Some of my customers send notes expressing their feelings about the bowls they receive and thoughts about the transaction … I quit posting them regularly a few years ago but felt inclined to put some of the more recent ones on. I really miss being able to see the faces of folks when they first see their bowls, but notes such as these really make me feel good. …jp  

Dear James ,
   I cannot begin to say how grateful I am for your incredible works of art. The boxes and packaging felt like I was opening something very special. Your lovely note enclosed certainly felt like a piece of your heart came with them. It must be very hard to part with them. They will both be loved and cared for according to your directions. The story of a very skilled artisan with a southern accent that reminds me of my precious kinfolk will live on….I appreciate that your name is on your bowls. Thank you for creating something in this world that is not disposable or made in China. They are truly an heirloom and will be in our family for many decades . Many blessings, Biggest thanks,
    K Garvin

Kim – It was so nice talking with you! Thank you for your kind words! ..JPM

 JP, we received our bowl (#20) today.  To say we are pleased is an understatement; it far exceeded our expectations.  Thank you for the “heart” you put into your work; we are very proud to own a small part.  We only live about 55 miles from your location; hopefully, in the future we can visit you and see a larger portion of your work, including your “ugly” bowls. The bowl was extremely well packaged and delivery was prompt (2 days after ordering). Thanks again, and thank you for your service to our country in the US Air Force.  … J.McCarson

...The “Ugly Bowls” Jim refers to above are the first bowls I made over 30 years ago … They were horrible (not symmetrical, or even level) … it seems that I had a bad case of the “Can’t Hep It’s”

 Hello JP, I opened my box with my new bowl Christmas morning. With my family surrounding me, we were all in awe of the bowls beauty. I read the letter(s) out loud, we enjoyed your humor and could feel your sincerity. I then shared with my family what this bowl meant to me and they all agreed this bowl would grow a story for generations.
Sitting next to me opening presents, was my precious daughter in law. She assured me she would loving take care of the bowl after me.
Thank you for your love of wood and love of bowl making. It shows in the end product.
Best Regards,
Valarie

Thank YOU Valerie!

Hi JP! This is Leslie Moss. I’ve been out of town (but) arrived back last night. And guess what was waiting for me? My beautiful, beautiful bowl! It’s truly a work of art & I can feel & see all the love that went into it. I will cherish it forever & I look forward to it’s place in our family. It’s going to be a very busy little bowl because we have many family dinners (7 kids, 11 grandchildren & counting!) & it will be part of these get togethers. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful talent with us. Promise I will take good care of “my new little guy”. My kids laugh because that’s what I’ve been calling him. And thank you for the kitchen sticks. I’m a baker & will love having those in my kitchen. Merry Christmas to you & your family!

Thank YOU Leslie … letters like yours is what keeps me doing this.  … You Get It !!!

(The) Bowl arrived in tact, no shipping damages. Looks amazing, even better than the pictures.
I can’t wait to put it to use. You build some really nice bowls, something to definitely be proud of.
I’m glad to be an owner of such a fine working piece of art.
Thanks again
Ken

Thanks for the nice words Ken. It was my pleasure!

Hi JP:
I wanted to let you know my sister received the bowls on Saturday and she was blown away by how beautiful they are, and I received mine yesterday. It is truly a work of art! The
craftsmanship is superb and truly enhances the natural beauty of the wood. Keep up the excellent work!
Best,
Robert Ballard
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Dear Mr. Madren,
I received my beautiful dough bowl in the mail today! I am so excited!! I may have almost had a stroke when our mailman threw it onto my porch. The bowl is safe and sound. My mom is already declaring how much I must love her – as she tries to sneak the bowl away. It is gorgeous and I couldn’t be more pleased. It almost makes me want to cry. Thank you so much and now I’ll stalk the website to pick gifts for all of well-loved bread-baking friends! I hope that you had a lovely Christmas and Happy New Year!
Blessings,
Tiffany
I’m Glad you got it ! .. and I’m glad that the packaging I came up with protected it from damage. I’ve shipped well over a thousand and only had 2 damaged (so far) …
Glad you like it ! as for the deal with Mom … that happens quite frequently, and it’s the reason I don’t sell “You get to keep it” insurance !!!

