OH SNAP! the beloved and always-complementary Skittles machine is empty! Please do not panic, we are headed to the store to get an emergency bag, and the larger order will arrive soon.
Helser Rods In a Hot-Rod
Our good pal Tom at Specialties By Joanne stopped by to pick up his drapery hardware order in the Camaro that he personally restored. He built his own auto rotisserie and replaced or restored every little nut and bolt! Tom pays very close attention to details, and is a very successful window treatment fabricator and installer…..Coincidence? No way!
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You Break It, You Can’t Buy It
I broke only two things in nine years of drapery installation. One was a candle, and the other was a 12″ solid turquoise kachina doll hand carved by a dead artist. (he was still alive when he………c’mon, you know what I mean!) Naturally, I was hanging a decorative thingamajigger (AS A FAVOR) above a fireplace mantle when I completely shattered it. There is a bright side though; When I offered to pay for it, the homeowner said “You can’t……..it was priceless.” Thank goodness for that! 
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Caption Contest – Win An “Awesome Box!”
Our sister Laura was working away in Marks garage last week on a house for her dog “Zoe” when Mark walked up. After observing for a minute or two, his primal male-instincts overcame his common-sense and he started offering a few suggestions……..Stevie Wonder could see where this is headed………Around 2am, with his last bit of energy, Mark finally put the finishing touches on the dog house that he just built….SUCKER As you can see, Zoe was pretty tired by then too!
Here comes the fun part; go to our Facebook fan-page (NOT HERE) and comment on the “doggie photo” with your best caption ideas. The caption with the most “likes” will win the awesome “Awesome-Box” (above) Submit as many captions as you want, but one caption per “comment” please so they can be voted on individually.
Ends 1/1/12 at 12:00:01 am
Have fun!
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Our First Celebrity Endorsement!
Laura “Lovie” Helser’s friend, Christian “The Nigerian Nightmare” Okoye had chilly ears after their dinner date. Thinking quickly, Lovie slapped a beanie on his melon and snapped a photo so that her favorite brother would have something to blog about……Christian, I think you just endorsed a drapery hardware company….. I am so sorry
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Gossip, Guts, and Glamour!
The Fall Day of Design at the Arizona Design Center in Scottsdale was a huge success. Anita Boetsma and Leann Fernald attended to represent Helser Brothers and soak up the trends. And let’s be honest – nosh their way through the showrooms networking with our peeps.The day started with a well-attended seminar sponsored by Hunter Douglas on Twelve Reasons You Should Hire an Interior Designer. As we all know, the landscape is changing in the design world and having some effective tools for reaching today’s consumer is critical.Keynote Speaker, the legendary designer Larry Laslo delighted everyone with an entertaining visual tour through some of his favorite projects. The witty designer shared insight and opinions on a variety of subjects, all the while dishing out ideas and tips for creating a signature look. Asked during the Q&A by Anita Boetsma where he sees drapery hardware trending, Mr. Laslo predicted that we will begin to see more larger scale hardware along with the current small rod styles.
Following the Keynote, luncheon was served at the Pacific Resource Group Showroom. Of course, it was time for an autographed program and a picture with Larry Laslo. Showroom owner and host Mark Erwin also perched inone of their luscious chairs for a picture with the Helser contingent. It was wonderful connecting with our friends and clients over some delicious snacks.
A visit to the Alexander Sinclair showroom was a great opportunity to evaluate finish and style trends. Local manufacturer Lorts introduced some stunning new pieces conceived by well-known Atlanta designer Christy Dillard. Much of what was on display everywhere centered around traditional and classical shapes with a modern fresh twist. Finishes were rich and captivating. And of course it was time for another picture with Christy and Helser Brothers client Rhonda Knight of RK Interiors.
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Installer Joke
A drapery installer submitted his bill to the home owner after an installation. The homeowner protested “Three hundred and eighty dollars!?!? You have only been here for two hours!! I am a lawyer and I only make $150 per hour!” The installer replied “yeah, that’s what I used to make when I was a lawyer.
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Don’t Take Our Word For It….
Andrea,
I am so impressed with Helser Brothers. I am really grateful
for the price adjustment, having not received the updated pricelist
yet. In these times, that means so much to me. I have been operating
my workroom since 2004 and became a customer with Helser shortly after
that. There is NO ONE else of ALL the vendors I deal with in ALL
ASPECTS of my business that has such incredible customer service and
consistently excellent products. Mine is a very small business, but I
believe that Helser cares about EVERY customer. Please pass this email
on to anyone who would appreciate it. And you may quote me!
Karen Yonovitz
Bitterroot Interior Workshop
Bozeman, MT
for the price adjustment, having not received the updated pricelist
yet. In these times, that means so much to me. I have been operating
my workroom since 2004 and became a customer with Helser shortly after
that. There is NO ONE else of ALL the vendors I deal with in ALL
ASPECTS of my business that has such incredible customer service and
consistently excellent products. Mine is a very small business, but I
believe that Helser cares about EVERY customer. Please pass this email
on to anyone who would appreciate it. And you may quote me!
