The Pepper King

crazy8 · Oct 3, 2011

Well I posted this story on another one of my posts but there has been more development. So for a little background...

A few weeks ago I went on a mens retreat with my church and it was awesome on so many levels. Anyways one of the men and I talked about peppers and my gardening for a long time while 7 other conversations were taking place in the same cabin. Well last week I find out that the Sunday on Sept. 18 that very man got infront of the congregation and started talking about the experience at the mens retreat and said "I didn't realize we had a pepper king in our midst." Then the pastor came up and said "this is very true. If you would like anything hot, Wayne is the one to see." So now forward to last Wednesday (Sept. 28) and as I am at our night service and sitting with the pastor he tells me about the above story and then says "I figured you wouldn't mind that I told everyone that."(I wasn't in church that day they mentioned all of that) I say "Oh no not at all but thanks for the warning...lol"

So yesterday at church one of the other men asks me "Would you like to donate any hot sauce or salsa for the church auction?" I sadly had to decline because I do not have anything made and my gardens this year were not at all designed for my sauces or salsas. Well it seems like I have built up a bit of interest in the church to make this happen and even the pastor was like "We need to get some publicity for this stuff" and he hasn't even had any of it yet...lol Anyway I did explain to the guy who asked if I would be interested in the donation that this year wasn't going to be able to happen but that next year I will be all over it.

I also had plans on playing with some BBQ recipes over winter so that come spring/summer I will be armed with some nice sass.

I am toying around with using "The Pepper King" as another label. For those who know me well enough know that I have a label I have created last year and am still working on called "Crazy Eight Sauces". Still not sure if I should keep that or switch to "Crazy Eight Creations" but that's another issue for me to figure out. I will be keeping the "Crazy Eight" label but then maybe do "The Pepper King" for some BBQ Sauce recipes, or what I am going to call "The Pepper King BBQ Sass". Im thinking of having some non spicy ones but maybe having them be different levels of spiciness. So that's kind of the idea I am flirting with. Crazy Eight hot sauce and salsa in addition to The Pepper King BBQ Sauces.

With the church behind me and giving me the friendly push and a means to get my stuff out there seems like a great opportunity and perhaps get into the game with some of you other folks to selling my products. Sure I wouldn't quit my day job but I enjoy doing this sauce/salsa stuff and if other people enjoy it then I find a lot of pride and pleasure in that.

papadaca · Oct 4, 2011

crazy8 said:
Well I posted this story on another one of my posts but there has been more development. So for a little background...

A few weeks ago I went on a mens retreat with my church and it was awesome on so many levels. Anyways one of the men and I talked about peppers and my gardening for a long time while 7 other conversations were taking place in the same cabin. Well last week I find out that the Sunday on Sept. 18 that very man got infront of the congregation and started talking about the experience at the mens retreat and said "I didn't realize we had a pepper king in our midst." Then the pastor came up and said "this is very true. If you would like anything hot, Wayne is the one to see." So now forward to last Wednesday (Sept. 28) and as I am at our night service and sitting with the pastor he tells me about the above story and then says "I figured you wouldn't mind that I told everyone that."(I wasn't in church that day they mentioned all of that) I say "Oh no not at all but thanks for the warning...lol"

So yesterday at church one of the other men asks me "Would you like to donate any hot sauce or salsa for the church auction?" I sadly had to decline because I do not have anything made and my gardens this year were not at all designed for my sauces or salsas. Well it seems like I have built up a bit of interest in the church to make this happen and even the pastor was like "We need to get some publicity for this stuff" and he hasn't even had any of it yet...lol Anyway I did explain to the guy who asked if I would be interested in the donation that this year wasn't going to be able to happen but that next year I will be all over it.

