No matter where you live, there is no doubt that the

dynamic of “family time” has changed.  And yes, this is a shameless plug for one of the best sources of quality family entertainment that I can think of…a brand new swing set!  I recall my childhood swing set…a rickety metal clunker “out back”.  Its posts sinking unevenly into the ground, rusty parts and pieces, a slide that got too hot to use.   It sufficed, but the chances of having my parents join me on the swing set were, well, I had a better chance of seeing an orange polka-dot armadillo cross the yard…

This is a great time of year at CedarWorks.  Excited moms, dads, grandparents, aunties and uncles start coming out of the woodwork (no pun intended) to plan the summertime-fun gift of a lifetime. And it’s not just a gift for the kids, it’s something the whole family can enjoy.

The days are getting longer, warmer, and families are focusing on better quality time together.  No sitting at the Xbox this year!  At CedarWorks, the options for a new swing set are as exciting and unique as the families who purchase them.  And, CedarWorks swing sets are designed with the whole family in mind, using the very best splinter-free Northern White Cedar.  With consideration to your site, age of your children, and budget, CedarWorks can offer ideas and solutions.  If you are considering a new swing set for your family this year, why not give us a call?  Helping you create the “most amazing swing set ever!” really makes our day.

We are excited to tell you about a new addition to the CedarWorks website.   Over the past couple of weeks, we have started construction on the new CedarWorks Press & Media “room”.   The CedarWorks Press & Media room will give interested readers a chance to catch up on CedarWorks news, and CedarWorks in the news.  In just a few weeks, there will be opportunities for bloggers and members of the media to easily access information about the CedarWorks company, photos and social media opportunities.   If you would like to keep up with the latest CedarWorks news and media, check it out at http://www.cedarworks.com/press and subscribe via RSS.  You will receive up- to- date company press releases, as well as news stories that feature CedarWorks products and company news.

In Rockport Maine its been much “warmer” these days.  I suppose that is a relative statement depending on where you are in the world, but here it’s been sunny and in the mid-30’s.  When the weather turns like this, its hard not to get a little kiss of Spring Fever.  I am already peeking around the leafy mush to see signs of crocus!

This year, in celebration of Spring,  CedarWorks is having a special sales promotion that we hope will spread a little “feel good” in a variety of ways.

First, for every play set order , indoor or outdoor, that you place by March 15, 2010, CedarWorks will donate $100 to charity on your behalf.  The second “feel good” is that you get to have fun picking, planning and designing the perfect play set for your family! And finally, there is the excitement and anticipation that comes when you and the little one’s are awaiting the arrival of that amazing new play set.  Then of course, the fun really begins. Join CedarWorks in planting some Spring Seeds of Cheer this year! Choose between and environmental or child-related charity at the time of your purchase, and we’ll take care of the rest! Please call us for details or information at 1-800-462-3327.

As promised, CedarWorks has several new products for your family’s upcoming enjoyment. Although we aren’t ready to show you the whole kit-and-kaboodle, we thought you might enjoy a teaser of what’s to come for 2010.

As you can imagine, setting up for a product photo shoot is a pretty big task. I had no idea how big until I ventured over to check out the second site location. I was amazed at the amount of equipment, people, and space that is necessary to communicate to our customers the true dimension and life of these new products.

The set-up crew hauls the materials to the site and assembles them. Once the products are in place, the design team arrives to begin their magic. read more »

Or chalk, as the case may be.

CedarWorks is on the brink of launching exciting new products for your families!  We have been very busy working away the winter hours here in Rockport, Maine.  As spring arrives, so will a plethora of totally new CedarWorks products designed especially for children.  We are nearing the final  phase of development, and we need your help solving a design conundrum.

Our dilemma:  While we have created an amazing new concept for a  child-sized table and chairs, we are undecided as to the kind of finish which  should grace the new table top.  This is where you come in.

Would you prefer a:

• Chalkboard table top finish (in blue or black)

• Traditional gloss table top finish (in blue, black, or natural)

• Or another idea altogether?

Post your comments here or on the CedarWorks Facebook page www.facebook.com/cedarworks.  Thanks for your help!

