Patterns and Saving Grandma's history

So Rita was talking 'bout incomplete patterns...now I don't have 900000 like she does.. I probably only have a few hundred......but some are incomplete. I dug them out, took pictures and will offer them on ebay.
I found these in a box....I'm guessing the '39 clippings were the wishes of a young girl.....and the women's pattern that looks a lot like the child's pattern....were chosen for a mother and daughter's matching ensembles.....perhaps this young girl became a mother and took great pleasure in dressing her little girl......
These clippings are dated 1939...

This pattern has pleated shorts and a jacket.....only a shred of the pattern remains....



And a child's 1945 pattern...That looks a lot like mom's up there !

This week on the eVintage Society Blog tag - be sure to check out Kitsch-y-Cool for her picks and pans about the weekly topic of…..
Lets talk halters!
1)Show us your favorite halter dress or top in your inventory (if you don’t have one, show us one another eVintage member has!)
Here's one I made ! it's on etsy. the long straps go around the neck and come around and tie

2)Marilyn rocked the halter bodice back in the 50s, but it came back big in the 70s…..which is your favorite era for the halter?
Well what's not to love about Marilyn...but in the 70s I was young and good looking...and wore this! it's also on etsy....

3)Bare backs are vulnerable, what’s your suggestion for protecting skin from the sun?
I'm gonna try some of that new Spray On sunscreen.....and lucky me, I have a husband that will be pressed into service...but those who go stagette, I suggest shade, a tall cool drink and shine when the patio lights come on.....


4)Halter as top or dress, whats your preference?
I like tops and dresses.....

5)A bra can be a challenge…..best suggestion for support?

I only wear a halter if it has a bra inside...of some sort. boobs are nice, but the girls must stand up and not slump....not an attractive look !

And on we go to Vintage Bulletin . Mmmm, I can't wait for next week's goodies !! on eVintage blog go-round!

Open and Closed.....wait..reverse that.

closed on E 26th........
Opening at 712 Broadway....the Rampart Building....


downstairs.....with several dealers of antiques and funky stuff just the way you like it......


look for funkoma in the back

we don't know the hours /days yet...and opening will be about June 1st or so...........
oh boy!
Yes I'll be neighbors with the Silverstone.....Glenna, Phil and Charlotte. PSP. Ida's .....ha ha ! The Helm.......The Porn Star Condos.......oh you people are in for some BIG fun now.....I get the whole downtown all to myself to annoy the living shit outta yuppies ! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

*************************
this rather explains it> We won't be like alan's little Alandom......we are unorganized and pay little attention to convention......
we have decades of antique/funky stuff/party giving experience.....and boy, it feels good to be going back home again.....the 2 main partners have all been downtown for years but were on hiatus.......
As we get our act together more next week I'll just keep blogging and announcing what the Hay is going on......
we're making it up as it goes along!

Some Men

I bought a big box of well-worn jeans.....lots of wear.....lots of work had to be accomplished to get them in this condition......
and I have a few pairs of polyester slacks for your granpa moments.....
Tons of T shirts......
And here's a few pics of some shirts....
I've only got 2 pair of cons left in size 12...pink No Sweat's in a 10...

Mod Mod Mod 60s Desk

So turquoise and white...so thinking of Cubes and Mondrian..
and only a mere 35. bucks......

I need to find a chair now.....but you get the idea.....

The Last Days Chronicles

So I am asked why aren't I open more.........Because no one shows up except Friday or Saturday......
I've sat here all day ...... all by myself !
Sadly, I'm closing.....not for lack of business but for lack of Room !!
Weird huh?
I don't have enough room for all my stock.....well, I don't need to display all my stock.....
Just most of it !
You would not believe what landlords want for rent !!!
So, I'm scaling my business back to internet only.
That's what happens when landlords think they're in A Big City....
Tacoma isn't ......not yet.
And the rents landlords want for crappy marginal space is INSANE !!
They have this crackhead idea that just because The Glass Museum is in Tacoma...
And because SOMEDAY the LeMay Museum will come.........
That justifies the HUGE rent jump in the last 2 years.
So Tacoma Small Business will suffer.
And now you know why new small businesses are rare....
In areas you want to shop in, in areas you will shop in.....that is.......
That's why you get corporate....and landlords are content to be empty for years........you've seen it.......you've driven by it.....
There's no way you'd come to the areas where the rent is affordable.....


If I was selling Booze, Beer....or Food......I'd be rich.....
Oh wait......I did sell Beer And Food......
well, root beer and Food.
I started STEILACOOM FORGE DELI
People will Go ANYWHERE to get drunk....and eat !!
But I'll keep looking around town.....
So Bye Bye!!

