<![CDATA[Heartwood Gifts: Latest News]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com Sat, 13 Jun 2026 11:37:18 +0000 <![CDATA[Thoughtful Gift Ideas]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blogthoughtful-gift-ideas/ Sun, 10 Jan 2021 23:13:51 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blogthoughtful-gift-ideas/ The Christmas Season is almost here! It's a time when we often want to show our appreciation to the people who make our jobs so meaningful. We have many great options for unique and thoughtful gifts for employees and clients here at Heartwood Gifts. We can personalize gifts with your company's name, or with your recipient's name. Browse through our selection of wooden pens and cases, our leather bound journals, wooden boxes, and our family signs. Family signs make meaningful and personal gifts for valued employees and clients. Realtors, for example, will enjoy seeing their clients' faces light up when presented with a sign with their family name on it for their new home.

Whether you are a small business owner, or are shopping for corporate gift options, we have a variety of gifts and are happy to discuss options with you.

]]> The Christmas Season is almost here! It's a time when we often want to show our appreciation to the people who make our jobs so meaningful. We have many great options for unique and thoughtful gifts for employees and clients here at Heartwood Gifts. We can personalize gifts with your company's name, or with your recipient's name. Browse through our selection of wooden pens and cases, our leather bound journals, wooden boxes, and our family signs. Family signs make meaningful and personal gifts for valued employees and clients. Realtors, for example, will enjoy seeing their clients' faces light up when presented with a sign with their family name on it for their new home.

Whether you are a small business owner, or are shopping for corporate gift options, we have a variety of gifts and are happy to discuss options with you.

]]> <![CDATA[My Fortress and My God in Whom I Trust]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blogmy-fortress-and-my-god-in-whom-i-trust/ Sat, 07 Jul 2018 23:11:21 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blogmy-fortress-and-my-god-in-whom-i-trust/ Psalm 91:1,2 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress. My God in whom I trust.”

When my two oldest children were younger, Psalm 91 was the first full Bible chapter that they memorized. So, once we started making wood signs in 2014, I requested a sign with the first two verses from that Psalm. I was taking to heart what God said in Deuteronomy 11:18-20, "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door frames of your houses, and on your gates..." I want to keep God’s word at the forefront of my mind, so that I don’t get distracted by the stresses of life and forget how powerful it is to encourage my heart. The last few weeks have found me spending in inordinate amount of time recuperating on my couch, with a great view of this sign on my gallery wall. God,s word is especially precious to me, I think, when circumstances are tough. (Warning: extra long post below.)


2018 ushered in a rough season for our family. We made a quick trip to Winnipeg over Spring break when we got word that a much loved family member had just been diagnosed with breast cancer that had spread extensively. We arrived and returned home just before she began 18 rounds of chemo. While we were there we also visited with my aunt who has been in the hospital since early January, and is still struggling every day with significant health challenges and pain. We returned home to find out that our close friend and church pastor had been diagnosed with a cancerous tumour in his tear duct - seven years after his first battle with cancer. We watched him deal with the rapid growth of the tumour that pushed against his eye and caused incredible pain and pressure in his head. Then, he endured an 8 hour surgery on April 17th that resulted in the loss of his eye and skin grafts from one arm and one leg, followed by a long and painful recovery. 

In the midst of all this pain in our extended family and friend circle, we began to experience some health challenges in our immediate family, as well. Our second son, Caiden tripped over a tree root at Stillwood camp in early April. I felt pretty certain that it must be only a sprain when I heard that he had continued to play Gaga Ball with his friends for another 3 hours after he hurt it. Around the same time our youngest son started randomly falling asleep in the middle of the day...one day in the car, one day on the couch etc. On Easter Sunday, Sharaya remarked on his complexion and Curtis and I looked at him and were both immediately concerned. I had noticed, and been somewhat troubled by the dark circles under his eyes, but this was even more troubling. His complexion looked almost greyish. We decided that we needed to get him checked out by our family dr at his first available opening. Our doctor ran some blood work that day and discovered that Brennan was anemic. He called us at home and gave us the name of an iron supplement that he wanted us to put him on, and then told us to take him back for more blood work in a few weeks, to make sure it was helping. We did so, and I made a follow up appointment for him, Caiden (who was still limping and complaining about pain in his foot), and for myself because I thought I might be anemic, too. 

