My Store is ALL ABOUT BAMBOO! I make everything I sell! Martial Arts Staffs, Walking/Hiking Staffs/Canes/Sticks, Bamboo Curtain Rods, Bath Towel Racks & Toiletry Sets, Shower Curtain Rods & EndCaps, AND MORE! My Husband & Son are the Blacksmiths responsible for all metal/iron work!!
Since I am offering to sell a product to you online, I feel you are entitled to know a little bit about me and my product. More than anyone wants or cares to read in an auction listing (so I've been told). I am a 50 yr old mother, grandmother, wife, and daughter living here in rural North Carolina. I consider myself a craftsperson involved in a wide range of making things. My main focus on Ebay is BAMBOO. This is how it all started.
The Yellow Grove type that I work with is grown right here on the farm and was established sometime in the 60's. The farm belongs to my husband's family and he , as a little boy, use to make fishing canes to fish the creeks, ponds, and the river on the farm. As a young teen, my husband started training in Martial Arts and earned Dan Rankings in several styles. In doing this, he went back to the bamboo patch and picked a nice staff for training. Allowing it to dry and cure, he firehardened the piece for color and added strength. He then added some kanji (Japanese calligraphy) into the staff and wrapped the ends with black cording for added detail. In 1999, we joined the ever so popular Ebay crowd in hopes of making some purchases that were not available locally. One day, he stepped out to the shop and made another staff as he had once before, and placed it for sale on Ebay. Lo & Behold, it sold! He made a few more, added some handmade bamboo flutes, walking sticks, etc..ALL SOLD. We began to realize that we were the only ones on the internet making such unique objects. I was currently working a job in the medical field and was growing more tired of the whole scenario everyday. In 2000, I felt we had something here and ask my husband if I could come home and try to make it with Ebay. He said yes. Him, having a fulltime job and a Blacksmith hobby already, he was happy to turn the whole thing over to me. I left my job "out there" and began cutting, drying, sanding, burning, and emblazening bamboo staffs. Our daughter soon went off to college and needed curtain rods. Us being broke, went down to the coast to help her set up house with nothing else but bamboo rods in tow. (husband had made curtain rod brackets in blacksmith shop). They were absolutely beautiful with her beachy theme and she received multiple compliments. Sooo, adding curtain rods to the list was a must. DONE! OK...let's make bamboo bath accessories as well. I came up with the towel rod , hand towel , and Toilet paper holder set. Goodness Gracious, that sells great too! The rest is history, as they say. 9 years later and over 3000 transactions , I am still at it. Obviously, we've made some happy customers. And we are so grateful.
About 4 years ago, my elderly mother moved in with us and I am now her caretaker, thus slowing down the making just a tad, but the bamboo IS still in the making. Even though she has had major surgery several times and has fell and completely shattered one knee, she still says go, Kathy, go..I am fine!! (I keep frequent checks on her and actually have a baby monitor set up so I can hear if she needs me). Being a stay at home businesswoman has its ups and downs but I would not trade it for the world. If I had not been working at home..I could not have taken my mother in, and she would be in some nursing home somewhere. Funny, how things happen. ANYHOO~
Any order that you request is CUSTOM. I may list a 84" rod, but when you win the auction, you may need 82", no problem. If you would like your Martial Arts staff with your own style of Martial Arts Kanji, no problem. If you are really tall and need a walking cane done at 40", no problem. I don't start the order til it is received anyway. Bamboo is a very precious renewable (highly green) resource and I don't want to waste a piece. If and when you order, it may take up to 3 weeks to receive your custom handcrafted bamboo items. I have a continous flow of bamboo drying out, but do not keep on hand an overflow, so it will take time to get your order together.
Upfront, I appreciate your understanding and respect in the matter.
REMEMBER: CUSTOM ORDERS ARE WELCOME!!
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE www.bamboohead.com
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CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE www.bamboohead.com