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Dear JP-
These wonderful bowls finally made it to CA! And the first thing I thought was, you were right- the pictures do not do them justice. I made a few attempts at it myself, on a glass table, etc., but none of my pictures are able to capture the beautiful workmanship or the amazing grain of the wood. The only way I can describe the finish on them is like a velvet matte with a gentle sheen- nothing harsh or glossy, just rich and with a lovely warmth. While they are smooth to the touch, there is still the feeling of being hand hewn. My husband is the third generation of his family to craft beautiful hardwood floors, so I have seen many pieces of impressive and exotic hardwoods over the years, but these bowls are exquisite. In addition to this, I promise they will be used for baking, as I love to make bread. I can’t believe the perfect blend of utility and beauty. I could waste a whole afternoon just moving them from room to room- they are a delight to the eye, and all the more because I know the love you put into each one. I felt a little extravagant buying two because I couldn’t decide between them, but now I’m glad I did!
Your effort in making them echoes the patience and love that went into the creation of this beautiful world.
Thanks again!
Jeannie
WOW !!! Talking about being totally blown away. After I got the tears out of my eyes I read it again … and again … Thank You Jeannie – you made my week !________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
J.P.
I received the bowl in todays mail and it is beautiful the pictures did not do it justice. I know my wife will love it and I am sure I will be rewarded in biscuits.
Thank you
Detective K**** M*****
I always stress that the pictures are NEVER as pretty as the bowls are. I’m an expert at bowls – but a very unskilled amateur at photography!
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Phil Jones
Man I’m just speechless on this bowl from you. Unbelievable. Very motivating and inspiring to me. I’m hoping to be as good as you one day and keep the hand made dough bowls alive. I wish I could have bought all yours bowls in return of helping me out with mine. I hope to one day meet you in person then this doughbowl making will be complete. I’ll send some pictures of some I’ve done recently…check some of these colors out in the wood…thanks again JP
Phil
Phil is doing ok on his own. I am always happy to help an aspiring bowl maker to learn the craft and field a lot of phone calls and emails doing just that helping them work out tough spots.
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Hi JP,
I just opened up my bread bowl and sticks and I’m absolutely thrilled!!!!!! Couldn’t be happier!! The blend of beauty, sturdiness and practicality is just perfect. I’ve got my sourdough starter going and I’m making bread in it tomorrow. I LOVE MY BOWL!!!!!! I wish I knew anyone who makes bread but I don’t, because I would tell them to definitely get one of your bowls. I’m going to take pictures and send it to all the family and friends. Who knows. Maybe there’s a secret bread maker in the family other than me. I’m so excited about my bowl and sticks, and can’t wait to try them both!! Thank you for letting me try some of the kitchen sticks. They’re going to get tried out tonight at dinner. haha!!
Thank you – thank you!!! Keep making your gorgeous bowls! Bread making is becoming a lost art in some parts of the country so I feel so privileged to have a piece of art for my bread.
Take care and again, it was so good talking to you on the phone. Laura xxxxxx
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Five minutes ago my bowl was delivered! What a beauty, oh my, words cannot tell you how much this bowl means to me. I have wanted one for so long, but kept finding reasons why I shouldn’t spend money on a bowl. This year has not been the best of years for us in some ways. We lost two dearly loved pets in April, had a big old oak tree fall on our house June 27 and finally and, of course, most sadly my 100 year old mother in law passed away just before Thanksgiving.
This bowl will be a reminder of the beauty in the world even in times of sadness.
As for the bowl itself, LOVE IT! I have always been drawn to things with character and this bowl blows me away with its beauty. God and you both do great work.
The whole experience of buying this bowl was exceptional. James you do good work -both in bowls and websites.
Thanks also for the set of sticks. These ol’ arthritic hands appreciate them.
Merry Christmas
Susan
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Hello JP,
Well, I received the bowl last night and it is absolutely beautiful! I love the way the grain looks in the bowl. Then when I run my hands through the bowl I can feel gentle waves on the surface where the tool made the bowl. It is truly wonderful! You sir, are an artist! You have brought history alive for my kids – they will get to help their mom make bread in ways similar to the past and with the same types of tools. This will be a great gift for our family.
JP, I found the entire process to be easy. The website was well organized (I enjoyed reading the “extra” stories) and the buying was easy. The process was painless. I have no complaints about any of it.
Thanks again for sharing your art with us. It is something we will all cherish.
Best regards,
John
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James
I received my bowls today. They are beautiful! You were right, the picture did not give justice to the teardrop gem1H. I am keeping that one for myself!!
I am going to keep checking your website for future sales. We have some very good friends that live in Reston Virginia. They own a family mill in Cane Creek NC, called ******** **** I would love to purchase them one of your bowls.
Thank you so much for your beautiful work!!
Mary Jo M*******
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Hello James – the bowl arrived safe and sound today and it took my breath away. 3 years ago I bought John a bread making book for Christmas and wrote an inscription to him about following his dreams – it brought tears to his eyes and is a special memory for us both. Now, years later we are slowly making the dream a reality and building our family together – your beautiful work of art will certainly make a special memory again and I know John will be calling you very shortly after receiving it on Christmas!
Many thanks to you for your craftsmanship – keep tradition alive!
Many thanks,
Beth
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Well – I’ve had so many folks call me and come all the way across the country to meet me but here I am posting a poem that someone sent me after getting a bowl in this latest sale and I just sat here and cried when I read it. Please – read this as if someone sent it to YOU, and was talking about something you made them …
Dough Bowl
There is a man they call J.P. ,Who makes things out of a fallen tree.
What can he see in a hunk of old wood? There are no directions to make something good.
He cuts, chips and sands for all he is worth, To give a dough bowl a miraculous birth.
The beauty he finds in the wood that he works, Shows worm stripes, knots and other odd quirks.
Thanks be to God for the creations he makes, Thank you J.P. for the hard work it takes,
To make a dough bowl that gives me great pleasure,
To have and pass on as a really fine treasure.
The bowl arrived yesterday in perfect condition. What a unique way to pack the bowl. I like how you made handles on the bowl, so easy to grasp. I am so happy to have stumbled upon your site and the ordering and paying was very simple. I wish I could meet you in person and give you a hug. Have a Happy Holiday J.P and Nancy and God bless.
Laura Harrington
Laura – I cannot describe just how good your poem made me feel. It’s been a rough day but you really made the day end well.
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JP, good morning !
The fog is thick and heavy here in Asheboro this morning.
“Maggie” Dough arrived around 2:00 pm yesterday. she’s a beauty. Soft and warm, she sits in the center of our dining room table, we can see her from the living room. For now “Maggie” will be our holiday centerpiece. After the holidays I’ll give her a try with my famous big batch cinnamon rolls. Like you I have painful physical limitations. I mostly resort to the bread machine. But… She needs to be used a least once, for that is her nature. I have been seeking a dough bowl for years. I would check auctions, antique shops, websites, etc. never finding “the right” bowl.
This is “the” bowl. I am now content.
God blessed you with a great talent. I know anyone of your bowls would have looked lovely on our table.
I pray the beauty you create will somehow give you contentment, even if your physical body won”t.
Have a great Holiday Season,
Thank you,
Kathleen and Howard ******
Thank You Sooooo Much for the kind words !!!
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Hi JP,
I got the bowl today just a short while ago, and it’s beautiful. I can’t wait to mix up some bread. (The local food and farm market just started carrying fresh-ground flour too, so it might be the best bread I’ve made.) My friend Robin and I were admiring the bowl when I opened the box, and we appreciated that it was so lovely and still intended to be used instead of hung on the wall or filled with dust catchers. It’s a genuine working bowl. No bowl$#!T.
Have a great day!
Josh
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James,
I let my wife buy the working bowl as her early Christmas present. You should have seen her eyes light up when she saw that she got the very bowl she wanted. Shortly, tears were flowing and she was so thankful that her search for a good doughbowl had finally ended in a most special way. She makes our bread daily and kneads it in a machine as she has done for years. She now plans to give serious attention to making it by hand. Of course I get the benefits.
I will be entering retirement soon and look forward to meeting you in person someday as I have seriously considered following in your footsteps as a craftsman.
Meanwhile, I ask that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ bless you and surround you with warm friendships.
Thank You for the beautiful note … The hardest thing I do is NOT making a doughbowl … It is taping the top of the box shut, knowing that I will never see it again. But having them go out to folks such as you – it makes it much easier to see them go.
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Hi JP
Just thought you would want to see working bowl 1E hard at work! Really been enjoying using it and am so happy with this quality heirloom that works! My thanks again for your craftsman-ship. Continued success!
Regards,
Brian McDonell
Brian – Always good to see one of my bowls doing what it’s supposed to do. I’m glad y’all like it !!! …jp
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JP
…I went to the doctor this morning and when I got home your bowl was here. Magnificent, I can not understand why the best don’t sell till last. I can not
find words to describe the beauty you turn out. I hope your health improves so you can keep on producing Your wonderful works of art.
I wish you and your family a very merry Christmas And a happy new year.
Tks again
Jim
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Good afternoon JP,
I just wanted to let you know that I have received the bread bowl, and it is absolutely beautiful, It is wrapped and under our Christmas tree. I can’t wait to see the look on my moms face when she unwraps it Christmas morning she will be so surprised. Thank you so much. Merry Christmas to you and your family, and Happy New Year.
Thank’s again,
~Faith
I hope she likes it !!! …jp ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hi JP;
The bowl arrived Wednesday after the sale, that was quick. This is my third bowl from you, what can I say. I’m a hand made junkie. I love authentic hand made items, and that is your forte’. You ran your Holiday Sale as planned. I was a bit late in getting my requests out. Just my luck my first 4 choices were sold. You came back with a couple of suggestions. You never led me wrong in the past, so I selected a tear drop bowl, since I already have 2 ovals.
When I opened the box…..wow, absolutely gorgeous. Pictures don’t begin to do this bowl justice, it has beautiful striping, little knots and burls, beautiful graining, and a little bark showing on the base. Did you do this on purpose? This is one of the prettiest bowls I have ever seen. My wife was so impressed, she rinsed it and dried it, so it would be ready for Sunday to make bread.
On Sunday December 9th we needed to make 4 loaves of Irish Soda Bread…..This is the first time my wife ever used an authentic wood dough bowl. She always used a wood bowl somebody gave us. It looked like wood patches all glued together….a real classic. After making bread in the new bowl, let me quote my wife…..This is the ideal bowl to make bread in……It’s so easy to make bread in this bowl. Thanks to you JP, my wife has a new favorite bread bowl. I’m sure it will see plenty of use. Thanks again for your hard work and dedication. Your work is amazing, and you have brought a lot of joy to my family. You truly have a gift. Your bowls will be in our family for many years.

Thanks Again,
Don Thomson………PS Thanks for the Kitchen Stick, great kitchen tool
Don, I thank you for your wonderful letter. It was just what I needed to make it through a difficult day! Thank you for continuing to feel that my bowls are something that you and your wife want. I try hard to please everyone and am happy that you can look at your bowls and see what it is that I am trying to show the world. …jp
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Don ordered 8 KitchenSticks from me and I shipped him a dozen a day or so before Hurricane Sandy swept across New Jersey and New York. Donald’s town was right in the middle of this destruction. My prayers were for their safety – not the dozen KitchenSticks that I had mailed him … I got this letter a week and a half later …
Whew. Hey JP – We are finally moved back as of today…13-1/2 Days evacuated. Now working on clean up. It will be a long while, but we are fortunate.
Also, Thank the good Lord we had access to a friends place that was far enough away to be safe. Despite 8 of those days without any services/power there, it was cold sleeping at 38 degrees in the house and on the floor, but we were glad to have it. Many didn’t even have that as you saw probably on the news. What made me smile today (besides the fact that I smell like the back end of a mule and badly need a shower…it hasn’t been 12 days but a few after some sweaty work days, oh boy)….what made me smile was your package that was like a ‘welcome home’. Really. Thank you for your generosity. I am so glad to have some pieces that represent your good energy in our home and that will help me make food for those I care about. Really means something JP. Much appreciated and what good work – I didn’t think I needed one of these until I saw you and the Chef demo it and it got me thinking. I wish you a happy, healthy and safe holiday season and I hope we have the chance to keep in touch on more of your good work going forward.
Don – I’m just glad you had a home to come back to. Please holler’ at me anytime as it is always to hear from you!!! …jp

… I’m adding this part a couple of years later and I felt it was something I really needed to say. Don Thompson emailed me every few weeks and we even shared several phone conversations. We got to be good friends and Don brought his wife and son to the NC State Fair (I think it was 2014) they spent the whole day with me and I hated to see them leave. I got an email several months later that Don had died of a heart attack. I felt like he was part of my family and it really hurt, but I just thank God I was able to know him. He was a great guy! 
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Hi Jp!
I got home late last night after a whirlwind vacation. It is certainly good to sleep in my own bed and get back to the daily routine! My husband got the bowl on that Monday just like you said and I told him NOT to open it until I got back! And what a wonderful surprise after my long flight. JP the bowl is gorgeous! It’s solid, smooth and I just love, love that light maple color. I am so pleased about it and feel I paid nearly nothing for something so beautiful!! It will look so wonderful with all my different fruit and I will make big salads in it for get togethers. I’ll send you a picture when I get our living room in shape (my husband just painted the room and it is a mess!)
I absolutely appreciate you and your work! I may be a glutton when I say this and I know your supply is limited now but if you ever make a shallow round- ish bowl of maple please tell me!!!! I just can’t get enough of what you do. I will NOT find your work anywhere else, this I know!
Well, it’s starting to get a bit cooler here in Portland. Fall is coming I think and then the rain. Thank goodness I like the rain! I hope you are feeling alright and your arthritis and asthma and aches and pains aren’t getting you too down.
I will send a picture of me and the bowl soon! Thanks so much JP.
Sincerely,
Lisa