New old stuff .....

Rat Pack......e Vintage Blog Taggin'

This week on the eVintage Society Blog tag - be sure to check out Kitsch-y-Cool for her picks and pans about the weekly topic of…..
Rat Pack !
1) Show your favorite Rat Pack look in your inventory (early 60s suit, fedora, tie, cufflinks, loop collar shirt…..)

I can't keep anything in my hands that's Rat Pack..it sells immediately..here's a sharkskin suit...that sold for a pretty penny or 2.

2) Favorite Sinatra song?

tho I'm not a big Frankie Fan, I do love "That's Life!" it is the story of my life...more down than up....but I pick myself up and get back in the race.....



3) Favorite Rat Pack member? (Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Joey Bishop, Sammy Davis Jr. or Peter Lawford)

Joey Bishop.....most ignored.....most underated
and most unknown....Angie Dickinson.....


4) Best Sinatra “era”? (40s young & skinny, 50s swingin’ crooner or 60s Rat Pack suave?)

40s young and skinny...he looks like the "rat" he later became !!

5) Favorite Sinatra wife? (Nancy, Ava Gardner, Mia Farrow or Barbara)

Mia Farrow.....way to have a Mid Life Crisis !

6) Been to Vegas, how many times and best Vegas story (keep it clean!)

Vegas doesn't exist...it's a myth in the desert....




And on we go to Vintage Bulletin . Mmmm, I can't wait for next week's goodies !! on eVintage blog go-round!

the zeit bikes are so pretty......

and......so friendly.
and completely understandable.
And pretty. And kinda weird.
They are "gettable" immediately.

I told Mark his entry was too hard...too subtle ......it's Art in the big city sense.
If I would have had time to make a zeit bike I would have covered it in fur and made it an animal of some several types.
Get it? Bike as a throwback to organic renewable grabbable transportation.
If I'd have covered a bike in easy to get materials, just some random crap I found in the alley, maybe I'd have been chosen.
But the idea that a bike is an instrument of torture...that it might be quite painful to ride........
...is an unpopular concept.
Since I had it displayed in front of the shop , every single person that saw it commented on it.......and were confused.....but all comments centered around the idea that riding a bike would be hard and painful......and inconvenient........
Yes, that's right. But changing patterns of modern urban and rural and cul-de-sac living.....
is Hard.
Changing our nasty ways isn't as easy as changing lightbulbs. It will require more thought, and a revolution in the way we think of the planet and what we want and why we want.
And ....Trailblazer.......
Be A Trailblazer.
Think outside the moss.

See What I made....OOps I did it again....

Oooooops ! I did it again….

May 9th, 2008

Oopps I Did It Again…….
I cut the maxi…..
Yes I am guilty…..Maybe you don’t travel in the same circles I do…..I go round and round….and I find tons of maxi’s. I buy them for the great prints and I cut them up if they have damage or in this case…I have a yearning…..for a cute summer set like this~~

I had a set like this when I was kid in the late 50s. It had the most glorious cotton sateen print for the top, and a dreamy summer sky blue for the little capri pants. I started with this maxi lounger. Isn’t the fabric a beauty? It’s made of an acetate, so it’s easy to care for.
Choose a maxi that is several inches larger than your personal measurements especially at the hips. The curved crotch seam will take up another 10 inches or so. If you measure 38″ at the hips, choose a long dress that measures at least 48″ at the hips for the seams.

I have a pair of pants that are a little too big for me…..so I laid them along the fold on the skirt part and cuffed them to make a capri length, and I cut an inch outside the lines. I made sure the hem was lined up perfectly…..don’t be afraid to pin…..I tend to be somewhat fearless. Chop it off just above a button for proper proportions.

I used only a quarter inch for the seams. Since I used a pinking shears, I won’t have to worry about seam finishes and raveling. Then I sewed the back seam and inserted a zipper. Then the front seam, and I sewed on a line of elastic on the waist, then turned it under and hemmed. I also hemmed the top.

Well here she is! Acute pair of capris and a matching top.

Your eBetty DIY Editor is funkoma vintage.

Auctions on ebay.

the Blog.

The etsy shop.

I'm Wearing My Dock Street T Shirt...

and TacomaMama........posts about the new menu......please don't ruin it.....
I was gonna wear my ONE and ONLY Exit 133 T shirt today.....but I haven't trashed it artistically yet.........Just saying....I'd show you a pic, but I'm shy....you'll have to see it yourself.....Dock st needs more good places to eat.....tho I am partial to Dock Street Landing.....bar and grill.....the T Shirt and the bar........