On May 9th, Our doctor looked at Brennan’s blood work and was concerned because his hemoglobin levels were still at 103 and his platelets were low, too. He gave Brennan and I requisitions for blood work, and one to Caiden for an x-ray. Since our Doctor’s Clinic is not far from Peace Arch hospital, we went straight there so that we could get everything done at once. While I was literally running between the imaging room and the lab, I got a phone call from my oldest son, Ashton. He was in a great deal of pain and had called to tell me that he thought he had broken his foot and that he needed me to pick him up because he couldn’t walk home. I really could hardly believe all these things were happening at once! I called a friend, who picked up Ashton for me and drove him home, and called my parents who came to wait with my boys at Peace Arch for Caiden’s x-ray. Then, I drove home, picked up Ashton and took him to Surrey Memorial. While we were waiting for his x-ray, I checked out my ehealth app and found that my blood test results had already been processed and I had a high TSH number - hypothyroidism...that’s why I felt like I was running on empty. 

Shortly after, I noticed that I had a voice message. I listened to it; it was from my doctor. He was letting me know that the liver enzyme tests he had run on Brennan had come back astronomically high, and he wanted us to take him straight to Emergency. At this point, I cried. Right in the middle of a hospital waiting room. I couldn’t hold the tears back. I texted a friend to come and wait with Ashton. Curtis and Sharaya picked the boys up from my parents, and we met up at home. At some point, I found out that Caiden and Ashton both had a broken foot, but it wasn’t for another day or two that I found out they had both broken the exact same bone in their right foot, approximately one month apart. I tell you, I felt like the worst parent in the world when I heard that Caiden’s foot had been broken for an entire month before I took him in to see a doctor!  After a bit of deliberation about which hospital to go to, Curtis and I took Brennan into Surrey Memorial. We missed Ashton, who arrived home with our friend, Melissa (and pizza) shortly after we left. We were fast tracked, I felt, as we seemed to bypass the lineup in the standing-room-only waiting room in the pediatrics department. Although that was nice, my uneasiness grew as the concern over Brennan’s blood work results was obvious. There was nothing overly concerning in the doctors’ physical exam and assessment of Brennan, but the lead pediatrician ordered a lot more blood tests, and an ultrasound of his liver for the next day. So, back we went. His liver and his spleen were both enlarged and his blood work was starting to point in the direction of an autoimmune disease. We were told that we were being referred to three specialists at Children’s Hospital in Vancouver; a hematologist a gastroenterologist and a rheumatologist. 

The next couple of weeks were full of trips to Vancouver, more and more blood tests, examinations by Specialists, a bone marrow biopsy and, finally, a two-night hospital stay and a liver biopsy. (That one was rough!) The teams of doctors were trying to figure out if it was a blood disease that was affecting his liver, a liver disease that was affecting his blood, or an underlying Lupus-like autoimmune disease that was affecting both. We had a few highlights to break up the stress of these situations-Sharaya got her drivers license after several delays, and we were all able to attend our oldest son, Ashton’s high school graduation. 

A few days after the final liver biopsy test, we were called with the news that Brennan has Autoimmune Hepatitis. His own immune system is attacking his liver. The diagnosis, although hard to hear, did bring a sense of peace with it - we finally knew what was wrong, and a plan was being implemented to treat it, and hopefully bring it into remission in a few years’ time. I wish I could say that this was the end of the stress, but unfortunately it wasn’t.Our friend got news that the cancer wasn’t only contained in his eye region but had indeed spread to his lymph nodes. So, while he had known all along he would be receiving radiation treatment, he was now facing chemo therapy along with it. Simultaneously. Our hearts are so burdened by this news and, as of today, the treatments are extremely hard on his body. We dearly love him, his wife and his four boys, as well as his extended family. He is still in the battle, so please pray for him. 