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James,
Oh wow! I got your bowl. It is truly beautiful. This more than meets my expectations. I just love the grains in the wood. I can’t think you enough for allowing me the chance to obtain this particular bowl. You are too kind and gracious. I’m going to start making bread this week with this gorgeous bowl
Carla
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Dear James,
I received the dough bowl this afternoon and am delighted with it!!! It is even more beautiful than the photo you posted. Thanks so much I will treasure it for the rest of my life and then a grand daughter may get to use it. Will send a photo later on— God Bless you as you bless others with your talents—I can feel the love you put into the work of this bowl when I hold it or look at it. Best get some dough going in it soon. Smiles—- I am a baker and love to make biscuits and bread of all kinds.
Jan Barnett
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Inaugural Use of the Bread Bowl!
by Laura
Andreas and Nikki gave me a bread bowl for Christmas. I was thrilled – THRILLED! – to get one of these. I was making my bread in a wooden bowl that was not at all intended for that use and it was falling apart. Bread bowls (real ones) are hard to find and a treasure to own. Nikki heard me talking about this on our family vacation last summer and managed to track one down for me.
Bread bowls were used a long time ago to make bread. They weren’t cleaned with soap (just like cast iron pans) and often a lump of dough was left in the bowl to use in the next batch of dough as the leavening.

first bread in my new bowl
My bowl was hand-carved from one solid piece of maple. It’s gorgeous. I was almost afraid to use it yesterday because I was afraid of hurting it! But we needed bread and bagels so I dived in, used it, and loved it. The bowl is fairly large, oval, and pretty shallow. It was really easy to knead my bread right in the bowl – much easier on my wrists than my other bowl.
The paperwork that came with the bowl says that he (the bowlmaker) hopes that I’ll get a couple hundred years of good use out of it! I’m excited to have this heirloom in our family now. Thank you Nikki and Andreas and thank you Mr. Madren!
(And yes, the bagels and bread came out beautifully! And yes, I did wash out the flour and dough – not with soap, but just with water. I figured that since I won’t be using it again for a couple weeks, I probably wanted it to be clean. So I’m not quite like the pioneers!)
I’m glad you like it, and hope it serves you and your family through many generations ! …jp
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Hello JP, how are you this morning my man? My wife and I met with you at the state fair this year and I spoke with you for a while about the beautiful Ambrosia Maple that you use to make your beautiful works of art. I do not even expect you to remotely remember whom I am, not the purpose of the email. I just wanted to let you know that those 2 kitchen stirring sticks that bear your stamped ‘name and website address’ that you gave my wife and myself are the best thing since sliced bread.
I would have bought dozens of them from you for gifts to persons but as a student going to NC State, I simply have not had available monies. I did want you to know that I have not forgotten that gesture and will indeed purchase bunches of these should they be available in the days to come. As you stated, they are so simple yet they literally revolutionize your cooking. It is my hope and prayer that you are able to mass produce them, gain the patent and sell them by the hundreds of thousands.
Also, whenever I graduate and locate work once again I plan on buying some of your beautiful bowls. Seriously. Hopefully you may still be making them at that point. I know this doesn’t help you financially now at all and I hate that.
I did want to let you know that I did not just throw away your business card, but rather have obtained the information from it and entered it into my ‘custom gifts’ section of my outlook contacts so that I will always have contact info readily available.
Thanks for your time JP, your passion, your energies and soul that go into every bowl and for the conversation that you shared with me when I met you this past year at the fair.
Chris H******
Quacky Calls Custom Duck and Turkey calls
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Dear J.P.,

I just discovered your website and am absolutely compelled to write to you. I am completely blown away by the images you share. I work in a shop that builds custom wood doors, but I have taken up spoon carving over the last couple of years and am enjoying working green wood with an axe and knife. The thing that made my jaw drop when I read through your website was your thoughts on wood. I have always viewed our Heavenly Father as having the ability to create far more beauty than we could ever hope to. As woodworkers I believe we work to reveal the beauty of what He has created. Talking about the God given beauty of the material is something I have been doing for years and this understanding shapes my work as well…we work to display the glory of His creation.

All that to say I desperately want to move from carving spoons to bowls.
Thank you so much for the inspiration. I can’t tell you how much I have been moved by your work.

Matt S****
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Hi JP; The bowl arrived fine just before Thanksgiving. As time goes on, your bowls have become more popular. With that in mind, you created this special sale. I followed the guide lines on purchasing a bowl in this sale. I was emailed, I could purchase bowl 4E. I thought to myself, what if I don’t like this bowl, since it wasn’t my first choice. When I opened the box……Wow, you were right, pictures didn’t do it justice. This bowl has beautiful distinctive worm striping, and some darker grains, blending into lighter wood. The finish on this bowl is pristine. Again I am amazed, you can take a tree log, and create something so beautiful. Buying a bowl from JP, is like buying a piece of art work ….. that is 100% usable. This bowl is so unique I wouldn’t part with it at double the cost. Yes, that means I like it. JP, you might have been doing this for a while, but one thing is for certain, you keep getting better. Your work is outstanding. Thanks again, for your hard work and dedication. You truly have a gift.

Regards,
Don Thomson
…Reading this letter meant the world to me. I put everything I’ve got into the making of every bowl. With the back trouble I have – most bowls are made while I’m in a great deal of pain and what keeps me going is the beauty I read in the wood and see in my mind even as it is being crafted and knowing what it can be “IF” I do my part correctly and which will become the finished bowl. I often worry that others won’t be able to see what I am trying to show and all this hard work and suffering will be for nothing. Between Uncle Sam and “overhead” it sure ain’t the money I am working for. Don’s letter above reinvigorated me as have so many of the letters on this page, and I thank you all for writing to me and letting me see what the bowls mean to you. I say every year that I will make fewer bowls “Next Year” … but your letters tend to encourage me to work a little harder and create a little more. …jp
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JP
I was so excited to open my birthday present last night and see that it was one of your JP’s Gems bowls! It is absolutely beautiful! The handles feel just perfect in my hands and the finish is so smooth. I can truly appreciate the hours of work that went into making this bowl. I can see why you have so many repeat customers.
My husband said you made the ordering process so easy, even when his first choice of bowls was already sold.
Also, thank you for including the Kitchen Sticks. I can’t wait to use them!
Melanie L*******
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Hi, JP!

WOW, we received our beautiful bowl today and it is exquisite! This one is actually a Christmas gift for Mark’s mother. However, we already decided that it is going to be hard to depart with it. We took it out and put it next to ours on the dining room table and admired it for quite some time. Each one is so unique and special. It inspired us….we put our bowl to work tonight to make a batch of biscuits to top a fresh potpie made from our leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Our bowl has become a true part of our family. We can’t wait to surprise Mark’s mother with hers.

You really have such a tremendous talent. The passion, enthusiasm, sincerity, humility, and kindness that you impart to your bowls make them so very special. We consider you a friend and truly wish you and your family the absolute best. May God Bless You!