So What Tacoma-made or Tacoma-centric clothing choices did you make today??? Mall purchases don't count.....But purchases from small businesses do...and anything you shoplifted will also count towards your final score........(bonus points for dancing to Darrell Data...and signing up for his email list)

Zeit Bike.....

is upon us....Coming sooon.....
Oh Joy....Will ....finally something happen in Prison Yard Plaza besides peeing in the bushes (that wasn't me...)
But Mark's entry for Zeit Bike.......was DENIED !!!!!!
I guess his design wasn't flashy enough.....it is just subtle......
Trailblazer.........get it?







************* The Format & The Rules *************
The Zeit-Bike Contest is being organized in conjunction with other Bike to Work activities in Pierce County scheduled during the month of May. National Bike to Work Week is May 14-18, and will be observed in Pierce County.

Zeit-Bikes will be judged on May 9th and the top five contenders will be shown at the Tacoma Art Museum on Third Thursday, May 17. The best bike will be judged from this group and the top winner will receive a prize of $200. The second and third place winners will also walk away with prizes that have yet to be determined, but promise to be enviable.
The Rules:

1. You must start with an actual bicycle of some kind as the base form. You supply the bike.
2. Individuals or groups can re-form a bike.
3. The bicycle must still be mobile after it is transformed. (Not a vehicle you’d want to ride to Seattle, perhaps, but 4. something that could be pushed down the street to get it into the Tacoma Art Museum.)
4. Your Zeit-Bike must be ready for exhibition to the general public by Wednesday, May 9, 2007.

You deserve a little break today.....

I'm too busy to keep up with all my social obligations...and I have no time for Facebook....it's likely full of Happy Shiny People That Went To University......
so.....go here for a great laugh your ass off........
Photobombing on Facebook........via bitsandbobbins.

and the ever popular ENGRISH.....I especially Chingrish.....like much....I would then hug coleslaw.

I am always asked if I have any "larger" vintage

for the ladies ! Yes I do..In the vintage world, larger people were fewer and farther between because of 2 World Wars, and The Depression...food shortages, and people were far more active. And next time...I'll show ya a few larger men's shirts and jeans....

A small sample....
etsy...or in Tacoma----




\







***********************
ebay or in Tacoma----

Life's A BEACH !!!

This week on the eVintage Society Blog tag - be sure to check out Kitsch-y-Cool for her picks and pans about the weekly topic of…..

Lets hit the beach!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SWIMSUIT OR BEACH WEAR OFFERED IN YOUR INVENTORY?

I just thought about getting out the swimwear ! It's cool and cloudy....and I just pulled out the flip flaps....and painted my toenails.....
But I think of Island sun when I see this....it's at my etsy store...or in the Tacoma shop...

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ERA IN SWIMWEAR, TO SELL OR WEAR?

I am always amused by very early swimwear....also known as Lock up the Sex !

FAVORITE DESIGNER OR LINE?

I always get goose bumps over any Jantzen....

FAVORITE BEACH RESORT?

I live just a walk away from a beach....but it's cool and cloudy.....My favorite of all time was surfing down in Santa Cruz.
This one is going up for sale next week....and there are more more more !

FAVORITE POOLSIDE, TROPICAL COCKTAIL (WITH OR WITHOUT ALCOHOL)?

If it has vodka, is pink and has an umbrella, I'm happy...Wait...that describes me!

FOR YOU, BIKINI OR ONE PIECE?

I love love love a 2 piece.....but it has to have boy legs and a hip-hugger waist....But I most often wear a One piece....I just have more of them.

And on we go to Vintage Bulletin . Mmmm, I can't wait for next week's goodies !! on eVintage blog go-round!



.

So, yeah, the abatement went mostly to the .....

Rich. So if this has been going on .....and the wealthy got the most of the benefit....how come? Who's in charge here? Do I have to do everything??
from the news tribune......

But extending the tax abatement program, which the city has never targeted at a specific project, is the wrong way to help ensure his project is a success. City officials would risk undermining what little public support for the tax program still exists. A report last year found the chief beneficiaries of Tacoma’s tax break have been affluent home buyers – the likes of whom Cohen will be courting.

Rather than extending the program to additional high-end development, Tacoma should be focusing on jump-starting more affordable housing projects. Odds are, Point Ruston will do very well without a tax break. Potential residents are likely to have all the incentive they need when they get a peek at that knockout view.

Here's one mono-rant....

I said this....for the umpteenth time....

I swear you people are copying me.....or are you in a Socially Responsible Mood because Karl Marx birthday was....... May 5.

I have to drive or take the bus to get food...

So one of my favorite subjects I am just on the verge of researching is....
what will it take to get a great market in or near downtown Tacoma....