Each year, CedarWorks participates in a variety of charitable and goodwill events that lend a helping and bring a bit of joy to someone in need.  Most recently, Carina Richards of the CedarWorks sales team received a call from an oncology nurse from the Mary Dow Center at Maine Coast Hospital in Ellsworth, Maine.

The oncology team was caring for a man suffering from terminal cancer with a very poor prognosis.  This man is a single father to a two-year old girl. With the holidays and his daughter’s birthday right around the corner, their patient conveyed that he wanted to provide an amazing gift that his daughter would cherish for years.  After some discussion, he mentioned they had always dreamed of a swing set that included a slide. He recalled the beautiful fall weather, and how much he enjoyed spending time with his little girl at the playground.  It’s a story that touched us deeply here at CedarWorks. read more »

I have a LinkedIn membership, and I am involved in several child-related groups that post regular discussions about industry topics, news, and happenings.  Lately, there has been a thread posing the question “Is your cup half full or half empty for 2010?”  Nobody can argue that the past few years have been tough.  Unless you are one of the lucky industries that thrive during challenging economic times, you’ve probably sat at your conference tables and your kitchen tables discussing how to tackle 2010.

Here at CedarWorks, we are looking forward to an exciting 2010.  After the introduction of the Rhapsody Indoor Playsets exceeded our wildest expectations at the end of 2009, we knew that we had to keep going. It was very rewarding to be able to create and deliver a product that was so well-received in such a short time.

Part of our plan for 2010 includes continuing to design new products for your family to enjoy for many years. Our manufacturing plant is scheduled for expansion, and ground is being broken as I write.  read more »

What a year it’s been! We began by puzzling over what to expect in the year to come, and we are ending it by frantically assembling puzzles.  Really.

It all started when we tried to solve a problem. Orders for our new line of Rhapsody indoor playsets were coming so fast that by the first of December we could no longer guarantee delivery by Christmas. We hate to disappoint people, so we thought it would be nice to send something that could be put under the tree to let the kids know that something much bigger and better was on its way. Our thought? Send a puzzle made from an image of the exact custom playset ordered by each family.

So, we set our 3D modeling experts in motion and they generated a beautifully rendered image of each custom playset. We then sent the images off to be made into puzzles in plenty of time for the holidays. Then we waited. And waited and waited and waited.

The puzzles finally arrived today in time for us to get them turned around and back out for Christmas delivery. But they arrived in identical white boxes with absolutely no indication of what was contained in each box. So, as I type this, the staff continues to puzzle away the afternoon.

Like everything else in this year of ups, downs, twists, and turns, I know that the team here will do whatever is needed to make our customers happy. Because, in the end, making families happy is what  makes all of us here happy. And, on that note, I will end by wishing all of you a merry Christmas and a most happy new year.

Barrett  Brown

I started thinking about the history of toys and play, and how it has evolved over the centuries.  I saw the new digital Rubik’s cube and I chuckled.  Remember when the original Rubik’s cube made it’s debut?  Not only have our toys evolved, the entire concept of playtime has changed dramatically.  I started researching the history of toys;  my how things have changed!

Here is a snapshot of a detailed timeline from History.com

• 4000 B.C.  Babylonian board game resembling checkers or chess is played
• 3000 B.C Stone marbles are used in Egypt, glass marbles come later
• 1000 B.C. Kites appear in China…enter stone yo-yo’s in Greece.
• (Can you imagine kids today being entertained by a stone yo-yo??)
• 200 A.D.  Iron skates used in Scandinavia.
• 696 Playing cards used in Asia. read more »

Although it was  pretty warm here in Maine last week, my “1^st Weekend in December” tradition is to gather up the hubby and son to secure the family tree.  We trek out to a cut-your-own in “Somewhere”, Maine.  Our son, Elliot,  runs rampant among the trees, in and out of mud puddles, rock piles, and all sorts of places he “shouldn’t be”.   If we’re lucky, the air is mild.  If we’re really lucky, we get some light and dainty snowflakes to dance around the pointed greenery.  We use the time to talk about winter and what happens to the land and animals around us as we prepare for snowy days ahead.  I don’t know if my son understands all of  my babble, but it’s a great way to spend the afternoon.  I do get the sense that he appreciates that this time is special. read more »