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Yellowstone Puzzles & Toys

TCW arrives at Yellowstone General Store
TCW arrives at Yellowstone General Store

At the invitation of Delaware North’s “Pathways to Yellowstone” program, Teton Craft Works (TCW) appeared as the guest artist at two of the iconic General Stores in Yellowstone National Park: July 2—4 at the Canyon General Store and July 18—20 at the Old Faithful General Store. We were received well by park employees and visitors alike, and our new line of wildlife puzzles and toys was a sales success.

Upon receiving the invitation in March of 2018, TCW went into high gear to produce a line of products for exclusive offerings during its two appearances this summer.

Along with its usual line of six simple wildlife art puzzles (Bison, Moose, Elk, Bear, Trout and Mustang) TCW created four new products for the Yellowstone adventure and rebranded one of its flagship products, the INSANITY puzzle. TCW incorporated a retro geyser graphic from a 1939 poster originally published by the National Park Service. We adapted the image and revitalized it for inclusion on all of our Yellowstone offerings. Each INSANITY puzzle includes a medallion with the brand (see photo below), making it a true souvenir of the Yellowstone expedition and an authentic “Made in Wyoming” memorable that will last for years to come.

insanity Puzzle Close Up
INSANITY Puzzle Close Up with the newly revitalized geyser icon incorporated into a medallion puzzle piece

Second, TCW was happy to offer a new line of figurines: a Box-O-Animals, also bearing the iconic geyser on the lid,

Yellowstone Box-O-Animals
Yellowstone Box-O-Animals

and a more hefty line of 3/4″ solid hardwood figurines.

wildlife figurines
Wildlife Figurines – (Moose, Bear, Bison, Elk, Wolf, Prairie Dog, Pika)

Playing off of the educational aspect of our mission, we offered a 2019 Dodecahedron Cube Calendar

2019 Dodecahedron Cube Calendar
Bundles of fun, this cube calendar is a project for you and the whole family. Cut it out and glue it together. Rotates in 60 different ways to display the present week top and center. A great conversation piece, desk toy and memorable of your visit to Yellowstone National Park.

with all the best scenes of Yellowstone National Park in full color. A conversation piece and a desk toy, best of all it is a mathematical learning experience for the kids and family; getting to know those Platonic Solids! The nifty part of this calendar is that it is flipped (or turned) each week so that the present week is top, front and center… a cool little piece of mathematics in itself.

Finally, this was the first time we offered customers a Yellowstone National Park Art Collage Puzzle… both 1. PUZZLE and 2. ART and 3. comes with a free art stand.

Innovation - Puzzle, Art and Stand
I woke up in the middle of the night at my campsite because I was bothered by the fact that people were walking by the display and not noticing the INNOVATION I had made for them… perhaps they didnt know this was a puzzle and thought it was just a piece of art?… I got onto Mac Pages and made this sign at 3am in the morning at my Grant Village campsite. I handed the file to the store manager first thing in the morning when I arrived and she printed it out for me and I glued it to an improvised display made from cardboard which we found in the back room that very morning.

One large version was made from a California wine box (thanks to my good friend Jim who is an avid wine collector and was a significant proponent in the Wyoming Trout Association, therefore, the included separate Cutthroat Trout puzzle piece) and was purchased by a visitor and her daughters who were moving to Switzerland the following day.

Winebox Yellowstone Collage 1
Made from a winebox, this hand crafted puzzle also includes the image of the Teton Mountain Range above the Roosevelt Arch… hand engraved and hand painted

winebox collage 2

Winebox Yellowstone Collage Back
Winebox Yellowstone Collage Back

How did TCW wind up as a guest artist in Yellowstone National Park?

“In a Shark Tank-style competition, vendors from Idaho, Montana and Wyoming were each given 20 minutes to present their unique products to a panel of Delaware North judges. The event drew 100 applications from throughout the region, 60 of which were selected to participate in the fair.

Following the event, 19 local vendors were selected to sell their products in the Yellowstone General Stores. Fourteen additional vendors were offered the opportunity to participate in Delaware North’s Pathways to Yellowstone program, in which local vendors are allowed guest visits into the general stores to sell their products in a market-type setting.” (excerpt from media.delawarenorth.com)

Teton Craft Works in Yellowstone
Teton Craft Works in Yellowstone

One of the most engaging aspects of our show in Yellowstone was the launching of our “I MADE THE MOOSE” club. 28 individuals (including their families or traveling group) became inductees to this group.

A serious puzzle builder - complete with a set of kneepads, courtesy of TCW - on the way to becoming a Moosehead.
A serious puzzle builder – complete with a set of kneepads, courtesy of TCW – on the way to becoming a Moosehead

Moose Makers 3

Moose Makers 1
These are some serious Moose Makers!

Moose Maker 2

Moose Makers 4

Moose Makers 10

Moose Makers 9

Moose Makers 7

Moose Maker 6.1

Moose Maker 5

More Photos for your enjoyment!

Moose Maker 4

Insanity Puzzle Offering
Insanity Puzzle Offering
Certficate of Insanity
Certficate of Insanity
Welcome to Your Insanity - the Moosehead Insanity Puzzle
Welcome to Your Insanity – the Moosehead Insanity Puzzle – 28 individuals including families made the moose in Yellowstone National Park
Hi! We are Whimsies!
Hi! We are Whimsies!
Guest Appearance at Old Faithful General Store Sign
Sign for my Guest Appearance on the front doors of Old Faithful General Store
Teton Craft Works Francis Koerber at the Canyon General Store in Yellowstone
Teton Craft Works Francis Koerber at the Canyon General Store in Yellowstone
Ethereal Look of Old Faithful
Ethereal Look of Old Faithful
Full Display Yellowstone Old Faithful General Store
Full Display Yellowstone Old Faithful General Store