Thanks for everything!
🙂 Sophie and Mark
Thank you folks so much for the nice words and great wishes. I’ve been truly blessed in so many ways. Having customers such as you and Mark are just one of the many!!! …jp
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Just before we left to go out of town, my three surprises arrived.You are going to laugh when I tell you that I freaked out when I felt and hear the rattling coming out of the box.My first thought was that UPS had somehow managed to break the bowl in two and how was I going to write/tell you that my unbelievably gorgeous bowl had somehow gotten damaged in the shipping.
You have no idea how much of a surprise/relief I felt when I opened the box and found your kitchen stick taped inside the box and it was the cause of all the noise. Boy was I happy that nothing had happened to the bowl. Thank you for that surprise kitchen stick!! You should be rolling with laughter about now.
I only had time to open my big JP’s Gem. The picture on the web could not do an ounce of justice to seeing it in person. It is absolutely the most gorgeous bowl that I’ve ever set my eyes on. WOW! It will reside on our dining room table solo. It doesn’t need anything added to it to show off its beauty. Thank you James!
Even my husband was blown away with its beauty and he’s not much about saying things like that.
I can’t wait to get home to open the other two boxes. I had plans to give one of them as a Christmas gift to a dear friend but you never know, I may get too attached to it as well. Your bowls have a habit of doing that you know.
I wish you and your family the best of Thanksgivings and the sweetest most blessed of Christmases this year.
Trisha M*****
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Good Evening J.P.! The bowl arrived this afternoon. It is even more beautiful in person. I’ve attached a picture of it in its new home. Thank you for making this process so pleasant. I really liked the format of the bowl sale this time. It was nice to be able to preview the bowls and know when they were going to go on sale. We’re going to use the bowl for the first time at our family’s thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. I’m excited to show it off to my parents. Thank you so much for it. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
-joe
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JP – our bowl arrived yesterday! This was an anniversary gift for my wife – words can’t express the joy on her face as she opened the box! This is a great treasure and will be in our family for a long time!
I will be in touch and I think that we are already in the market for another of your Gem’s!!! Thank you and have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!
George DeM****
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J P, What can I say, the wait is over, the bowls arrived yesterday and I couldn’t be more pleased. I can’t wait to make my sourdough bread in the working bowl I bought, I’m sure the flavor of the bread will be enhanced by your beautiful maple bowl. My kids are asking me when the doughbowl will be theirs. I told them hopefully, that will be a few decades down the road. Now as far as the J P Gems bowl I bought, I am a little upset with you. My wife said we have to buy a new dining room table that will better display the bowl as the centerpiece. She said the bowl is too pretty for our old table and I have to agree with her, still, you’re costing me money…Oh well.
Thanks again, you’re a true artist….Mike
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Hi JP,
My beautiful work bowl arrived today and I’m very pleased. It is a wonderful show of a great talent. You have been blessed with a gift! It was so beautiful that my husband could not wait to show it to me so I got this Christmas present early. I can’t wait to make bread in it. Thank you again and hope you have a wonderful thanksgiving. If you are ever in Colfax let me know you’re coming and I’ll make you some biscuits.
Blessings to you and your family.
Wanda
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Hi JP,
The bowl arrived today! All I can say is WOW! I actually gasped when I opened the box. As good as it looks in the pictures, it’s even more beautiful in person. The color, finish and depth really are amazing. You do great work. Thank you very much,
Joel
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Mr. Madren (James, JP),
I was watching for the UPS man this afternoon and ran to meet him. I could hardly wait to see that bowl in person. The packing was first class, by the way.
One of my pet peeves is someone who gushes and is not sincere. I’m going to gush and I’m dead serious. That bowl is absolutely breathtaking. Toward the end and on one side the grain actually looks like it ripples. You were so right when you said that the grandkids would one day fight over who gets to keep it. Other than giving birth to my son, this may be the best birthday gift I’ve ever given him.
My sincere thanks to you for helping make this gift possible. It has been a delight to work with you, and I feel like we’re friends without ever having met.
The only bad thing about this whole situation is that I don’t know if I can wait until his birthday on the 29th to give the bowl to him.
Many, many thanks for sharing your wonderful talent with my family.
Ann J******
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Mr. Madren, I am so pleased to own one of your bowls because I value the beauty of the bowl and the hard work you put into bringing this beauty out of the wood. I commend your desire to make this beauty available to anyone who recognizes the gift you have. I am especially delighted to have a teardrop shape bowl. To me, a teardrop symbolizes everything from extreme joy to extreme despair and touches everyone at some point in their lives. One day , I plan on my only daughter being gifted with this bowl. I will make sure she understands the work and faith that brought into being. Thank you again for trusting in human nature to allow me to bring the bowl home from the State Fair and send you a check for it. I was so happy when you suggested it was possible to do this. Once again I will cherish my bowl, and I pray you will continue to make more beautiful works of art for many years. Have a wonderful life and God Bless You.
Look forward to everything,
Vickie C******
… I was glad to be able to help, and to see the happiness you showed when you were able to walk away with your bowl in your hands. …jp
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JP. this is Harold ****** the Ride Inspector for the North Carolina State Fair. I met you at the fair and just wanted to drop you a letter to thank you for such a beautiful bowl that my wife and son gave me for Father’s Day and it is displayed with the bowl that I have that came from my Grandmother. It was great and beautiful gift the workman ship that you put into each bowl is remarkable this bowl will be treasured forever and handed down just as my Grandmothers bowl was. Thanks Harold ******
…Good to see you again Harold. Always great to hear that a bowl has a good home !!!
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JP,

I love, love, love my bowl! I just received it this afternoon. It is gorgeous, unique, and substantial. The online picture was nice, but the “real thing” surpassed my expectations. It is amazing to know that you created something so beautiful.  As you can tell, I am very excited to finally own one of your fine creations. Not only that, but to receive it so quickly was a wonderful surprise; we just mailed the check on Saturday!

Thank you again for sharing your bowls with others not located in NC; I had a NC friend ready to find you at the State Fair if we were unable to purchase online. I’ll remind her to stop by and say, “Hello” for us.

Best Wishes,
Lisa Holmes
Lisa – I thank you for all the kind words. I have a Cannon camera and it takes right good pictures, but seeing the bowl in natural light with your eye does show you a lot that the pictures just can’t. Tell your friend to come on by and say hi anyway … it’s always good to meet new folks. …jp
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Afternoon JP,
The bowls arrived this afternoon. My wife got the honor of opening them. The working bowl was first, and there was a “oh my Gosh” and a smile from both of us. The second bowl, a JP Gem, can be used to revive the faint-hearted! It got a squeal, an OH my God” and a bit of a jig from the wife that I did not know she could do anymore. I was then quickly informed I could make dough with the working bowl, but to keep my hands off the Gem. She did let me touch it to check the finish. So it goes with her self-handmade and Longaberger baskets, her many self made quilts (she has a 14 foot quilting machine) and other crafts. Thanks again, our money well spent!
Charles H. K*******
Thank YOU so much for writing. It is letters such as your that keeps me makin’ bowls. I got 2 vertebrae in my spine crushed while in the US Air Force and usually work in a ton of pain – but letters such as yours helps me see that my effort is worth it. I’m so glad you like the bowls and I hope they serve ya’ll well.
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Dear Mr. Madren,

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I just LOVE my bowl! It’s been busy too! I’ve made sour dough biscuits almost every day! I’ve made my pizza dough too! Only thing left is my buttermilk biscuits, but that’s a Saturday night tradition in our home after a long work day with the children! We have breakfast at night!!!

I will have to buy one for each of my daughters in the future! So, if you could keep me posted on your next sale! God bless you and your precious wife & family, Mr. Madren. Thank you again!

Blessings,
Cindy S*****
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In great admiration, JP, I can’t thank you enough for these beautiful bowls. I just about “broke the bank” (what does that even mean??) to get them, but it’s so worth it. I cannot WAIT to give them and to use my own !
Are you planning to take a rest after all this activity, or are you producing more bowls soon?
I can’t stop smiling!
Anne
Making you smile is what I Love to do. I just wish I could have been there to see you get your 1st look at it. …as for “time off” … I’ll work 13 straight 12-14 hours each 2 weeks from now until the 2nd week of August. …no rest for the weary. …jp
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Hi James,

I wanted to let you know that my bowl arrived safely! It certainly is beautiful, and I love the teardrop shape! I’ve already found two “faces” in it – one looks like a little panda, and another a bird, though I haven’t decided which one. Looking into the wood in the bowl is like looking into the clouds, as new shapes seem to pop out each time you look. It’s not hard to see why you are so intrigued by wood!

I finished a quilting project this week for a friend who had seen one of my quilts and begged me to duplicate it for her. She purchased the fabrics but there is no way she could pay me for my time. I’m just a hobby quilter, and I don’t know anyone who can afford my precious time. It is truly just a gift of love for me, so I know how you feel about your work. You have to make it somewhat financially worthwhile, but if someone can’t see the love and joy that comes from your hands, then they just shouldn’t even want one of your bowls, because it isn’t worth your time if they don’t. I truly appreciate the value of work from one’s hand to another’s heart. Thank you
Thanks again,

Trish S******
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JP,

I am pleased to say that both your and my daughter together have touched my heart. Emily recently presented me with the bowl you created and I was truly “speechless”. Before I opened the second flap of the box I knew exactly what it was. I had to take a quick breath so that my brain could process the signal to let the flood gates “commence to be wide open”. I saw this type of bowl at a barbeque festival and immediately went up to the person who was using it and asked about it. Unfortunately he said it was a gift and that he didn’t know where exactly it was from but thought it was North Carolina. I have been searching unsuccessfully for the bowl but was not aware of the “bread bowl” name nor did I want something from Amazon (with all due respect). My daughter Emily found you after doing extensive research from NYC. I continue to be truly blessed by God in many ways and pray that God will continue to bless you as well.

My bowl is now going to be the #1 topic of conversation rather than my cooking (because I do it often doesn’t mean I do it well ) and I humbly but quickly have stepped aside. Thank you again for doing what you do and I look forward to hearing from you whether it’s through email or when you take my future orders.

Sincerely,

Hugh K******
It’s letters such as this one (and many more on this page) that keep me to makin’ bowls. It’s some awful long days but very rewarding when I see what they mean to so many folks. …jp
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Dear JP,
The bowls arrived yesterday and I did check on their “travel itinerary” through the UPS web site. The bowls were packed so that when they arrived it was like they were suspended in mid-air. You should work for UPS. I took the bowls out of the boxes and placed them on the dining room table. I waited for my husband to come home. He walked around the table for 5 minutes and the only thing he could say was, “AWSOME.” He picked each one up and turned them over and was just amazed at your artwork.
The working bowl is my favorite and I will use it to make bread dough. I am saving it for Good Friday because it is tradition that we make Hot Cross buns and do our spring cleaning. What a Christening for your dough bowl. My husband hopes there will always be dough rising in it, I will work on that.
We live with a friend of ours and so we will give one to her. She will be thrilled as she lives in a colonial house and has old things everywhere. It will fit in perfectly.
The sticks are wonderful and I put a little bees wax on them that I use on my wooden spoons. The wax brought out the grain in the wood. My husband said they are great because they are not the cookie cutter junk you get in the store. They are truly unique. He will use one to stir his oatmeal. It is the only thing he can cook.
I look forward to meeting you at the NC State Fair.
Thanks for your note Barbara. It was nice to be able to talk with you, and I look forward to meeting you and you husband at the NC State Fair in October, and am touched that you folks would travel so far to come see me. …jp
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Mr. Madren,
I received my dough bowls this afternoon. They arrived in perfect shape. The packaging is excellent.
They are beautiful and already had a very thin coat of mineral oil, in preparation for bread making next week.
The transactions were very easy and your website is great and easy to navigate.