Yes, I love shopping at the hilltop's Safeway, or at the Albertson's on Pacific & 38th. I also stop in at Staydumb Thriftway, Fred Meyer, or Marlene's, and sometimes I go all the way up to The Disneyland store....Metropolitan Market !
I really want to see a store in these parts between Stadium Thriftway, Albertson's and that Safeway. I don't see any reason why there can't be a store in that triangle, and close to downtown.
And can the Co-Op settle in downtown?

Here's how dumb I am now.....when stores are multi-story, how do people get their shopping carts from one floor to the other? Do they build humongous elevators? It's been so long since I was in a big-city store, I honestly can't remember !
I'm starting here with the article in today's NY Times.....and then I'll do a cost analysis, just slightly less comprehensive than an MBA would do....just so you know you'll get your money's worth from funkoma vintage..and her sassy blog.

"Even Kings and Queens are facing their own food crisis. Kings and Queens Counties, that is.

A continuing decline in the number of neighborhood supermarkets has made it harder for millions of New Yorkers to find fresh and affordable food within walking distance of their homes, according to a recent city study. The dearth of nearby supermarkets is most severe in minority and poor neighborhoods already beset by obesity, diabetes and heart disease."

Well, I'm Sorry If I Hurt or Embarrassed...

Tacoma.I don't think the movers and shakers spend enough time on Neighborhoods...
and small business...
all the small businesses and the new ones that would infill .....would so kick Russell's butt.....and replace them ...and all their money .....So go ahead and go.....or not.

Tacoma will Not live or die because of Russell. And the condos.
Wake Up !! Great things got done in Tacoma for years.....
Steph Farber is Right ! Enough with the stupid consultants and the outsiders.......
WE already know what we want........Didn't we (Tacomans/Tacowomens) create an Art Oasis..........growing and building from Sheer Force of Will ????? Didn't we get Union Station saved, and the Pantages....and UWT ? Tacoma Dome....The transportation hub in this district....makes perfect sense. Working together with the Tribes....and getting issues settled...........
"That's what saved Tacoma"
Yes we did !!!!
So many people truly love this town......with its warts.
and its sugar.
yes Russell contributed money to those causes, but it would have been done with or without them because the people wanted it..........

And I'll say this again......I am a trickster.....I say almost everything with a wink and a smile.....
I do appreciate Love Tacoma...we're MySpace Friends.....duh!
So kick me. Ignore me. Cuss me out. Hate me. Whatever.
From a blog post and from my criticism......

comes a fabulous conversation........ and I am really impressed that folks publicly and privately came to her defense.
I have so many stories of folks who do not feel included....
and this insane amount of money and attention that goes to developers, the rich and Russell......it is just hated by the people I talk to.
The working class of Tacoma......don't give a flying flip about Russell.
they hire only from a small select pool.....and there is so much more to Tacoma than that.
The working class could care less about expensive condos. They want the potholes fixed....they want good schools....They want Affordable Homes....You know something a person or family that makes 50 grand and Under could buy Today !
They want nice neighborhoods. They want to start businesses.
And Russell's money hasn't kept the streets free of holes. Russell's money hasn't made Tacoma schools better.......obviously......
It is the people who give a good .......damn about life here that did these things.
Enough already.

City fathers and mothers....Invest in the People. Invest in infrastructure.
Help people buy homes at a sensible price. House the homeless. Feed the hungry.
I know Tacoma is smart. Click .......brought the world to me.......
Low utility rates....because of smart management......
Tacoma doesn't need to be the fastest bunny on the Block.....
we need smartness, we need faith in each other, and respect for steadiness, respect for home-grown talent.

Build a strong working class and that's anyone who works for a living.......
It makes far more sense to have 3000 jobs that pay 20 bucks an hour or more,
than 1000 jobs that pay 50 bucks an hour. Rising tides lift ALL BOATS instead of just a few as documented here by Steve Winn . But even the wealthy are nervous.....

If Tacoma is gonna spend, what, 140 million on Russell .......why not spend that much on creating great middle income jobs...and lots of them......financial services is too often a code word for taking fair wages away from the worker and rigging the system for the benefit of the wealthy.
Restaurant work is not a livable wage base.

"Who gets the shortest end of the stick? Coffee shop hosts and cafeteria counter attendants, according to a report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research and the Center for Social Policy at the University of Massachusetts.

Eighty-seven percent of restaurant-host and counter-attendant jobs were categorized as "bad," meaning they paid less than the median wage in 1979, adjusted for inflation, and had neither employer-sponsored health insurance nor a retirement plan. That translates to a wage today of $16.50 an hour or $34,320 per year for a full-time, full-year worker, according to the report."