A few weeks ago, Brennan had a fever and a cold, and had to miss his last day of class. So, while he was recuperating in bed, I decided to get started on a huge list of things that needed my attention, after our busy few weeks of hospital visits. The first thing I decided to do was brush our dogs, who were beginning to look quite neglected. I sat on the stair, second from the bottom, and brushed and stripped their coats over the tile floor in the entry way, as I usually do. I must have been sitting in an awkward position while I continuously held them still and brushed because when I finally stood up, I herniated a disc in my lower back! I made my way back upstairs, but I was soon completely immobilized. When Curtis got home from work and found that, even with his help, I couldn’t make it to the bathroom and back without unimaginable pain, he called 911. Sharaya arrived home from her job just in time to see me carried down to the ambulance. My oldest son, who really is the kind of guy you want around in a crisis, jumped in the ambulance and spent a long night sitting beside my stretcher in an Emergency room hallway. I was finally discharged at 6am, after I had been given enough morphine to allow me to walk carefully to the bathroom on my own with a walker. Curtis picked us up, and slept on the couch beside me until about 10 am.

Sharaya and her friend, Victoria, were planning to go out to celebrate Sharaya’s birthday with a few other friends, since it was her day off. Victoria, sweetheart that she is, made us all breakfast. At the same time, Sharaya started experiencing pain in her abdomen. Curtis and Ashton had just left to take our laser engraver in to be fixed, and so I suggested that perhaps Victoria should take Sharaya to a nearby walk-in Clinic. The Dr wasn’t sure what might be wrong, and she was ordering some tests. While she was taking her blood pressure, Sharaya fainted. Now, those of us who know her well, weren’t terribly surprised or alarmed when we heard. If I had been there, I probably would have told the doctor not to worry about it. (If you get a chance, you should definitely ask her to tell you the story about the time she tried to donate blood! Haha) Anyway, the doctor was concerned and called an ambulance to take her to the Langley hospital. As it turned out, it was exactly where she needed to be because her appendix needed to come out.

I painfully made my way to the hospital the next day so that I could be with her while she waited for her laparoscopic surgery. I really couldn’t sit, so I climbed into her bed with her. It was such a crazy experience. We were both in a great deal of pain, and the previous weeks had been so stressful, but the only thing to do really, at this point, was laugh. We tried not to, because it hurt to laugh, but the situation was so ludicrous, we couldn’t not laugh.

So, now we are all home again, and in recovery mode. Sharaya has healed enough to go back to her camp job. I’m three weeks into an estimated 6 week recovery period. We are still waiting to see an orthopedic surgeon to find out if Caiden needs surgery on his foot. Brennan’s treatment seems successful so far, and Ashton’s foot has healed.
As I lie here on my couch, I picture myself resting in the shadow of the Almighty. God has been so near to us in this season. In spite of the difficulty and the pain, He has encouraged my heart through the unexpected time spent together, through the messages, phone calls and prayers of our friends, and meals lovingly prepared and delivered by our church family and community. He truly is my fortress and my God in whom I trust. 

Psalm 91:1-2 He who dwells in the secret place of the most high - wood sign

]]> Psalm 91:1,2 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress. My God in whom I trust.”

When my two oldest children were younger, Psalm 91 was the first full Bible chapter that they memorized. So, once we started making wood signs in 2014, I requested a sign with the first two verses from that Psalm. I was taking to heart what God said in Deuteronomy 11:18-20, "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door frames of your houses, and on your gates..." I want to keep God’s word at the forefront of my mind, so that I don’t get distracted by the stresses of life and forget how powerful it is to encourage my heart. The last few weeks have found me spending in inordinate amount of time recuperating on my couch, with a great view of this sign on my gallery wall. God,s word is especially precious to me, I think, when circumstances are tough. (Warning: extra long post below.)


2018 ushered in a rough season for our family. We made a quick trip to Winnipeg over Spring break when we got word that a much loved family member had just been diagnosed with breast cancer that had spread extensively. We arrived and returned home just before she began 18 rounds of chemo. While we were there we also visited with my aunt who has been in the hospital since early January, and is still struggling every day with significant health challenges and pain. We returned home to find out that our close friend and church pastor had been diagnosed with a cancerous tumour in his tear duct - seven years after his first battle with cancer. We watched him deal with the rapid growth of the tumour that pushed against his eye and caused incredible pain and pressure in his head. Then, he endured an 8 hour surgery on April 17th that resulted in the loss of his eye and skin grafts from one arm and one leg, followed by a long and painful recovery. 