I also had plans on playing with some BBQ recipes over winter so that come spring/summer I will be armed with some nice sass. I am toying around with using "The Pepper King" as another label. For those who know me well enough know that I have a label I have created last year and am still working on called "Crazy Eight Sauces". Still not sure if I should keep that or switch to "Crazy Eight Creations" but that's another issue for me to figure out. I will be keeping the "Crazy Eight" label but then maybe do "The Pepper King" for some BBQ Sauce recipes, or what I am going to call "The Pepper King BBQ Sass". Im thinking of having some non spicy ones but maybe having them be different levels of spiciness. So that's kind of the idea I am flirting with. Crazy Eight hot sauce and salsa in addition to The Pepper King BBQ Sauces.

With the church behind me and giving me the friendly push and a means to get my stuff out there seems like a great opportunity and perhaps get into the game with some of you other folks to selling my products. Sure I wouldn't quit my day job but I enjoy doing this sauce/salsa stuff and if other people enjoy it then I find a lot of pride and pleasure in that.

start some plants from seed now and get the church to let you use some the land around the building to expand the gardens for thier Aucion. extra grow space never hurts.

crazy8 · Oct 4, 2011

Oh man that's an awesome idea. Starting seed now would not be a good idea since I live in MN and winter is approaching even though this week we will have 70-80 degree weather. I am a member of the church and am pretty close with the pastor and other people there maybe there is a chance of him letting me do that? The church has more than enough land, heck we could even do a "community garden" which is actually an idea I wanted to shoot by him. I also was thinking of expanding my gardens next year as it was. Having some more gardens off site would be nice.

Thanks for the idea.

papadaca · Oct 4, 2011

crazy8 said:
Oh man that's an awesome idea. Starting seed now would not be a good idea since I live in MN and winter is approaching even though this week we will have 70-80 degree weather. I am a member of the church and am pretty close with the pastor and other people there maybe there is a chance of him letting me do that? The church has more than enough land, heck we could even do a "community garden" which is actually an idea I wanted to shoot by him. I also was thinking of expanding my gardens next year as it was. Having some more gardens off site would be nice. Thanks for the idea.

The more space to grow
the more salas and chili sauces can be made.

I recommend 2 chilis to grow in your church garden the new mexico chili and the venenzuelan Aji dulce
They will love these 2 flavors.

papadaca · Oct 4, 2011

crazy8 said:
Oh man that's an awesome idea. Starting seed now would not be a good idea since I live in MN and winter is approaching even though this week we will have 70-80 degree weather. I am a member of the church and am pretty close with the pastor and other people there maybe there is a chance of him letting me do that? The church has more than enough land, heck we could even do a "community garden" which is actually an idea I wanted to shoot by him. I also was thinking of expanding my gardens next year as it was. Having some more gardens off site would be nice. Thanks for the idea.

not to mention this will be a beautiful site when the chilis are in full bloom. So many different colors,a pretty garden.

crazy8 · Oct 4, 2011

I already sent him an email. We will see where it goes from here...lol I know we have other gardeners and even farmers in our church so maybe there will be some interest. He has also seen my gardens so he knows I know what I am doing and talking about.

crazy8 · Oct 6, 2011

Well last night I decided to go in the lab (my kitchen) and see what I could whip up for my first "BBQ Sass" recipe.

Everything turned out WONDERFUL and doesn't "need" anything but I think for experimentation sake I might add in 1/4 cup of honey. I had the misus taste it just on her finger when it was still hot and she said it was "yummy" and even later well after trying it said it was "delicious" then told her son how good it was when he got home...lol We are cooking some chicken on the grill Friday so we will see how it turns out. If all goes well then maybe I will leave it as it is and then have it be the first official recipe for the "The Pepper King BBQ Sass" label.

crazy8 · Oct 10, 2011

Well Im not quite as familiar with Adobe Illustrator as I am with Photoshop but I thought I would take a good crack at it to continue to work on my label ideas. Well here is where I am at with it and so far I am quite pleased. It does still need some fine tuning I think but is on the right track. The only thing really missing from the label is my logo that I am having custom made by a co worker. The logo will be an outline of my head and a crown. Well here it is right now.

