My dad has worked with wood my entire life. (Pretty much his entire life as well.)
His hands are rough and worn from various tools taking their toll on his hardworking fingers for the last 40 years.
I can still remember lying in his lap asking him about each cut, scar, smashed fingernail and bump on each of his hands.
Addie’s room holds a tiny little chair he made for me when I was little.
My clothes are housed in a dresser he made for me when I was Addie’s age.
Some of my most prized treasures are held in a cabinet he made me for my 12th birthday.
My Christmas tree has always been full of ornaments he learned to make in Germany while in the Army.
My laptop is sitting on an adjustable table he made me earlier this year.
He just had his first etsy shop sale and he’s pretty excited about it. I helped him out by taking photos that hopefully do his little (and big) treasures justice.
My dad makes stuff with his hands. He always has. He has a gift with wood and an attention to detail that has won him several awards and ribbons.
I don’t really expect you to get all caught up with the sentimentality I have with my daddy, but I do ask that you support handmade whenever and wherever you can. You’ll be buying from real people, people with daughters like me and granddaughters like Addie and Vivi.
Grandpas who have dreams of attending the master class in marquetry at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking right here in Indiana. It may cost a little more but it has a story and was made by someone in their garage turned wood shop off the back of their house. There’s a good chance it was produced to the music of the Moody Blues as well.
If you have an ornament tradition like we do, my daddy makes some pretty swell ones. Trucks, trains, planes and toboggans holding tiny little presents are all available for purchase in his little etsy shop as well as the laptop table and a lovely mission style mirror that uses mortise and tenon joints. Need something more specific? He can make it for you. Promise. Message him, he’s a super friendly guy.
He’s offering all of you a 20% discount on everything in his shop through next week…just use the code ‘MOOSH20’ at checkout.
You can go ahead and tell him I sent you, and that nobody makes popcorn better than him.
Buy stuff from people, not machines.
making unbreakable - formerly moosh in indy. 
Oh, my goodness!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for telling us about his shop. His treasures remind me a lot of the stuff my grandpa (who was taken from us waaaaay too early) used to make in his at-home woodshop. I still have a duck doorstop he made for me when I was 6. Can’t wait to shop in your dad’s store.
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Aww! Going to look now 🙂
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That table is unbelievable!
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Annnnd now you’ve made me cry. Way to go Casey. ❤ I'm off to shop.
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All of our ornaments were bought when we lived overseas, at German Christmas markets. We have a mixture of blown glass and the tiny wooden treasures. I just ordered a toboggan filled with gifts- it will look lovely with my trains and airplanes and tiny angels on skis!
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Do you know if he’ll be shipping to Canada? I *love* the ornaments!
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I’m sure he has all the tools he needs, but do you know if there’s anything he would like another of? Jim was just beyond novice in his woodworking, but his tools still sit in my garage. He has some old things, I think, that he was proud to have. I’ve been meaning to sell them, but I kind of hate the thought of them going somewhere where they might not be appreciated. He has a bunch of planers and one of those things you connect corners with. Just a thought. Don’t feel like he has to take something. It is good to know that there’s someone who might be able to fix the mirror he made.
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Just favorited his store!
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I love that you are doing this for your dad! I don’t know if his shop will fit my needs this year, but I love handmade. And I love the love you so clearly have for him and he for you. Just beautiful.
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How wonderful!! What a great idea – I will definitely check out his work – it looks beautiful!
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Such cute ornaments! I just sent one to a friend. I know she’ll love it! I’m trying to have an Etsy-ful Christmas. Thanks for getting me started!
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The mirror is absolutely beaaaayutiful! Love the attention to detail.
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Beautiful work! I hope he has great success.
Your post reminds me of the song we played for my grandfather at his funeral – Daddy’s Hands. So sweet.
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LOVE. i hope my kids will think about me like that…with my worn out metalsmiths hands 🙂
xoxo
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Ornaments are taken very seriously in my world, and I’m so excited to add that awesome plane to our tree!
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