Rising rents and home prices put people in financial danger. It was and is a stupid idea to use your home as an ATM.
That is not sustainable in a community. C'mon you number-crunchers....

I suggest following the leadership of Van Jones.......
Why can't Tacoma become the Green Center of the Northwest.....let's create green jobs...let's show the world that we build Green.....We recycle....We cut emissions....We have industries that are embracing New Green Ways of doing business.
Do we or do we not live in The Evergreen State?

Buy Green in the Northwest.....

I do see many clothing designers using organic and bamboo and such for new clothes and that's great!!
My choice is to remake from used and vintage, and tossed away stuff.
There is an endless supply....of stuff....

I especially love building with reclaimed wood, windows and such...I do realize any new building must be energy efficient and non-toxic and new technologies can provide that.....here's a link to LEED....

From a Seattle PI article...

Counter intuitive: What began as a concept for a graduate-studies paper by Ameé Quiriconi is now a caressable countertop cast in Woodinville. Squak Mountain Stone Countertops' textured, cement-based composite, mixed with waste fly ash as well as newsprint and other recycled paper, is an alternative to quarried stone. A 30- by 48-inch slab: $420.29. A new line, Trinity, uses recycled glass to mimic smooth granite. Call 425-486-3417 or www.tmi-online.com.

Bee Green: Kim Denend and Aaron Otto combine organic farming and beekeeping to make soaps, salves and lotion bars tested on family and friends. Most of their ingredients are grown on Pragtree, a land-trust farm near Arlington, or come from other sustainable producers. Calendula soap: $5.95; muscle rub with cayenne: $10.95. Moon Valley Organics: 877-652-1819 or www.moonvalleyhoney.com.

Waste not: ELWd ("elwood") Systems, a division of Auburn's Forest Concepts, began replicating woody debris for salmon-habitat restoration and branched out to erosion-control bales, planters, fencing and other products made from wood that would otherwise be wasted. Sets of pole units can be used in place of rock, block or creosoted railroad ties for landscape terraces. A 90-inch unit: $52.99. ELWd Systems SlopeCheck: 253-333-9663 or www.elwdsystems.com.

Major employers in Pierce County & Tacoma

With about 3 minutes of Gooooogling I found out two tiny tidbits, one...in the Seattle PI.......about Russell.........
and down below is the employee count from a News Tribune article.
Russell employs 1035 in Tacoma...and the employees spend about 77 million a year here.
******************************************************************************************************
from the PI....

"From a Tacoma trading floor with 150 people, the company last year conducted $1 trillion worth of trades for its mutual funds and other clients. It has another 1,000 employees in 20 offices from Tokyo to Johannesburg.

How many globe-spanning businesses are headquartered in Tacoma? "It's not a long list of companies," Kendall says diplomatically.

Beyond the cachet, there's the cash. Russell is "by far the best in Tacoma in terms of compensation" among large employers, he says. "These are the kinds of jobs you want ... they are our magnet in that regard." Employees and the company directly spend an estimated $77 million a year in the city."
"What the Boeing 787 meant to Washington state, Russell means to Tacoma," says Bruce Kendall, president of the Tacoma-Pierce County Economic Development Board. The public-private effort galvanized by Russell's potential move is known as Project Destiny."

From the News Tribune:
Here's who is employing whom in our County and T Town
.....um yeah, 2006....
Military, Government (same thing...) Health care....Food & groceries.....
Fred Meyer is larger than Russell.....but maybe not in money earned that then circulates throughout the community.....

