Today we’d like to introduce you to Pam Barker
Hi Pam, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
. My daughter and her husband are farmers and last spring, she decided to set up a booth at her local farmer’s market. She was concerned that she wouldn’t have enough produce ready to harvest the first few weeks of the market and asked if I would make a few things to sell at her table. I thought that sounded fun. I made a few pebble pictures using rocks as people and had them sitting on sticks and added a sweet message. I sanded and painted the crepe myrtle branches my husband had limbed and I added a paracord braided handle and clear coated them and I had some pretty unique walking sticks. I painted river rocks to look like strawberries that could be placed in people’s gardens to keep bugs and birds from eating the fruit. I made tic tac toe boards from small round wood slabs and painted rocks to look like bumblebees and ladybugs as playing pieces. Many of my pieces sold and I was so excited. I posted pictures from the market on Facebook and I had friends interested in buying pieces. I met one of those friends in the Target parking lot a couple of days later to deliver a couple of pieces to her. She had her neighbor with her and her neighbor wanted to see pictures of my work. I had not unloaded from the market, so I opened the back of the van and they began shopping. Strangers came over wanting to shop as well. I sold 13 items in the parking lot that afternoon! Honestly, I was shocked. I was having so much fun creating art and people appreciated it and wanted it for themselves. What a blessing. That week, I came up with a name and a logo, applied for an LLC and opened a bank account and Sticks and Stones and Words That Really Matter, LLC was born.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Starting Sticks and Stones has been pretty smooth. Funny, but really not funny, when I applied for the LLC, they sent it back approved but had mistaken Sticks and Stones for Sick and Stoned! That certainly wouldn’t work. It took some time, money, legwork and several trips to downtown Columbia to get it straightened out, but now it just makes for a good laugh..
Also, I learned the hard way, that I need to be careful before taking orders. For example, I had created pictures using aquatic grass (reeds) from the beach. I had picked the reeds up while on vacation. I kept receiving orders for more of these pictures but had no where locally to find nor buy the ocean reeds. I had to make a trip to the beach before I could fill the orders.
My greatest obstacle in the business is definitely the bookwork. Keeping up with expenditures, receipts, mileage and sales is critical to running a business. But it sure is tempting to procrastinate recording items sold and filing receipts. Being a creative type, organization is not fun nor does it come easy, but I directed a preschool for 12 years and know what must be done.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My most popular pieces are the pebble pictures. Many times, customers commission me to make a piece with children and adults, or with specific hair color, pets or a saying they choose. Sometimes it can be challenging but I really enjoy the process and it is always rewarding to make their vision come to life. I always reach out and send a text picture for approval before gluing the pieces or adding the words. Recently, a sweet lady ordered 4 pictures. For one of them, she wanted she and her blonde friend on a bench and she wanted her friend to be holding a leash with 2 small white dogs. She wanted stars in the sky and a personal message. I sent the text message with the mockup and she replied back that the hair color for both was perfect and the dogs and the stars and the bench were just what she pictured but that her friend’s hair was just a little bit longer. I had to laugh. These are rocks!…but I found a “longer” yellow rock and she was pleased with her friend’s hair.
My best selling item is a small oval wood slab that hangs from jute twine. It has a twig with a red rock cardinal on it and the words “Sometimes I look up and smile and think, I know that was you.” Many people believe cardinals are a sign from God and from people in Heaven -me included. Many eyes have filled with tears as people hand me the ornament and say, “I have to have this.” I usually learn about the person they miss and how cardinals come near and bring comfort and peace.
I am continually adding new items and have wood slab and pinecone flower wreaths, wood burned bamboo spoons and towel sets, plant stakes, many holiday items, seashell art and simmering potpourri.
I really love everything about this business and know that not everyone can say that about their work. I love being outside and finding items for my work; both walking through the woods and combing the beach for treasures. I love that I can see a rock and think, I need to create a picture of someone fishing because the stone I have found looks just like a striped bass.
I love when I am working a festival or a market and people come up and read a saying to their friend or show them a piece. I especially love when they laugh or smile and I know that they get the message I am sharing. Under my logo it says, “Creations inspired by the people I love and our beautiful world.” My pieces truly are inspired. I love my people. I love nature and creating and yes, I love words. I have always been a wordy. My love language is words of affirmation. When I was a little girl, I told my grandmother that I liked a lady’s dress and she stopped the lady and told her I needed to tell her something. She told me that I needed to tell the lady my kind words because people never hear the good stuff enough. My grandmother’s message stuck with me. Then, after a hurtful incident at school one day as a young teenager, my mom told me that the saying, ‘sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me’ was horribly untrue. She said that words are powerful and have the capability to hurt or to heal and that they cannot be taken back. Hence, the name of this business and my goal with every item I create- to bring joy, laughter or comfort.
It is an honor and a privilege when something I made touches another person and they either want it for themselves or want to gift it to someone special.
Lastly, I love how Sticks and Stones has worked for my family. My 90 year old mom lives with us and has for the 10 years since my dad died. Mom’s mind is sharp and she is somewhat independent, but last year I felt led to leave my parttime job to be home more. Now, I can spend more time with her, be near her while I create. and make some money. My husband and children have been a tremendous help starting my business and helping me with mom when I work shows and markets. Sticks and Stones and Words That really Matter, LLC really is so fulfilling and is a perfect fit for me.
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What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I grew up in Columbia from the age of 14 and I graduated from the University of SC in Columbia. Although I live in the outskirts of Columbia in the town of Lugoff now, I still head to Columbia often to shop, eat, see doctors and for entertainment. Columbia to me is a big city with a hometown feel. It is clean and easy to get around. There are lots of trendy shops and cafes and tons of choices for entertainment. We have great museums and parks, a fantastic zoo and my favorite, Williams Brice Stadium-the home of the Gamecocks. There really isn’t much I don’t love about Columbia. Parking downtown can be difficult. When we head to a broadway show or a concert or to a restaurant or store on Main St, we know we need to allow time to drive around looking for a parking spot and most times we will need to feed a meter several times before leaving. I also am disappointed about so many stores closing. I know this is happening nationwide, but it makes me sad. Most are still open online, but it isn’t the same as going in browsing and touching items. Many times, I don’t know what I am looking for and I love the experience of window shopping and looking around.
Pricing:
- 5 x 7 pebble pictures $25
- tic tac toe set $15
- ornaments $12
- bamboo spoons $8
- spoon and linen set $15
Contact Info:
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/sticksandstonesinsc