Thank you so very much
God Bless

Cindy H***
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Hi JP,
THANK-YOU so much for the BEAUTIFUL bowl! It arrived today and I think it is absolutely wonderful!
Your packaging worked like a charm…and is quite ingenious too!
Thank-you for a wonderful ordering experience and for such prompt service!
Thanks Again, and please know your bowl has joined one happy family in the Pacific Northwest!
Darlene B******
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Mr. Madren,
I received my bowl two days ago. It is so beautiful. I am very pleased with it. It will be an awesome addition to my kitchen. I do plan on using it to make bread in. I love the handles in the bowl. They fit my hands just right. Feels like it was made just for me. My husband also was impressed with your work. He’s already telling me I need to get one for my sister for Christmas. That raised my eyebrows cause my husband and sister are a little like oil and vinegar!! That should tell you something about your remarkable talent. I want to thank you very much. I hope to get many years of pleasure out of it.
Once again, thank you so much,
Sherry M****
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Dear J P

I am so thrilled to be getting Working Bowl 1E – My daughter bought me a Gem Bowl for my birthday and I absolutely love it. To be honest the beauty was overwhelming and I was very timid to use it. I bought two bowls later in the year – one for each of my daughter’s for Christmas – Stephanie (youngest) made bread in her working bowl the day after Christmas and my oldest daughter (Donna) made bread in her bowl 2 days after Christmas – SO I decided I better step up and give it a whirl – what an experience – it was like being in my Grandmother’s kitchen – I made her Brown bread recipe – it felt like I was 6 years old again – the bread came out perfect. I lived with my grandparents when I was very young for a period of time (6 & 7 years old) and was fortunate enough to spend many a weekend there. Just making the bread has brought back so many wonderful memories of 2 incredibly loving people. Without your bowl I don’t know if I would have experienced this joy – thank you so much!! Thank you for giving my family memories to treasure and the gift of recalling treasured memories from the past.
… And folks wonder why I keep making these things. …Thank YOU Rose-Marie for this wonderful note. …jp
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I RECEIVED MY BOWL ON FRIDAY AND IT IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING! THE PICTURE DOES NOT DO IT JUSTICE. WHAT A TALENT YOU HAVE. THANK YOU FOR GETTING IT TO ME SO FAST… I WILL CHERISH IT ALWAYS.

LISA
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She arrived Friday the 21st of January at 5PM and is hard at work on the morning of the 22nd. When I pulled her out of the box and held her for the 1st time I told me wife, Lou, that I had never even bought a new gun that made me more happy than this. Thank you for your God given talent and for sharing your gift with your fellow Americans. This is a great piece of American Folk Art … Very Happy Indeed!
Ron “Pete” P*******
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Dear JP

I’ve been using my dough bowl for a few weeks now and I wanted to let you know how pleased I am – kneading bread is quite therapeutic anyway, but in your bowl its even better! I particularly like the subtle handles worked into the sides of the bowl. It has been admired by friends so you never know, you may get another order from France someday … On that note, I’d like to recommend your bowls to other potential overseas customers. Your service was very friendly and efficient and the bowl arrived in perfect condition, having been carefully packed by your good self. Just got to find some mineral oil now …

Many thanks to you
Miriam
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Good Evening JP,
I just wanted to let you know I have received the three dough bowls. They are absolutely marvelous! My mom already got hers. It was supposed to be a Christmas present, but I just couldn’t wait. She wanted to let you know your handwriting is as exquisite as you work. My wife is thrilled with her bowl. And for my mother-in-law, she will be getting hers a bit later since she’s all the way in Oregon.
I can’t thank you enough for the work that you do and for the effort that you make to ensure that your bowls make it through shipping unharmed.
cheers,
Cosmin
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After years of wanting and looking at dough bowls my husband gave me one of yours for my birthday. I have had it for about two weeks now and can’t take my eyes off of it. When I look at it and touch it, the bowl takes me back to another time and place. You see I am a genealogist with many of my ancestors being from Cherokee and Graham Counties, NC. and I can just imagine how they must have used dough bowls just like mine. It is so beautiful and I will treasure this dough bowl for years to come.

Thank you so much for the beautiful piece of art.

Sharon C****
Ocala, FL
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Dear JP…
After recieving the “owl bowl” I felt compelled to write you and let you know a little “family secret”.
As a young single mother, I needed to purchase a picture for a blank wall in our apartment. Any
picture would do, providing it was not much money. I had found for relatively little money, a picture of a
mother owl with her young baby owl peeking out from behind her. Years later…. my daughter,
Laura-Jeanne, told me that she always felt it was a “portrait” of she and I…. where the “wise old owl”
was busy watching over her young, which was she, ever so closely…. and I thought Oh My Goodness….
as the years went by that’s how I came to view that picture myself…..but never said anything….
Laura-Jeanne is always telling her daughter, my granddaughter, Shiloh…. “now gammie is a wise
old owl, heed what she says….”Which brings us to many years down the road….
  and now I have this beautiful “owl bowl”…. And it is one of your Gems…
Does life get any better than this? I think not….. The Lord has a plan….. and when it comes together
at different times, with such incredible clarity… It never ceases to amaze me how truely wonderful
He is…. and how blest we all are….. If we pay mind to it all….. we will be far wiser to
count our blessings, and leave our burdens behind….. Thank-You JP….. your talents and thoughtfulness
have touched the lives around you and far from you…. We live in a better world for it….. thanx so much….. mz****-*****

Folks have accused me of being “touched in the head” for many years now — but after reading this well written letter from a very fine lady – I can truthfully say that I am deeply “touched in the heart” . Thank YOU so much … you have made my day, my week/month year, etc. …once again I have to say that my job is the greatest job I know of – you’d be hard pressed to do something with your own hands that brings out these emotions in so many folks. This is why I continue to do this. My body tells me, “you can’t keep this up much longer” … my heart tells me, “throw  er’ in over-drive, we’re just gettin’ started. …jp
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Dear JP My bowls arrived safe and sound three days ago. They are even more beautiful than I imagined and I am completely and utterly thrilled with them. I ran to the post office from work and had to take them in and show the girls I work with, they were all commenting on how beautiful they are and referred to them as “pieces of art”. I agree, each one of them is a piece of art, to be cherished and loved. I intend to use them both for various things, believing that their beauty should be shown off every day rather than hung on a wall or placed in a cabinet for special occasions. They will make the most ordinary of occasions special when I use them and I look forward to showing them off.
Cheers, have a great day
Shelly G******* – Courtenay, BC, CANADA
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Dear JP Madren,
Oh!!!! So beautiful ! They came yesterday and all my family and I are ooohing and ahhhhing. In the future I will be ordering more for family members. Thank you so much for the wonderful work you do. It enriches the world! Will send a couple of pics of them at work in my kitchen and dining room.
I trust God will bless you with good health and continued joy as you do the special work he has given you to do.
Best regards and gratitude from your new “neighbor,” on the Pacific coast,
Annette
Annette has a wonderful cookbook that she has written called “Annette’s Cookbook – 50 years of Good Cooking” …written in 2008 and can be bought from Booklocker.com Amazon.com or your local bookstore.
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I received the dough bowl on Friday and I made it’s first batch of buttermilk biscuits this morning (see picture attached; they were delicious). Such an unexpected and thoughtful gift from my Mother!

I love the bowl and will treasure it. You do excellent work. It’s just like the ones that my grandmother and great grandmother used. I appreciate the care instructions — I know this bowl will see a lot of use and be around to pass on to future family biscuit makers.

Thank you,
Laura
Jefferson City, Mo.
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Oh My Goodness JP the bowl arrived last night……….. I was here at home visiting with my cousins and sister when it arrived……… We all gasped at its beauty and your note……. I cannot wait to see Claire and Spencer and their reaction.

I just want to thank you for your time and energy and also how blessed and grateful I am to have found you.

Thank you just does not seem to be enough………Will be in touch

Barbara G*********
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JP,
The bowl has arrived right on schedule. My first thought was to take a picture to send you and then I realized how silly that was. You, of course, know what it looks like. I am very happy with it and feel blessed to have this bowl, one of your gems. It is a reminder of a time that no longer exists as my grandmother is now gone. I look forward to making bread using this bowl and feeling a connection to a generation that has passed on to be with our Lord.
Thank you for the love, skill and artistry that you put into your work. I know this will be a treasured heirloom.
Sandra
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JP,
I just wanted to let you know that the bowl arrived here in Maine on Wednesday. Perfect timing for my mother’s birthday on Thursday. She was absolutely delighted (and very surprised) to have received one of your bowls. While talking of the types of dough she would be making in it this week, she kept rubbing the inside. Thanks so much for making my mom so happy today. As always, it’s a true pleasure doing business with you!
Blessings to you and your family,
Stephanie
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This batch of dough won’t double. I’ve let it sit all day and it just stays the same. Perhaps I should throw it in the trash and try again.