Major Employers for 2006
Rank / Organization Employees / Industry
• 1. U.S. ARMY, FORT LEWIS (TOTAL) 39,204 Military
• U.S. Army, Fort Lewis (military) 28,730
• U.S. Army, Fort Lewis (civilian) 10,474
• 2. LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS 13,275 Education
• 3. U.S. AIR FORCE, MCCHORD 10,772 Military
• U.S. Air Force, McChord (civilian & Reserve) 6,765
• U.S. Air Force, McChord (military) 4,007
• 4. WASHINGTON STATE EMPLOYEES * 7,649 Government/public offices
• 5. FRANCISCAN HEALTH SYSTEM 3,896 Health services
• 6. MULTICARE HEALTH SYSTEM 3,874 Health services
• 7. U.S. ARMY MADIGAN HOSPITAL 3,231 Military health care
• U.S. Army Madigan Hospital (civilian) 2,075
• U.S. Army Madigan Hospital (military) 1,156
• 8. PIERCE COUNTY GOVERNMENT 3,160 Government/public offices
• 9. WASHINGTON STATE HIGHER EDUCATION * 2,958 Colleges
• 10. CITY OF TACOMA 2,044 Government/public offices
• (does not include Tacoma Public Utilities)
• 11. FRED MEYER STORES 1,689 Retail
• 12. EMERALD QUEEN CASINO 1,688 Casino gaming
• 13. SAFEWAY STORES INC. 1,613 Retail (grocer)
• 14. WAL-MART STORES * 1,480 Retail
• 15. GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL 1,471 Health services
• 16. TACOMA PUBLIC UTILITIES 1,413 Public utility
• 17. THE BOEING CO. (Frederickson site) 1,395 Aerospace
• 18. MCDONALD’S RESTAURANTS 1,290 Fast food (corporate stores only)
• 19. INTEL CORP. 1,200 Computer electronics
• 20. U.S. POSTAL SERVICE 1,173 Government/public offices
• 21. MILGARD MANUFACTURING INC. 1,118 Glass, window manufacturing
• 22. RUSSELL INVESTMENT GROUP 1,035 Investment management
• 23. COSTCO 980 Wholesale
• 24. STATE FARM INSURANCE COMPANIES 965 Insurance
• 25. LONGSHORE LABOR UNION 900 Labor union
• 26. PIERCE TRANSIT 896 Government/transportation
• 27. ALBERTSONS INC. 886 Retail (grocer)
• 28. WASHINGTON STATE NATIONAL GUARD 840 Military
• 29. WALGREENS DRUG STORES 824 Retail (drug store)
• 30. DAVITA 792 Health services
• 31. AAFES 781 Merchandise for armed forces (Army & Air Force Exchange Service)
• 32. COMCAST CABLE 757 Cable TV, Internet services
• 33. VETERANS’ AFFAIRS PUGET SOUND HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS 746 Health services
• 34. GORDON TRUCKING INC. 732 Transportation (includes Washington-based drivers)
• 35. SIMPSON INVESTMENT CO. 695 Wood products (includes Simpson Tacoma Kraft Co., Simpson Timber Co.)
• 36. PACIFIC LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY 670 Education
• 37. UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND 660 Education
• 38. THE NEWS TRIBUNE 650 Printing/publishing
• 39. KEYBANK 600 Bank
• 40. HOME DEPOT 588 Retail
• 41. RECREATIONAL EQUIPMENT INC. (REI) 566 Retail
• 42. TACOMA GOODWILL INDUSTRIES 506 Social services
• 43. GROUP HEALTH COOPERATIVE 498 Health services
• 44. REGENCE BLUESHIELD 488 Health services
• 45. ATLAS CASTINGS & TECHNOLOGY 462 Steel manufacturer
• 46. COLUMBIA BANK 456 Bank
• 47. MACY’S 456 Retail
• 48. INTERSTATE DISTRIBUTOR CO. 450 Trucking
• 49. PUYALLUP TRIBE 417 Indian tribe
• (excluding casino, smokeshops and administration)
• 50. ROBERT LARSON AUTOMOTIVE GROUP 405 Auto dealership
• 51. CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN INC. 403 Recreation resort
• 52. AVAMERE HEALTH SERVICES 402 Health services
• 53. STARBUCKS COFFEE CO. 387 Retail
• 54. BANK OF AMERICA 385 Bank
• 55. CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES 382 Social services
• 56. MANKE LUMBER CO. 348 Sawmill, planing mill
• 57. CITY OF PUYALLUP 331 Government/public offices
• 58. LOWE’S 324 Retail
• 59. QWEST COMMUNICATIONS * 310 Telecommunications
• 60. NORDSTROM INC. 298 Retail
• 61. LABOR READY INC. 291 Temporary services
• 62. TACOMA LUTHERAN HOME 290 Retirement home
• 63. GENSCO INC. 283 Sheet metal manufacturing
• 64. WILCOX FAMILY FARM 281 Dairy, egg, feed processing
• 65. J.C. PENNEY CO. 276 Retail
• 66. WELLS FARGO 275 Bank