Karen Yonovitz
Bitterroot Interior Workshop
Bozeman, MT
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Hot Service Served By “Clean Gene” Monroe
Holly mismeasured an unusual bay window and needed two of the rods altered. She said that though the shop was closing when she arrived Gene took the time to listen to her problem and explain the solution. Holly was surprised when Gene said that he would have it ready the following day as it was a fairly complex alteration which included welding, bending, and refinishing. Holly said that she showed up the next day and was so impressed to find her rods neatly wrapped and ready to go.
She expressed that she uses no one else but Helser for her hardware needs precisely because of our outstanding level of service, that there is no comparison to any other hardware company!
Go Gene!
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Evita In Drapery And Design Pro Magazine
Imagine our delight when the newest issue of Drapery & Design Professional magazine arrived with our Evita “Corazon” motif on the cover! The design was submitted and fabricated by Elizabeth Gerdes of Woodstock, GA for the IWCE 2011. As with all of the winners, she is profiled in Drapery & Design Professional magazine.
We loved the article and certainly are awed by her talent. Maybe we’re biased, but we think the hardware added just the perfect touch to the treatment.
We appreciate our partnership with the Drapery & Design Professional Network. The knowledge and support the CHF Academy and the network offers this industry is a big part of why we love this business so much!
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Quality Time With Our Clients
Helser Brothers was honored last week to host a meeting for Decorating Den designers right here where the magic happens. Our friends noshed on pastries and fruit before a tour of the facility from order entry right on to shipping. Of course no tour would be complete without an iron working demo by our own metal artist, Ted Woods. Attendees were then given an update on all of our hot new products by Sales Rep Leann Fernald. The morning ended with a fast-paced seminar on dealing with difficult windows by using innovative hardware solutions by Anita Boetsma. Our smart and friendly drapery hardware specialists were on hand to meet and greet and participated in a Q&A session following the seminar. All in all, it was a fun morning and we always welcome the opportunity spend some quality time with our clients!
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WCAA Inspire
We are very excited to be a part of the Inspire 2011 Event. It’s going to be a great time for networking and learning the very latest techniques with a great group of instructors. The intimate setting at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville will provide tremendous opportunities for one on one time with suppliers and instructors.
Our own Anita Boetsma will be teaching two seminars. “Bays, Bows & Arches Demystified” will cover all of the details, tips and tricks for dealing with these challenging windows. “Take it Outdoors” will be a fast paced instructional on a variety of outdoor project, including construction techniques. Don’t miss these great classes along with all of the other great topics and instructors scheduled at Inspire 2011.
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A Tight Spot And A Life Saved
Carolyn from Refined Design Interiors in Sammamish Washington said “You saved my life!” after a recent successful installation. As you can see, her client selected very large finials yet had limited mounting space above the arcadia door. When this kind of thing is discovered days after the sale is made it can cause some acute designer anxiety. When Carolyn called for help, we explained in an “It’s cool baby, we got this” kind of tone that we could customize the center support bracket to fit the available space.
All we had to do was to trim our standard adjustable bracket and rotate it 90 degrees. It worked perfectly and did not cost much at all. Carolyn, If your client was really going to kill you if it didn’t work then we did, in fact, save your life and you are very welcome. We humbly suggest that you find a different client though as no one needs that kind of pressure.
Posted in Creative Custom Solutions 1 Comment
New! – “Live Chat” On Main Helser Brothers Website
The new “live chat” feature at helserbrothers.com is great for getting a quick answer when needed. Apparently it is also great for pranking your boss…. see exchange below:
FYI - Visitor 400986678 is Ruth Martin, beloved yet mischievous member of our world renown ”Drapery Rod Squad.”
Thursday, 25 Aug, 2011[7:40] Visitor 400986678: I am looking for an iron rod 1″ dia that can be sliced into 75 – 3/16″ wide pieces to use for jewerly making
[7:42] Jay Helser has joined the conversation
[7:43] Visitor 400986678: oh I meant to say 3/32″ wide
[7:48] Jay Helser: Hi! Believe me, we would love nothing more than to help you, but we are a manufacturer of drapery hardware only and wholesale only.
[7:43] Visitor 400986678: Good answer Jay! lol
[7:48] Jay Helser: I am sure you understand, if we deal with end users like yourself in any way………wait…….who the heck is this?
[7:48] Jay Helser: did I just get prank chatted?
[7:44] Visitor 400986678: Lol it’s Ruth
[7:48] Jay Helser: Dude, I will kill you and feed you to the coyotes
[7:45] Visitor 400986678: The entire office is laughing
[7:48] Jay Helser: lol
[7:45] Visitor 400986678: This is actually very cool
[7:48] Jay Helser: yeah, it reduces “simple question” calls more than you might believe!
[7:46] Visitor 400986678: I bet, When we are slow I wouldn’t mind monitoring it.
[7:48] Jay Helser: which will probably be never right?
[7:47] Visitor 400986678: yeah, hopefully
[7:48] Jay Helser: have a great day
[7:47] Visitor 400986678: you too
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