  This is a picture of one of my “Dough” bowls was placed on one of the Bread Baking forums as a joke by a customer in Floyd Virginia named “Faith”. She owns a construction business and from the looks of the “dough” she’s tryin’ to work, the building business must be doing pretty good! thanks for the laugh faith.
“I believe I could kneed that batch right well myself”.
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Dear JP,
Thank you for the most amazingly beautiful bowl, so gorgeous in fact that I had felt the need to rearrange my kitchen to showcase it’s raw beauty. My husband is deployed overseas, and the bowl was the gift I chose to have under the Christmas tree from him this year. I searched for the perfect gift (as he was slightly busy this year) and I found you and your bowls.
Thank you, my bowl is a symbol of your hard work, dedication and passion…and will forever be a reminder of my husbands hard work, dedication, and passion (that he embraces for his work and our country) while away…I couldn’t have picked a more special gift.

Best Wishes, Stephanie

P.S- I am patiently and excitedly awaiting your Gems. Hmmm, maybe I’ll make Mother’s Day easy on my husband while he’s away!

Stephanie – I hope that everyone who reads this will say a prayer for your husbands safety and quick return to home as I have done. Thank you for your wonderful words …jp
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Dear Sir,

Both boxes arrived this afternoon and both of the bowls were unscathed. Each one is simply far more beautiful than a person could imagine. My wife is honestly quite jealous and not-too-discreetly lobbying for her own. I know for certain that each will become one of the most prized possessions of our mothers.

With respect to the purchasing process, I do not believe that there was any difficult aspect or step that would need refinement. It was quite simple and efficient and I felt that the communication aspect (e-mailing one another or in the alternate calling) added a personable touch that quite frankly is sorely missed in this twenty-first century day of technology and click-to-buy electronic business. It’s likely as close to a heartfelt handshake and gesture of mutual thanks as could possibly be achieved outside of meeting one another. So thank you and don’t change a thing.

I hope that the rest of this year finds you and yours both happy and well. With certainty, I can tell you that I’ll be in touch again to purchase yet another of your wonderful bowls. Take care.

Respectfully,

M****** Marks
Boulder, CO
Thank you Michael for all the nice words. …jp
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Dear Mr. Madren,
The bowl arrived safely and soundly this afternoon. I am not one who likes to buy things without seeing (in person) or touching the product before I decide, especially when it is such an investment; however, this bowl is everything it was advertised to be. The pictures do not really do it justice.
For the first couple of hours after receiving it, I would walk by and run my hands over the beautiful, smooth wood and just smile, still not believing I actually got to buy one! (I love the look and feel of real wood.) I just finished baking the first batch of my favorite buttermilk biscuits. What fun to sink my hands fully into the mix and “feel” the dough come together!
Also, I found you as a person who really cares, and although I am many miles away, it seemed as though you were the neighbor next door. Thanks for being so personable and relating to me as an individual. It really built my trust in you and your work.
Would love more info on the kitchen sticks. My hands are very small and wonder how they would work for me.
Blessings.
Mary
Ps66:16
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Hello Mr. Madren! The bowl just arrived and it’s even nicer than I expected! It’s for my husband for his birthday….he’s into bread making. He got 2nd prize at the fair last year…his first try. He’ll love this bowl….maybe we’ll see you at the fair in October. Thank you so much and God bless you. Anne S******
I look forward to meeting Ya’ll. …jp
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JP,

Bowl arrived about 30 minutes ago and we took it over to Mom. She is thrilled – it’s exactly what she wanted and the bowl we picked out is beautiful. She proceeded to tell us all about you and how you made your bowls, etc (even though we already knew all this from your website – we let her tell us again 🙂 )
She was picking out a spot in the kitchen that would best display the bowl when she wasn’t using it. Her and Dad have already promised to make us some homemade biscuits in the bowl very soon!! So not only does she get to enjoy the bowl but we get to enjoy it too!!!

Thank you so much – it has been a pleasure getting to know you and buying one of your bowls.

We did mail payment for the bowl on Saturday and hope that you receive it tomorrow. If any delay in receiving it, please let us know immediately.

Thank you again! See you at the State Fair! Maybe we can get Mom out there to see you as well!

Rex & Robin
If you come to the Fair this year – Please come by and see me. nice folks such as Ya’ll are always good to meet. …jp
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Thank you JP,
I got the bowl last night and it arrived in cold but perfect condition. I will tell you I could not ask for better. This bowl is so beautiful and sturdy and is begging to be used. I would have use it last night but it did need to warm up. It would have given my dough the shivers. My first dough will give it justice Croissants. Classy dough for a classy bowl.
As I ran my hand on the inside of the bowl I could feel the love that went into making it. You have much to be proud of.
Thank you,
Faith
What I’m “Proud Of” is customers like YOU! …jp
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Hi JP,
I just wanted to let you know that yes, I received my bowl, and yes, I just love it! I didn’t open it when I received it, but made my husband wrap it and give it to me on my birthday yesterday. It really is lovely and I can’t wait to use it. I’ll be picking up some mineral oil this afternoon so it won’t be long. You have a real talent and it’s obvious people appreciate it. Best wishes,
Mary W***
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James,
In follow up to our phone conversation, I wanted to thank you again for the most absolute gorgeous wooden dough bowl.Your gem has now officially become one of mine.It is certainly a masterpiece that you created and one that I am proud to be able to use in my lifetime and pass on to my future family members.God may have created the tree but he gave you the talent to release the images stored in that tree.
I wish you many more years of sharing your artistry.
May you have a very blessed Thanksgiving and Christmas!
Trisha M*****

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JP,
we received the bowls on Tuesday morning and I waited until Ricky got home from work to see the expression on his face. it was like a child at Christmas. they are just so beautiful. i have never seen such beauty. our experience was so enjoyable. no worries, no wait, no problems. we are showing our bowls off to all of our family and friends. we are looking forward to seeing you at the NC State Fair and compliment you of your superior craftmanship that you have put into each bowl….keep up the great work and God Bless you. You are an angel from heaven….

thank you,
ricky and sonya g******
JP says, ” Wanna see a grown man cry? send me a letter like the one above …(but I ain’t too sure about that “angel” part) …
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Hello JP,
Just wanted to let you know your bowl arrived, and I’ve just had time to open it … it is BEAUTIFUL! I love it. I have my sourdough doing it’s thing and will be kneading the dough a little later. So excited about this!! I guess I’ll just do a quick rinse and dry her well, and put her to work today! I will truly treasure this beautiful bowl. I would love another bowl some day more in the round and sealed to display fruit. I truly do appreciate you, your personality that shines out on the website, and the loving hours you gave to make my bowl!
Blessings and prayers for you and yours,
Lindy
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Dear JP and Family, Ron and I have had our faith in renewed in human kindness and trust in meeting you. We want to thank you so much for that and the beautiful bowl (I have been looking for one for over 20 years) Again thank you for your trust and your kindness. Ron & Kathy H****
…That note really made me feel good. I had several folks that happened upon my bowls when I was a craftsman at the NC State Fair and liked what they saw – really wanted one – but didn’t have a check or cash with them. I told them to take it on home. They all looked honest to me, and all 4 have sent payment. If I was in their place, I’d have liked to have been treated the same. The next note is the same situation

Dear JP, words can not express the gratitude I feel in my heart for you. When I discovered I did not have my checkbook you allowed me to bring home one of your beautiful bowls anyway. I feel so blessed to know you. May God richly bless you and your family. Sincerely Connie L***
Thanks for the nice words Connie, He already has! …jp
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OMG, the bowl is SPECTACULAR!! If only it hadn’t arrived in a dozen pieces (just kidding)! It is truly more beautiful that I ever expected. Thank you for a wonderful work of art. Our anniversary is today so I will giving this to Andrew tonight. I can’t wait to see his reaction.

Thanks for a great experience.

Stacy Horne
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Good evening Mr. J.P.
I wanted to let you know the big bowl arrived safely and was packaged so carefully. You were right – It was hard to believe but it is more beautiful than the pictures were able to capture. I have set the bowl in a location where I can look at it for right now and enjoy it’s beauty.
My son was tickled to see it and he told mother all about it on the telephone. We are going to visit her this weekend and plan to take it with us so she can see it too. I am looking forward to seeing her two new bowls. She is tickled with both of them. Dad surprised her by coming home early yesterday and saw she had a package from you. He called me to get the scoop on what she had purchased and inquired about the big bowl. He was not totally surprised to find out the fair came to us this year. 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful talent with us and making such lovely works of art. Have a safe trip to the NC State Fair and I hope you don’t sell out of bowls before you get there. 🙂 I know that would be disappointing to a lot of people.
Talk to you soon…
Serena Rodgers
Serena and her Mom “Paulette” have bought and still have probably 20 of some of the most beautiful bowls I have made over the years. They made at least 2 trips to the NC State Fair when I was working it – Serena coming from Tennessee, and Paulette from Mississippi. I was totally blown away that they’d make that trip twice, and have really been some wonderful people to meet and talk to.
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Jp:
Wow! What a beautiful bowl! Exactly like I thought it would be. Seeing the picture on the webpage just doesn’t do it justice though. The wood is beautiful, and you did an exceptional job bring out the colors and contours with the finish. Excellent, simply excellent!
Andrew H*****
Fredericksburg, VA
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Hello, Mr. Madren, just wanted to let you know that I received my bowl and it is exactly like I wanted, even better! I certainly appreciate all the work you put into making the bowls; it makes them even more special. I will most likely be back to purchase more for my daughter and daughter-in-law, maybe for Christmas. Hope you have a wonderful day and thank you again.