• 67. MCLANE NORTHWEST 270 Grocery distributor
• 68. COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE 268 Private nonprofit health clinics
• 69. POTELCO 267 Electrical contractors
• 70. EXPEDIA.COM 262 Online travel
• 71. YMCA OF TACOMA-PIERCE COUNTY 262 Nonprofit social services
• 72. BROWN & HALEY 260 Confectionery products
• 73. TORAY COMPOSITES (AMERICA) INC. 260 Composite materials
• 74. MANORCARE HEALTH SERVICES 257 Health services
• 75. MELLON FINANCIAL CORP 250 Financial services
• 76. MISSION FOODS 248 Food manufacturer
• 77. RAM INTERNATIONAL 247 Restaurant
• 78. HAGGEN/TOP FOOD & DRUG 242 Retail
• 79. PUGET SOUND ENERGY 242 Utility services
• 80. METROPOLITAN PARK DISTRICT 241 Government/public offices
• 81. WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK 236 Bank
• 82. SOUNDCARE INC. 233 Health services
• 83. JOHN H. HARLAND CO. 226 Printing
• 84. CITY OF LAKEWOOD 226 Government/public offices
• 85. BUFFELEN WOODWORKING CO. 225 Millwork/wood products
• 86. TACOMA NARROWS CONSTRUCTORS 225 Transportation construction
• 87. SEARS ROEBUCK AND CO. 223 Retail
• 88. BEST BUY 220 Retail
• 89. CASCADE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 220 Education
• 90. HAROLD LEMAY ENTERPRISES INC. 220 Refuse
• 91. MCFARLAND CASCADE 220 Wood products
• 92. FIRST ASSEMBLY OF GOD LIFE CENTER 219 Nonprofit
• 93. PORT OF TACOMA 218 Government/public offices
• 94. PROLOGICS ** 216 Published product distributor
• 95. PRECISION AEROSPACE/ PRECISION PATTERN INC. 215 Aerospace manufacturing
• 96. BURLINGTON NORTHERN RAILROAD 210 Railroad
• 97. NORTHWEST CASCADE 210 Septic, sewer contractors
• 98. SUPERVALU 210 Grocery distributor
• 99. RAINIER PACIFIC BANK 208 Bank
• 100. TITUS-WILL FORD TOYOTA SCION 208 Auto dealership
• 101. CITY TRANSFER INC. 207 Construction supply
• 102. MORNING SUN 207 Screen printing/sportswear
• 103. RITE AID CORP. * 206 Retail
• 104. ABSHER CONSTRUCTION CO. 205 Construction
• 105. NORTHWEST DOOR 205 Manufacturing/garage doors
• rank / Organization Employees / Industry
• 106. COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH 202 Health services
• 107. CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY CORP. 202 Pre-stressed concrete
• 108. HARBORSTONE CREDIT UNION 200 Credit union
• 109. PIERCE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM 200 Government/library system
• 110. TRINITY GLASS INTERNATIONAL 200 Manufacturing
• 111. WESTMARK PRODUCTS 200 Cabinet manufacturer
• 112. NORTHWESTERN LANDSCAPE CO. 198 Landscape
• 113. GREATER LAKES MENTAL HEALTHCARE 195 Health services
• 114. NORTHWEST METAL PRODUCTS CO. 195 Sheet metal manufacturing
• 115. TRIDENT SEAFOOD 194 Seafood products
• 116. BIRDS EYE FOODS 189 Food products
• 117. CENTURYTEL 189 Telecommunications
• 118. QUALITY FOOD CENTERS INC. (QFC) 186 Retail
• 119. SHERATON TACOMA HOTEL 184 Hotel
• 120. U.S. FOODSERVICE 180 Food/wholesale
• 121. ARMSTRONG IN-HOME CARE 171 Home health services
• 122. AUTO WAREHOUSING CO. 171 Auto warehousing
• 123. KORUM MOTORS 170 Auto dealership
• 124. GLOBE MACHINE MANUFACTURING CO. 167 Manufacturing
• 125. SCI INFRASTRUCTURE 164 Heavy highway construction
• 126. LINDEN GROVE CARE CENTER 162 Health care
• 127. GREAT AMERICAN CASINO 160 Casino gaming
• 128. LUMBERMENS 156 Retail (building material)
• 129. COMMENCEMENT BAY CORRUGATED 155 Manufacturing/corrugated boxes
• 130. GENERAL PLASTICS MANUFACTURING CO. 155 Manufacturing/polyurethane foam
• 131. PORTAC 152 Manufacturing, lumber
• 132. U.S. OIL & REFINING 151 Petroleum refinery
• 133. LIFE CARE CENTER OF PUYALLUP 150 Assisted living/rehab. services
• 134. ORCHARD PARK HEALTH CARE CENTER 150 Health services
• 135. GOLDEN STATE FOODS 147 Distributor for McDonald’s
• 136. HEARTWOOD EXTENDED HEALTHCARE 146 Health services
• 137. METAGENICS 145 Nutritional supplements
• 138. TACOMA CABINET & FIXTURE CO. 145 Cabinet manufacturer
