THEY COME IN WITH THEIR CITY WAYS.
WAYS. >> Jason: ALL RIGHT.
♪
♪ >>> AT "LIVE IN THE D," WE’RE
ALL ABOUT CHAMPIONING OUR LOCAL
BUSINESSES.
BUSINESSES. AND WHILE MANY ARE HAVING TO
CLOSE UNTIL THINGS SETTLE DOWN
DURING THE UNCERTAIN TIMES, YOU
CAN SUPPORT THEM BY SHOPPING
ONLINE.
ONLINE. >> Tati: AND ONE WOMAN WHO
DISCOVERED HER CREATIVE OUTLET
IN HER GARAGE IS NOW ADDING
SPECIAL DECORATIVE TOUCHES TO
HOMES FAR AND NEAR.
>> Jason: HER HANDMADE WORK
CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF
ARCHITECTS AND INTERIOR
DESIGNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND
PURCHASE HER CREATIONS WITHOUT
LEAVING HOME, DO IT ONLINE.
>> Tati: HOW THEY MAKE THE MAGIC
HAPPEN.
HAPPEN. ♪
♪ >> Michelle: WHAT STARTED OFF IN
THE GARAGE HAS GROWN TO OVER
12,000 SQUARE FEET AND OVER 20
EMPLOYEES.
EMPLOYEES. ALL WITH ONE GOAL.
TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL ONE-OF-A-KIND
TILES.
TILES. >> START OUT VERY SPREADOUT AND
THE PILES ARE KIND OF LOW.
AND THEN AS YOU FILL THE PLACE
UP, THE SHELVES GET HIGHER AND
HIGHER AND IT FIELD LIKE
CANYONS.
CANYONS. SO WHEN THE GARAGE WAS CANYONS,
IT WAS TIME TO MOVE.
>> Michelle: AND THEY STILL HAND
MAKE EVERY TILE.
>> I STARTED WITH THIS IDEA THAT
I WANTED TO MAKE A CERTAIN KIND
OF TILE FOR A LIVING.
>> Michelle: THEY BEGIN AS PUGS,
THE BRICKS OF CLAY THAT ARE MADE
A MILE DOWN THE STREET.
>> EACH ARE 25 POUNDS.
>> Michelle: THEY PUT THE PUGS
ALONG WITH THE SCRAP, INTO THIS
MACHINE WHICH GRINDS, COMPRESSES
AND CUTS THE CLAY.
THEN THEY SPRAY UNIQUE PLASTER
MOLD WITH WATER.
AND THEN PUMP AIR THROUGH THE
PLASTER TO ALLOW THE CLAY TO
RELEASE FROM THE MOLD.
>> FIRST, I PUT THE AIR NETWORK
ON THE TOP AND THEN I PUT THE
AIR NETWORK ON THE BOTTOM AND
SLIDE IT OFF AND WE HAVE TILES.
>> Michelle: NEXT THEY CUT OFF
THE EXCESS CLAY AND PUT ASIDE
THE EXTRAS.
THE EXTRAS. AFTER A QUICK TRIP THROUGH THE
KILN, THEY’RE HARD AND READY TO
GLAZE.
GLAZE. A QUICK RINSE TO GET OFF THE
DUST.
DUST. >> WE USE BULB SYRINGES WITH THE
GLAZES WE USE ON STEEL TILES BUT
WE FILL IN THE FACES THAT WERE
MADE BY THE PRESSERS.
>> Michelle: THINK PAINT BY
NUMBERS.
NUMBERS. THEY BAKE THEM IN THE KILN AT
EXTREMELY HIGH TEMPERATURES,
TRANSFORMING THE TILES INTO
VIBRANT PIECES OF ART.
>> SOME DAYS, YOU’LL OPEN THE
KILN AND THE GLAZE APPLICATION
WAS PERFECT AND THE FIRING
TEMPERATURE WAS MWAH!
AND THEY LOOK BETTER THAN USUAL.
>> Michelle: SHE CARES ABOUT HER
EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
>> IT’S A QUALITY OF LIFE THING.
I WANNA BE AROUND PEOPLE THAT
ARE FUN TO BE AROUND, THAT ARE
REALLY GOOD AT WHAT THEY’RE
DOING, THAT GET ALONG REALLY
WELL, IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT.
>> Michelle: THEY HAVE MONTHLY
BIRTHDAY PARTIES.
BIRTHDAY PARTIES. ♪ HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ♪
>> Michelle: AND WILL SHUT DOWN
EARLY TO CELEBRATE AN EMPLOYEE’S
SUCCESS.
SUCCESS. >> IT’S BETTER BUSINESS TO TAKE
CARE OF YOUR PEOPLE BECAUSE
TRULY THEY TAKE CARE OF THE
CUSTOMERS.
CUSTOMERS. >> Michelle: THROUGHOUT HER
SUCCESS, SHE NEVER ONCE THOUGHT
ABOUT LEAVING MICHIGAN.
>> I DON’T THINK ABOUT GOING
ANYWHERE.
ANYWHERE. >> Michelle: BUT YOU CAN SEE HER
TILES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
>> EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE,
SOMEONE FROM TOWN SAYS, OH, I
SAW YOUR TILE IN THE MUSEUM IN
SAN FRANCISCO.
SAN FRANCISCO. I KNOW THAT TILE AND I KNOW HER!
AND IT MAKES THEM HAPPY TO TELL
ME THAT, WHICH I THINK IS
ADORABLE.
ADORABLE. >> Jason: THEY HAVE TOURS AND
CLASSES, BUT FOR NOW THEY’RE ON
HOLD.
HOLD. >> Tati: BUT YOU CAN TAKE A
VIRTUAL TOUR AND PURCHASE CHILD
VIA THEIR WEBSITE.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE GREAT
PLACES TO SHOP IN ANN ARBOR, GO
ONLINE TO ALLABOUTANNARBOR.COM,
MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR SPONSORS
WALLSIDE WINDOW AND CONCORDIA