Lynn Carter
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Hello,
Sorry for the delay but had to travel across the State for a wedding and got back last night. I recieved the bowl the day we left. I opened that box and I am sure my jaw dropped. It was even more beautiful than the pictures. The craftmanship is superb and I so look forward to using it everytime I make bread. I made my first bact of bread in it yesterday and it was easy to clean. Thank you you for taking the time to share your talent with all of us. I could not be happier!

God Bless
Gary W******
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Hello Mr. JP. Madren,

We received your bowls today!!!!!!!!!! They are both so unique and beautiful!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for working with us! It was a very pleasurable transaction and we are very, very satisfied with them!!!!!

Joel B*******
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Greetings from a very impressed Tar Heel,
Your bowls are truly works of art. I’ve wasted lots of flour trying to make a great biscuit. I’ve gotten up to “good”, but always far shy of “great”. I don’t deserve a bowl such as you make, but have to wonder whether the inspiration of using such a bowl might just help me make that elusive great biscuit. Very likely I’ll find out in a few months. Meanwhile, I just could not postpone letting you know how much I appreciate what you have done, and that you have shared it with me through your website.
Speaking of website – yours is very well programmed, and is very effective in communicating the beauty of your products and the winsome nature of your personality. I could feel your joy as the bowls you had selected as Gems developed their true beauty as you finally applied a finish. What a joy it is to see that all the hours of preparation are rewarded with beauty not even the creating craftsman could have anticipated. Your website very effectively conveys, and shares, this joy. Thank you.
Your work is an adventure. Each chosen tree holds promise, unexpected beauty, and at times unexpected rot and decay. People are sometimes a bit like that – but I won’t preach to this choir.
Thank you for sharing your work. Your product is an important part of who you are. I’d certainly like to be a neighbor.
Gene
Gene ******** I’m not trying to impose on your time. Contact information is shared because I don’t like to send anything without identifying myself as the sender. Hopefully, I’ll soon get back to you with an order – soon enough for any response.

Although the letter above was written before he bought a bowl from me (this page IS “Customers” comments…) I included Gene’s letter here for obvious reasons – #1 it brought tears to my eyes (I get wimpy real quick when I see that something I do causes these kinds of feelings to be expressed) … and #2 he became a “Customer” yesterday when he bought the beautiful “Broken Heart – JP’sGem from page 1D. I’m extremely happy for him to have that bowl!
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Hi James,

First I need to tell you how much I LOVE my bowl. I’m so happy to have it!

Also I would like to buy two of your stir sticks (Kitchen Sticks) whenever you have some to
sell.

Thanks,
Sue L.
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Hi–

Just wanted to let you know your bowl has arrived, and it’s just as beautiful (if not more!) than it was in the picture online. I just love it and plan to use it immediately. I’m always a little leery of ordering things off the Internet, but this time I was not disappointed! Can’t wait to bring it out into the field and show it off! if anyone asks where I got it, I’ll pass your name along. Thanks so much…

Kathleen C*****
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JP,

Guess what came in the mail today??!!! My GORGEOUS new bowl. I LOVE it. It is even more beautiful in person. I will send you some pictures when I take them (not due until Nov.). Thank you again and good luck at the Fair – you are going to knock them dead!

Sincerely,
Kate Harris
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JP

WOW! The bowl arrived this afternoon. She is just lovely! I am so glad to have made this choice.
Yesterday the day was spent in the emergency room with a friend (she is okay now) so was not home for the first attempt at delivery. The UPS man probably thinks I am a bit off my rocker as I was pretty happy to see him:)
It is a bit late in the day to start bread now so tomorrow morning I will be up to “rise” and shine. I will let you know how my first go turns out.
Thank you so much for everything.

Karren
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Good evening Mr. Madren – Wow!!! You certainly have been busy working on the bowls. All of the bowls are so beautiful and I have looked at all of them…
I am enjoying my bowl and do love it. It is a beauty and I am looking forward to years of service from it and handing it down to my son in the future. During the selection of my bowl and the bowl I purchased as a birthday gift for mother, you handled the transaction with great professional courtesy and responded to all emails promptly and addressed any and all questions I had. The bowls arrived quickly and the packaging was excellent. Great care had gone into making certain the bowls would not be damaged in shipping. Thank you so much for everything & for your amazing talent you share with all of us!!!
Sincerely,
Serena R******
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Dear James,

The bowl arrived yesterday, and it’s worth every penny. It’s a beautiful piece of art. You are very gifted. I made homemade bread and cinnamon rolls this
morning and it’s perfect! Thank you for the fast shipping (2 days to Pa.) and for promptly answering my emails. I can’t wait to show it to family and friends….

Sincerely,
Sue L.
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From: Connie L. R
Subject: Re: Bowl has been shipped.
I got it – it is soooooo beautiful! Tomorrow I am going to make a batch of cinnamon rolls in it (the first I have made in over 20 years). I do hope you are coming back to the State Fair since I want to purchase another one. My husband calls me the “Internet shopping queen” and I can say buying from you was the quickest and best experience I have had from shopping online or in person!

Thanks for the lovely heirloom!

Connie
Thanks for the kind words Connie … I’ve got so many nice letters such as yours but they always bring a smile to the face and a tear to my eyes. These notes are the true “Payment” I get for making the bowls. …jp
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Dear JP,

I just received that beautiful bowl today. I don’t know what to say, I opened it and was amazed by the size. My mom
is going to LOVE this bowl. She’s a real family person and she loves the old ways and all of the possessions she has accumulated through the years from her family. They were Irish and Sicilian (Great grandparents straight over from on the boat) and she cherishes everything the old generations used and one of them was a dough bowl that my great great aunt left when she died a few years ago … Anyway now that I’ve gone on and on, as soon as I read that note you personalized to my mom, well dang it I started tearing up (I’m emotional, that’s what they say). I’m really glad my dad found your site because it’s been a great experience. Best wishes to you and your family!!!
Sincerely,
Tracy M. N******

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Sir,
What a beautiful wooden bow! I feel so lucky to have found your website. This is exactly what I was hoping for in a bowl. I didn’t just buy it to look at or have it on a shelf. I use! I have a mix of dough at rest in it already. My husband who also loves to cook, I get to use the bowl first, took one look at it and said it reminded him of a race track, you would never guess he’s a Nascar fan. My son will indeed want this bowl, he already has spoken for the cast iron skillets. I shall direct any and all who are looking for a high quality, lifetime wooden bowl to you. You are truely a gifted and talented person.
Thank You!
Donna Cheves
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JP!

Your dough bowl was waiting for me when I got home from work last night. I honestly can’t believe how gorgeous it is. I gave it to my grandmother and she was awestruck. She says it’s just like the biscuit bowl she remembers her grandmother using when she was a child, only more beautiful. I can’t wait for her to cook up a first batch of biscuits using it (yes, I may have had greedy motives in getting it for her). The wood has a depth and soul which I know will be felt and tasted in everything that is prepared in it. Once again, I can’t thank you enough. I’ll be watching your website as new bowls come up because I just may have to get one for myself.

~Geoff

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Well, the dough bowl I recently ordered arrived today was very well packaged. When I opened the box I could

not believe the beauty and craftsmanship. I wish everyone took pride in their work like you do and I really

appreciate the information on how to care for it . What a deal..

Thank You,

Troy
…….. Thank YOU Troy … I could stand to hear this all day long! …jp
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Greetings,
I apologize for taking this long to send my profound thanks for your exquisite dough bowl. I promised I would write, and let you know how my husband enjoyed his Valentine’s Day gift.

It is not often in life, one gets a second chance in love, by finally connecting with the one person who is truly and utterly your soul mate. Everyday is a gift from God. And even though every day is a blessing, it is all more wonderful when you can bring an extra special smile to your loved one’s face.

Your dough bowl produced such a smile! At first he was speechless, he’d wanted one for so long. Then, he rubbed the wood, and marveled on the smoothness and the natural design of the grain. But even more wonderful when he turned it over, and found your signature with the date of 22 December, 2008. You see, this was our year anniversary when I brought my soul mate home to my family, and announced he was the “one”.

So not only did he get a Valentine’s Day present, but an anniversary present as well. As he made bread, we pondered on the uniqueness of the date, and thought about you creating our bowl on the same day we were celebrating being so blessed by finding each other in this large and often chaotic world.

You were right. Why purchase an “antique” dough bowl, full of it’s own memories of kitchens and families past. We use your beautiful dough bowl making our weekly breads, knowing we are creating our own memories for our own family.

There is no need for you to apologize for never having enough bowls on your web site! My Nana used to tell me all good things are worth waiting for. Your dough bowls certainly are.

I wish you a speedy recovery from your recent mishap, and send you and yours a spring greeting from the snowy farm fields of Northern Vermont.

With the warmest of regards,

Judith
… to know that one of my bowls could mean this much to someone really made my day! … THANK YOU Judith !!!
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Finally; the house is empty and company is gone. Phew!