• 139. THE TRUSS CO. 145 Truss manufacturer
• 140. U.S. BANK 145 Bank
• 141. METROPOLITAN DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL 142 Nonprofit
• 142. PRECISION DOOR & CABINET 142 Production cabinets, doors
• 143. CHARLES WRIGHT ACADEMY 139 Education
• 144. CITY OF SUMNER 138 Government/public offices
• 145. PARAMETRIX 136 Engineering, environmental service • 146. FRANKE TOBEY JONES RETIREMENT 135 Nonprofit retirement community
• 147. RAINIER VISTA CARE CENTER 135 Health services
• 148. THE ODOM CORP. 135 Beverage distributor
• 149. OLD CANNERY FURNITURE WAREHOUSE 134 Retail
• 150. BMC WEST 133 Retail
• 151. FARWEST FREIGHT SYSTEMS 132 Transportation
• 152. KMART 132 Retail
• 153. REGENCY-TACOMA 132 Rehabilitation services
• 154. CITY BEVERAGES 131 Beverage distributor
• 155. PABCO ROOFING PRODUCTS 128 Manufacturing/shingle products
• 156. COCA-COLA BOTTLING CO. 127 Beverage bottler, distributor
• 157. BRADTRUD MIDDLETON INSURANCE BROKER 126 Insurance
• 158. JESSE ENGINEERING 126 Steel fabrication, manufacturing
• 159. UNITED PARCEL SERVICE 126 Delivery, logistics
• 160. CHIP’S CASINO LAKEWOOD 125 Gaming
• 161. PONY LUMBER 125 Lumber manufacturer
• 162. THE PEPSI BOTTLING GROUP 124 Beverage distributor
• 163. BELLARMINE PREPARATORY SCHOOL 120 Education
• 164. FIRST AMERICAN TITLE INSURANCE CO. 120 Financial services
• 165. NORTHWEST KINETICS 120 Medical research, development
• 166. TUCCI & SONS 120 Construction
• 167. CARDIAC STUDY CENTER 118 Health Care
• 168. MADSEN ELECTRIC 118 Electrical contractor
• 169. WEYERHAEUSER CO. 118 Paper, allied products
• 170. THE SIMMONS MANUFACTURING CO. 117 Mattress manufacturer
• 171. GENERAL MECHANICAL INC. 115 Construction
• 172. PROVENTUR 115 Restaurant, catering
• 173. GP GYPSUM 113 Manufacturing/gypsum, wallboard
• 174. ASSOCIATED PETROLEUM 112 Petroleum products
• 175. GENTIVA HEALTH SERVICES 112 Health services
• 176. PRECISION MACHINE WORKS INC. 112 Machine shop
• 177. SELDEN’S 112 Retail
• 178. CABLECRAFT 110 Manufacturing/cables
• 179. CARDINAL HEALTH 110 Health care product distributor
• 180. CARLILE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS 110 Transportation
• 181. EMERALD HOME FURNISHINGS 110 Furniture manufacturing
• 182. FRED TEBB & SONS 110 Lumber remanufacturing
• 183. SHINING OCEAN 110 Surimi manufacturer
• 184. GORDON THOMAS HONEYWELL 109 Law office
• 185. HOBART BAKING SYSTEMS 109 Bakery equipment manufacturing
• 186. REGAL LOGISTICS 109 Warehousing, logistics
• 187. FILTRONA 108 Plastics extrusion
• 188. FREDDIE’S CLUB OF FIFE 107 Casino gaming
• 189. CECCANTI INC. 105 Earthwork, site utility
• 190. RENAISSANCE AT NARROWS GLEN 105 Senior living community
• 191. SCHOELLER ARCA SYSTEMS 105 Plastic products
• 192. RANDLES SAND & GRAVEL 104 Sand, gravel
• 193. REEDER MANAGEMENT 104 Property management
• 194. TOYOTA OF PUYALLUP 104 Auto dealership
• 195. TRIWEST HEALTHCARE ALLIANCE 104 Health care
• 196. MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK 103 National park
• 197. SCHNITZER STEEL INDUSTRIES INC. 103 Steel scrap, waste
• 198. GOTTSCHALKS 102 Retail
• 199. COAST ENGINE & EQUIPMENT 101 Locomotive rebuild, manufacturing
• 200. SMITH FIRE SYSTEMS 101 Fire systems
• 201. BJ’S BINGO 100 Bingo
• 202. GIRARD WOOD PRODUCTS 100 Wood pallet manufacturing, repair
• 203. HORIZON LINES TACOMA 100 Ocean transportation, logistics
* FTE count was not available for some employers. Head count used for Pierce College, Rite Aid, Qwest Communications, Wal-Mart, and Washington state employees.
** Prologics is the merger of The News Group and Anderson News.

A Few Things I've Made...

I'm closing the shop and only be open a few days a month.....I may close permanently while I look for new digs in Portland or Seattle...I may never open again....
I shall continue to design.......
Here is a small sample of what I've made recently and not-so-recently......