Made With Altitude in Oberon, New South Wales | Toy shop

Made With Altitude

Locality: Oberon, New South Wales

Address: O'Connell Road 2787 Oberon, NSW, Australia

Website: http://www.madewithaltitude.com.au/

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• Shopping & retail
• Toy shop

26.01.2022 A bit of a 'feeling rough' few words re Christmas delivery. Questions... Throw 'em down below.

18.01.2022 Nativity 2021. Tick, done! It doesn't feel like a year since l made the last nativity set.... The aesthetic of this year's build is completely different to last. New designs, full colour, and whilst not as complicated by requiring a large barn build, still presented with some challenges. I don't often agree to do custom work, however, when l do, l think the work l like best is when the customer lets me loose, providing only a basic brief then leaving the design and details for me to decide. It's the ultimate compliment. I'm very grateful for having been commissioned to do the job. . . . . . . .

11.01.2022 Assembly day. I get asked a lot - and l mean, a LOT - as to why l don't hire staff. Amongst a few reasons to which mainly surround the legalities of hiring staff, workshop compliance, and liability issues in the event of an accident, one of the main reasons l don't want a staff is this - it will no longer be my work you're receiving.... Sure, it'd be my designs, but it will no longer be my hands doing the work. It won't be my knowledge and skill shaping each piece - breathing life into it. And for me personally, that takes away from both the quality and the experience. I've always thought of art - in all forms - as an expression of our humanity. It's how we share thoughts and ideas without uttering a word. It is both intimate and personal. That's where it's at for me. It's about offering a small tiny part of myself over for someone else to enjoy. As each piece that leaves my shop has only ever had my hands work on it means you get the best l have to offer each and every time, without compromise. Continuity. It's an ideal that l plan to carry forward throughout whatever toy making years l have left. Because there is often more to what we choose to do as crafters and makers than we ourselves ever realise. Yes, true. It may 'only' be a toy, but that toy means something to me. It's holding each thought l have whilst making it. Each piece tells a story. It's an expression of a journey. Therefore no, l will never cheapen the experience by allowing another pair of hands inside my shop. Because there is more personal value to what l do than a $ sign. I'm not interested in market domination, competing with other brands, or engaging in the neverending and continual rounds of wooden toy community politics. I make toys because... well, let's just say that some of the reasons are quite obscure. And really, some things can never be bought, no matter the price. They're priceless without having any material worth at all. . . . . .

24.12.2021 Iteration. When l first started making toys, never did l believe l'd successfully be able to take a design and have it seem as if it's a new product with each change in iteration. Colour can have such a varied effect on a piece. It can make or break it.... With each colouring, l've learnt something new. Perhaps not always about the piece, but more so my attitude. What l do and don't like about colour combinations. What works best, and what doesn't. What l'm drawn to, and what seems indifferent. I guess daily life is a bit the same way. We live in a constant state of change and iteration. We do the same things over and over. Sometimes we improve. Sometimes we don't. But one thing is almost guaranteed: if we iterate enough, we evolve. We become something that whilst not always different, can be better. I started with green. The colour of go. I went to brown - earthy. Grounded. And l finished at red. The colour of fire. Passion. It's kind of ironic that red would be my favourite. It speaks volumes as to how l feel about my craft without the need to utter a single word. . . . . .

22.12.2021 I've been making blocks most of this week (hence the silence. It's a lot of work), and it had me thinking in a different direction. So then, let's have a little chat about unprocessed timber, and more specifically, why l choose to remove all bark, sand and then condition with an appropriate wax finish. I do it for this one reason... because it's the safest in terms of biosecurity.... Little known fact: it is illegal to import barked, untreated pieces of timber into Western Australia (with some exceptions), and more specifically, Tasmania (mostly without exception). And yet l've constantly witnessed Australian toy businesses do exactly that. And that's disappointing. Not to mention highly questionable on ethics. It's one thing to proclaim operating an eco friendly shop, and entirely another to adhere to the appropriate legislation. There's no wiggle room on this. It's required procedure. And incidentally, throwing a sawn log in a home oven for 30 minutes is not appropriately heat treating timber. This sort of ignorance and attitude scares me. So next time you're considering to purchase a natural wooden barked toy, ask yourself, 'Is this safe and is it appropriate for not only my child, but for the environment too?' There's also this to consider: things (spiders, insects & bugs) hide under bark. Do you really want to run the risk of something crawling out of an underprepared non-certified item, to then bite your kid? Laws exist for a reason: to keep our forests healthy and your children safe. And if you're asking yourself why big brands are able to import their barked goods into AU... they're appropriately treated and certified upon entry. So if you're wondering as to why my blocks take time to produce and cost more to purchase, now you'll know why. As always, any questions pop them down below. . . . . .

08.12.2021 PSA. Christmas Orders: If you have an order for Christmas in with me, you guys are next up.... Due the volume of work, and the debacle that is AUSPOST, l'll be dispatching each week (either on Thursday or Friday). In other words, when your order is ready, l'll be sending it straight out to you. For those with larger items (ice palace/barns/hutches/coops etc.) Your orders will ship late next month unless you have made alternate arrangements direct with me. Any questions, throw them down below. Thanks. . . .

06.12.2021 A speedy look at the last 33 or so days of production. All 5DD orders have now shipped and tracking numbers sent. Err, l'm going to be taking a short break (3days) to have a bit of a nana nap! ... I've just come off 33 or 34 (who knows!) straight 14hr shifts. My jets are in desperate need of refuelling. I also have some reclining to do, feet in the air, watching the world go by as my clunky bits attempt to recover. Once back in the shop l'll be cracking on with the long Christmas list. Unless it's a 5DD shipping related question, l'll answer all DM's when l start back. Thanks for all your support, but mostly, a huge thanks for your patience. Anyway, until then... .

25.11.2021 5DD Sale dispatch update.

05.11.2021 PSA for the 5DD sale customers. Other than a couple of handfuls of natural grained items, this is near the end of the coloured stuff. Last day of making in preparation for colour should be tomorrow. Dispatch: will be out near (and more likely, in) the stated dispatch week.... I was running quite a number of days ahead until last Sunday at which time l had an equipment failure that has now eaten those days. Hopefully everything will proceed from here without anything else breaking, refusing to work, or just being an obstinate inanimate ass! Thanks! That's all. Carry on! . . . . .

02.11.2021 Consistency. I'm asked about it a lot. How to make batch numbers that are almost identical, and do it consistently. The answer: greed. Or more specifically, not being greedy. I have developed a style that fits my particular skill level and time requirements. Therefore, when l open for orders (or agree to a commission outside of sale events), l dedicate the time l know it will take to perform all the steps necessary to complete the job.... I never cut corners - ever. I know what my ability and limitations are, and l work to them. I only take as many orders as l know l can comfortably accommodate within the stated production lead times. Of course there are exceptions, but they are exactly that - more the exception rather than the rule. Small solo makers, this next is for you: our customers expect (and should always receive) our very best effort. Work within your budget, skill and limitations. You will have a natural ceiling whereby you will reach maximum workload. Know where that ceiling is and don't let greed take you beyond your limits. Really, the secret ingredient of consistency: honesty. Be honest. Always. Look after your people and they'll look after you! . . . . . . .