For Immediate Release

Contact Information:
Sue Roberge
802-893-4505
Sue@anythingbalsamandbirch.com
www.anythingbalsamandbirch.com
190 Watkins Road
Colchester, VT 05446

Native Vermonters Sue and Rich Roberge have captured the scent of Vermont in their line of handmade gifts. From their Vermont “Bun Warmer,” made to keep those “buns” toasty on a cold winter morning, to their birch hurricane lamps, which add just the right amount of romance to summer evening, lovers of Vermont products now have more choices than just the traditional maple syrup.

Owners Sue and Rich have been creating unique and environmentally-friendly gifts for many years, including their well-known Mug Rugs, birch candleholders and lamps, and stained glass flowers. Each piece is handmade with materials from their camp in the Great North Woods. “What many people notice first is that wonderful balsam fragrance!” says Sue. “It reminds me of a walk through the woods at Christmastime. It’s also a natural aromatherapy – so in a way our products help people slow down… and smell the balsam.” The Mug Rugs are filled with fragrant, hand-gathered balsam tips. “These are one of our most popular items, because the heat of your coffee cup brings out the balsam scent,” adds Sue. The items are covered in a variety of fabrics that express the essence of Vermont, from wandering moose to curious bears, to brightly-colored wildflowers.

Other items include white birch candleholders, hurricane lamps, and vases – each made with tender loving care… and of course a cork pad on the bottom to protect your furniture. For those long, cold winters, whether it be in the Northeast, or down south on a cooler evening – warm your bed with a cracked-corn filled heating pad or bed warmer. It takes just a few minutes in the microwave to heat things to “warm and toasty.” And don’t worry, you won’t end up with a heating pad filled with popcorn, these warmers are filled with cracked corn – not popping corn! Be sure to bring along a mug of cocoa to bed with you, since you might get hungry from the scent of popcorn filling your kitchen! Each item comes with a removable and washable outer cover for easy cleaning.

Sue and Rich spend their off hours in their cabin, where they are surrounded by balsam fir trees and their very own “babbling brook.” “We get quite a few ‘wildlife’ guests – from moose and deer on the front lawn, to a bear climbing up onto our deck to say ‘good morning!’ ” Says Rich. They began making their crafts from materials collected from the camp, and soon found that friends were buying up their items at quite a clip. “I thought this would be just a hobby for us,” adds Sue, “but once we put the website up (www.anythingbalsamandbirch.com), we’ve gotten orders from across the country as well as Canada. I think that people like the feeling that Vermont products give them – it’s a little bit nostalgia, a little bit longing for a slower time, and of course… about that wonderful scent of balsam!”