S.S.Tupperware · Oct 10, 2011

Good luck.... Just be careful. I know a friend sells mucho cases to shops and thru the net. He has a contract with a co to make his sauces. But in the meantime, libality Ins. Testing, commercial kitchen... not to rain on your parade, but just be careful and cover your butt in what ever you do. Best of luck!!!

crazy8 · Oct 14, 2011

Well after many edits, ideas, and design changes this is my current label. I think I am near something "spot on". All I am waiting for now is my logo which is being designed by a co-worker. The logo will look something like a cattle brand but it will be of my face and me waring a crown. He is supposed to be working on it this weekend so I'm excited to see what he does come Monday. The only two things with my current design that I like but am not 100% sure about is the "PTK" and the "A Product of Crazy Eight Creations" in the lower left corner.

Now I know the sauce is called "The Pepper King" but doing "PTK" with a "T" that was far bigger and had the P and K under it seemed more aesthetically pleasing. Is it possible that most people would still read it as "PTK" and not "TPK"? Might there be a better way to do it and still have it look good?

Now the "A Product of Crazy Eight Creations" thing. I have seen many products out there that belong to other corporations. I figured I to would establish a relationship between this "line" and the "Crazy Eight Creations", or "Crazy Eight Sauces" haven't decided which yet, as to show that this is really an "arm" from the Crazy Eight products. Crazy Eight Creations/Sauces started as the hot sauce and salsa, and now with this new idea this name would be the BBQ side of things. Is this not a good idea? Does it make sense? Any words of advice? Well here is the label finally.

Here is a bigger image that may make some of it more clear.

Justaguy · Oct 19, 2011

What changes have you made??????

crazy8 · Oct 19, 2011

Nothing since the last set of images. I think it all looks pretty good for the most part but just curious to see if anyone might see something I don't or if anyone had any insight to my design over all.

Justaguy · Oct 19, 2011

I think it looks good. I am sure others will chime in.

Melium · Oct 19, 2011

Glad to see a church get behind its members. What was the retreat you went on? I went to the Real Mens Event here in Florida a few years ago and it was amazing.

Melium · Oct 19, 2011

I looked over the pictures and I think they look great, I really like the color scheme you have set up for them, it fits well with what I imagine the sauce will look like. I think the brand would look good sorta like...dunno if I can do it here.. TPK with maybe a circle around it.

crazy8 · Oct 19, 2011

Thank you very much Melium for your input. Well the retreat I went on was through the MBA (Minnesota Baptist Association) and I guess usually there are hundreds that show up but because of the timing, we think because of farmers and such, only about 40 showed up. Anyway it was at a nice camp here in MN. Our church is very much behind its members 100%. As for the sauce label, thank you again for your input. I did think about doing the TPK thing you mentioned, minus the circle, but didnt think it would look as aesthetically pleasing. However the way you mention it and doing the circle I may have to play with that idea and see what I can do.

Melium · Oct 20, 2011

Awesome, if you like I could draw you up the one I was thinking of, might not look perfect but it may give you a better idea.

crazy8 · Oct 20, 2011

Sure that would be great. I am also going to try and do some work in photoshop or Illustrator to see what I can come up with as far as that idea goes.

crazy8 · Oct 21, 2011

Well i did do some work last night. I had an ingenious idea but could not execute it correctly. Ok so you mentions circle and I thought "hey what if I find an image of a wax seal and put the "TPK" in the wax seal?" Well i found a seal and I put the TPK in it and it looked awesome. The problem is I did it in photoshop because I couldn't edit the wax seal in InDesign. I kept on getting a white background with the wax seal no matter what I did. I could just erase the white. Im still a little new to InDesign but it just was nto going as well as I hoped. So what you see below is kind of the original idea. How does that look? Is it kind of what you were thinking?

Melium · Oct 25, 2011

That looks great, Crazy8! Exactly like what I was thinking of. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, my grandmother had eye surgery on Tuesday so I went and spent the week and weekend helping out there. I think it looks great, maybe could use a little bit darker on the stamp, it looks a little dim (but i'm in a dark room anyways)