Wild Violet, are really beautiful, I would like to know if they are originals has your signature the first of January of 1980 and the second in 1979, at the back has a personal card with your name, address and telephone number. Thanks
I painted a wild violet, it sold at a gallery in Beverly Hills right around that time, the very first painting I ever sold which was quite a moment in my beginning-to-paint life. What does the card on the back look like? I also did a pink azalea — how did you find them? I still have polaroid pictures of both of them!
I have always been a fan of your work, but I only recently discovered your blog. Don’t you archive your blogs? I couldn’t find a link for older blogs. Also, is it alright to “Pin” your art on Pinterest.com? I have been doing so without even thinking of asking first! Oops!
It’s OK, Pinterest used to have some rather odd rules concerning ownership of the art posted there, but I believe those rules have been changed. I haven’t done an archive yet … I need to do that — just haven’t had time. You can google the month and year and it will come up. FYI, my blog will be two years old in June. A baby.
hello…..so enjoyed the spring pictures ….the awakening of marthas vineyard…..here in california we are well into spring, thinking summer……of course i want your cake recipe…..my grandmother made angel food cakes for special events and i will add this recipe to be made for my grandchildren…..thank you, thank you for your continual inspiration…..
enjoy your springtime…..please put me in the drawing…..i have several of the books, but am starting to collect them for my daughter in law……hugs from faraway….phylicia
Susan, I can’t recall the name of the paint that you used in your kitchen. Can you please refresh my memory? Thanks so much.
It’s Benjamin Moore Woodlawn Blue.
Please advise when the Martha’s Vineyard beads will be available for purchase. I want to get my wife one for our anniversary. Thank You.
I will do that … we are working on it!
Promise I will not use anything without permission!
I love your letters and the art along with everything else! You are one talented lady, God has really blessed you……………..keep up the wonderful work. I so enjoy reading it!
How’s the book “FINE ROMANCE” coming along?
Thank you Pamela, nice to see you here. A FINE ROMANCE is at the printer now. We’re expecting it no later than September 1st although there’s a rumor it might come a little earlier. Fingers crossed.