I just wanted to write you a note to let you know that each and every bowl is beautiful! I spread them out in my kitchen and was hard pressed to choose one for myself before wrapping the rest for Christmas for my family.

Your craftsmanship is an art…. The bowls are so good to the touch when you pass your hand over them. I’m just amazed! These will I’m sure become family heirlooms… And grow more beautiful with wear as the years pass.

You are the true professional, your packing, instructions, speed of mailing just show how you pay attention to each and every little detail.

I must thank you again! I think you should put a comment section on your website… I’d love to sing your praises.

Take care, be safe.

Perrine
jp says — “Your words have been the wonderful ending to a long hard week. I truly worry about each bowl as I pack it up to be sent out and do everything I can to insure that it will make the trip safely and I dread that I’ll never see it again. Having someone such as you to love it on the other end makes it all a little easier. Thanks Perrine.”
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jp,

The bowl arrived today — it is absolutely beautiful. I love it and am sure my daughter-in-law will also. I will let you know what she says after the holidays. I am so glad I did not wait and possibly miss out on getting a bowl. I think this is the best present I have ever given her.

Thanks for everything !!! I will be sure to show it to all my friends!

Kathy M********
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Oh My! I can’t tell you how excited that I am, I just know my mom will love the bowl it is soooooooo beautiful!!!
Oh Yeah I did receive it. Thank You so much!
Jill DeWitt

dr
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WOW… You are something else! I’m sure I’ll love them…. And won’t want to give the ones I chose as presents for Christmas to my family These will be working bowls as we are all bakers! So it’s a perfect match! Your hard work that you love, and our love of baking!

Thank you so much…. Aside from the gorgeous bowls, I’ve really enjoyed our correspondence.

I’m headed home now… Have a nice evening! Thank you again!!!

Perrine

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Michelle Rasmussen of Rasmussen/Harvey Photography in Tucson sent in another picture of a newborn in a bowl she bought from me. Anyone in that area looking for an excellent photographer should definitely check her out at www.rhphoto.typepad.com/michelle
Her work is gorgeous !!!

From “JP” – now that is one beautiful picture! I am humbled that one of my bowls could be a part of something so beautiful. Please check out her website at … www.rhphoto.typepad.com/michelle
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WOW!, I just received my bowl it is wonderful, exactly what I expected. Thanks for doing such great work
Bella
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Sorry I haven’t let you know sooner that my bowl arrived Wednesday, I’ve been too busy making bread! The first night I made sourdough biscuits and yesterday foccacia. I just love it!
My husband asked me yesterday when I’ll be ordering another, so I’ll take that as my go-ahead!
I’ll be in touch soon, and thank you for such beautiful work!
Dena
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JP,
Your bowl was delivered yesterday and we are thrilled! There is already a ball of dough rising in it and we can’t wait to sample the results.
Thank you again and have a wonderful day.
Best regards,
Barbara

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Hi JP,
The bowl arrived. WOW! It is gorgeous! Thanks for your fine work.
Joanne
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Good Morning Mr. Madren…
Just wanted you to know that I received my second bowl this morning. It arrived just as the other one did, no scrapes or dings. You do an incredible job of packing them up. The bowl is one beautiful piece of artwork.
Thank you again for all of your hard work.
Ann
Hedgesville WVA
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Hi JP,
I just wanted to write and tell you how much we enjoyed working with you. You are truly talented and I wish you the very best in all that you do. I just saw the bowl for myself today and it’s simply stunning and is exactly what we were hoping it would be. I’ll tell you that if things weren’t so tight right now I’d definitely want another one! Who knows what the future might bring. You may just hear from me again. Until then, take good care of yourself and your family and thank you so much for such an amazing work of art.

Best regards,

Dennis
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Good Morning Mr. Madren……
I wanted you to know that I just received my bowl and I am elated!!! It was hard waiting all weekend for it to arrive as I’m sure it was hard for you also, worrying that it had arrived safely.
My bowl looks exactly as it did on your website! I have to say that I am really impressed with everything, the bowl, your website, the transaction and you personally (I really enjoyed talking to you). You made this purchase absolutely hassle-free and EASY.
Thank you so much for such wonderful craftsmanship and continuing such a time honored tradition. Hopefully, I will be in touch with you again sooner or later to puchase another bowl. (You know which one) and I can’t wait to see your elliptical bowls posted on your site.
Thank you so much!
Ann D******
Hedgesville WV
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Mr, Madren
I cannot begin to tell you just how much I like this last bowl. It is so beautiful. I have washed it and oiled it with walnut oil. I may use it or simply enjoy it for a while. I just happened to look at your website at the right moment. It had been a couple weeks since I had looked, I guess, but luck was with me.
The other 2 that I purchased are pretty also, and I use one of them each week, when I make my sourdough biscuits, but the last one is the prettiest by far.
The workmanship is superior, as usual, the bowl arrived quickly, and I am again very pleased with the transaction.
Ups attempted to deliver on Wednesday, but came before 5:00, I was so disappointed when I got home and no bowl. I called then and arranged for us to pickup at terminal. I was afraid that Thursday would be a repeat of Wednesday. David brought the package to me at work, and I opened it,
of course. Everyone there thought it was great!
Thank you again for your lovely bowls, and I’m so proud to have been able to purchase all my bowls.
Paulette P*****
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Dear Mr. Madren;
Thank you so much for sending my bowl so quickly. It is more beautiful in person than I imagined.
Do you make butter paddles? I would love to have one to go with my bowl.
Thank you again for your prompt and safe shipment. Your workmanship is outstanding.

Sincerely,
Jande B*****
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Finally admitted to my wife that I had a new bowl and I opened it yesterday. You should have charged for the packaging but it did get here with no scratched, dings or otherwise bad happenings. It is beautiful and I’m very proud of it. Thanks for all your hard work, thought and counseling with me about it. I think I told you that I bake sourdough bread with cultures from various parts of the world. Even though my kitchen is being somewhat renovated, I have (tonight) a jar of culture working on the countertop. It is from near the Great Pyramid of Giza (Egypt) and I’ll probably make about 6 loaves. I’m using some of the very ancient grains – this time Kamut (like wheat) that has been toasted and cooked before adding to bread. I’ll probably use honey, salt, flour, maybe a little cooked barley, flaxseed or millet. Let’s see how your bowl works with that conglomeration.
Thanks again – it is a beautiful and will be cherished.
Chuck McK*****
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Hello Mr. Madren,
My bowl arrived on as scheduled. It is beautiful and looked and felt just as I expected. Thank you very much. I apologize for not writing back as soon as I received the bowl. I got caught up with some out of town visitors that week.You will probably be hearing from me again and /or my sisters since I am sure that after they see my bowl, they will be wanting one also for their bread baking. Thank you again very much.
Ofelia
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I have just gotten home and opened the package with my bowl. it’s hard to believe that I actually have one. The bowl is beautiful and I am very pleased with it. I had looked on ebay, but could not fine one suitable that I was comfortable to use in making breads. never dreamed that anyone still made them. Farmgirl blog on sourdough led me to vermont bowls, and after many days of trying I found your website.
I shall be very proud of my bowl and use it lovingly.
I have two daughters-neither of which now has any desire to make breads.
Hopefully that will change.
Thank you for my bowl, and superior craftmanship. My grandsons both like bread, so maybe they will learn to make bread.
Paulette P*****
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Sir: Got the bowl today about 1:30 P. M., and Man! I think it is GREAT!!! I asked my wife about taking her octagon crystal bowl off the dining room table and replacing it with your bowl and she said “We-e-el-as soon as I get the granite kitchen table cleared off you can put it there”. Well, the kitchen is more comfortable, anyway. Now, What is your thinking about one or two more, same size of clear wood, maybe a small live knot or two , maybe some burl or birds-eye Wanta think about it??

The bowl is GREAT!! And big enough for some kneading. I know I know you tried to tell me.
Reddout
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JP,
Just wanted to let you know that I received the bowl. It is just as beautiful, perhaps more so than the pictures.

You will be happy to know that I christened the bowl this evening…made a batch of yeast bread dough in it. I thought of my grandma and mom as I mixed the dough. Such wonderful memories!. (I would have broken it in this weekend, but I had company.)

I love my bowl and I thank you for painstakingly creating it for me. The bowl is absolutely gorgeous and will be cherished.

Gina (and Waylon)

Mr Madren,
I absolutely LOVE my dough bowl!! It arrived quickly and very well packaged which is a big deal with me. Shipping is that first impression and your careful and considerate packaging reflects your love of carving and your respect for your customers.
I had wanted a dough bowl for 30 Years but couldn’t find the right one. I thought I wanted an antique but I also wanted an authentic story about the history of the bowl and just couldn’t find that……..so I kept looking.
I decided to search online for NEW bowls and found your website very easily. As I said before, I read the entire site and was ready to order that same day!
A new bowl that I could actually use for food sounded great to me!
I was thrilled to read your detailed description of how each individual bowl was made, what type of wood was used, and your thoughts about the bowl as it was carved. I finally had a bowl with a history!!
I originally thought I would be ordering one of the “gems” but the working bowl just called my name.
Thanks again for everything! I’m happy to have my bowl to use for dough if I choose and to pass along as an heirloom when the time comes.

Sincerely,
Rhonda R******
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