Production Schedule

Blog New

We've finally had a few consecutive days not in the 90s - Yep, September is coming and so is Autumn. A few blogs ago I was writing about the different orders that we have done for military units and I showcased a completed design for the 196th Infantry Brigade. The design incorporated both the units path and insignia along with their name and slogan. Shortly after that post the commander of the unit and I, while working within a budget, came up with an order that allowed us to produce both a small run of Nordic Tankards, and Rancher mug. I was able to save one of the 196th Military Tankards and have photographed it so that you can see it here.

Military Mug by Deneen Pottery - Glaze: Navy Sand White

Not often do we run specials for new customers, during the summer, which is our busiest season... But that is changing right now, starting today!!! That's right - We are offering a 'New Customer' special for the month of August giving a $75.00 discount on the First Time Set-Up fee! This was just approved by our President Peter Deneen, and is available for the whole month of August!!! I was formerly under the impression that the discount was going to be less, but now it turns out that the First Time Set-Up is HALF OFF (regular price is $150.00). To take advantage of this you need to place your first order of 50 signature mugs (or more) in the next 30 days - Delivery will be about 12 weeks, because of our production levels, so mugs will be ready to ship in October or November perfect for the Foliage Season!!! Any questions that you have can be answered by calling us toll free at 888-646-0238.

Estes Park, CO - Owned and operated Lois H. Smith - Stoneware by Deneen Pottery

We are now in our second year of working with the Baldpate Inn and we are just into the heart of the busy season. Thing are going well... Really well actually:

"HELP!  The mugs are flying off the shelves!  We can barely use them in the restaurant we have sold so many!!!   Can we get another order ASAP?  I think you have already sent all I had on my January Pack & Ship order."

"I guess I should have realized these would sell so great, but just didn't anticipate the demand" wrote Lois in a second email after her next order of 350 handmade custom mugs was approved.

Only our best for our Nations best! We love working with military units - and given the chance we will create a the finest handmade mugs in this country. For some clients, like the Patriot Shop in Tennessee, we have produced designs for each branch of service so that they can retail individual mugs through their website.

We have more fun when we are given a challenge... For Camp Lejune we combined the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor along with the famous tree from the entrance of the base for a custom design that looks like this:

Camp Lujune - Footed Mug in Gloss w/Black Fill

It is my honor to share this news report... Subject: Jay Karen, Deneen Pottery, Hand-Thrown Mugs Following the Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Conference Jay Karen stopped by and toured our studio. Halfway through my dad, Peter Deneen, sat Jay at a wheel and let him give it a spin! Keep in mind Jay is not a professional potter... The mug, that has now just come out of the kiln, is truly one of a kind.

We are serious about pottery... When the time to work arrives on a Monday morning - We're here doing what it takes to make the best custom pottery mugs! Saving lives is also a serious vocation and one that Red E. Fox doesn't take lightly. As the mascot for the Allentown 911 Center, Red E. Fox has to be, (as his name implies) ready for anything. Coffee is a BIG part of staying alert and what a better way to keep that coffee tasting good than in a custom handmade mug by Deneen Pottery? Helping Red and all of the individuals that work with him to keep people safe is a great honor! When Michael, Superintendent of Communications for Allentown, PA, first called to get more information I could only hope that we would get the chance to make mugs for him... Those that serve the public, especially in situations of life and death, are an invaluable part of our society.

In March we, here at Deneen Pottery, decided to do an ad campaign offering a free handmade coffee mug to those that mentioned the add when requesting a catalog on our website... I use the word 'campaign' loosely because it was just a single ad, but in a industry leading publication IQ or Innkeeping Quarterly. As PAII is the leading organization in this industry it only makes sense to test the waters with this type of an offer with them. We've always found success when working with PAII, and will continue to do so indefinitely! On a side note the president of PAII, Jay Karen, was recently here for a 'hands on' tour by our president, and my dad, Peter Deneen. To read up on that tour click here. Thanks for coming Jay, I look forward to seeing you again soon! Well, the response to that ad? It was good. And last week I began to do follow up calls to those that we sent mugs to. In the course of my calls I came across a property called Harpole's Heartland Lodge, an Illinois hunting lodge / bed and breakfast located in serene Pike County. I am a very visual person and one that likes to find connections... This connection hit me when looking at Harpole's Heartland Lodge was one of a big buck. As I've been adopted by my in-laws into the traditions of white tail hunting in northern Minnesota, anytime I see a buck my thoughts turn to the season in which we wear blaze orange and sit quietly in the woods.

The snow and cold is a distant memory, but the mornings are still starting out on the chilly side - Today it was 35º when dawn broke here at the pottery shop. Finding things that fit makes life more fulfilling, and definitely makes work more fun... Be it a perfect pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes as spring comes, or a perfect mug.

I've been waiting to find the next Innkeeper to interview and after hearing from Katherine Brown of Bloomsbury located in Camden, SC earlier this week I knew she would be perfect. In October of lat year we first talked about her property and our mugs and a few weeks later we combined a photograph of her property, and a drawing, by Randall Peterson, into this beautiful creation by Teena our Art Director.

At the start of the week I received a sorta tap-on-the-shoulder email that, more or less, hit me over the head and prompted me to see if Katherine would want to be the second official participant of  our Innkeeper Q&A. "Good morning Niles - this is where you can share a 'great laugh' with everyone at Deneen Pottery!  When we ordered mugs a few short months ago, it was primarily because I like them--I wanted to try them on our breakfast table. As it would never have occurred to me to buy a mug (with some logo) when I was traveling -- I rather dismissed when you said how well they sell.   OK - I need to place an order.   Quit laughing and tell me what you need." I don't mind being dismissed especially when I get to hear about it - That's why this statement is also on our testimonials page... It helps to look back at positive statements when you are having a rough day - And I figure if I keep stacking up the positive things that have been said, more will KNOW that we ARE the best at making Custom Stoneware Coffee Mugs!