In the midst of all this pain in our extended family and friend circle, we began to experience some health challenges in our immediate family, as well. Our second son, Caiden tripped over a tree root at Stillwood camp in early April. I felt pretty certain that it must be only a sprain when I heard that he had continued to play Gaga Ball with his friends for another 3 hours after he hurt it. Around the same time our youngest son started randomly falling asleep in the middle of the day...one day in the car, one day on the couch etc. On Easter Sunday, Sharaya remarked on his complexion and Curtis and I looked at him and were both immediately concerned. I had noticed, and been somewhat troubled by the dark circles under his eyes, but this was even more troubling. His complexion looked almost greyish. We decided that we needed to get him checked out by our family dr at his first available opening. Our doctor ran some blood work that day and discovered that Brennan was anemic. He called us at home and gave us the name of an iron supplement that he wanted us to put him on, and then told us to take him back for more blood work in a few weeks, to make sure it was helping. We did so, and I made a follow up appointment for him, Caiden (who was still limping and complaining about pain in his foot), and for myself because I thought I might be anemic, too. 

On May 9th, Our doctor looked at Brennan’s blood work and was concerned because his hemoglobin levels were still at 103 and his platelets were low, too. He gave Brennan and I requisitions for blood work, and one to Caiden for an x-ray. Since our Doctor’s Clinic is not far from Peace Arch hospital, we went straight there so that we could get everything done at once. While I was literally running between the imaging room and the lab, I got a phone call from my oldest son, Ashton. He was in a great deal of pain and had called to tell me that he thought he had broken his foot and that he needed me to pick him up because he couldn’t walk home. I really could hardly believe all these things were happening at once! I called a friend, who picked up Ashton for me and drove him home, and called my parents who came to wait with my boys at Peace Arch for Caiden’s x-ray. Then, I drove home, picked up Ashton and took him to Surrey Memorial. While we were waiting for his x-ray, I checked out my ehealth app and found that my blood test results had already been processed and I had a high TSH number - hypothyroidism...that’s why I felt like I was running on empty. 

Shortly after, I noticed that I had a voice message. I listened to it; it was from my doctor. He was letting me know that the liver enzyme tests he had run on Brennan had come back astronomically high, and he wanted us to take him straight to Emergency. At this point, I cried. Right in the middle of a hospital waiting room. I couldn’t hold the tears back. I texted a friend to come and wait with Ashton. Curtis and Sharaya picked the boys up from my parents, and we met up at home. At some point, I found out that Caiden and Ashton both had a broken foot, but it wasn’t for another day or two that I found out they had both broken the exact same bone in their right foot, approximately one month apart. I tell you, I felt like the worst parent in the world when I heard that Caiden’s foot had been broken for an entire month before I took him in to see a doctor!  After a bit of deliberation about which hospital to go to, Curtis and I took Brennan into Surrey Memorial. We missed Ashton, who arrived home with our friend, Melissa (and pizza) shortly after we left. We were fast tracked, I felt, as we seemed to bypass the lineup in the standing-room-only waiting room in the pediatrics department. Although that was nice, my uneasiness grew as the concern over Brennan’s blood work results was obvious. There was nothing overly concerning in the doctors’ physical exam and assessment of Brennan, but the lead pediatrician ordered a lot more blood tests, and an ultrasound of his liver for the next day. So, back we went. His liver and his spleen were both enlarged and his blood work was starting to point in the direction of an autoimmune disease. We were told that we were being referred to three specialists at Children’s Hospital in Vancouver; a hematologist a gastroenterologist and a rheumatologist. 

The next couple of weeks were full of trips to Vancouver, more and more blood tests, examinations by Specialists, a bone marrow biopsy and, finally, a two-night hospital stay and a liver biopsy. (That one was rough!) The teams of doctors were trying to figure out if it was a blood disease that was affecting his liver, a liver disease that was affecting his blood, or an underlying Lupus-like autoimmune disease that was affecting both. We had a few highlights to break up the stress of these situations-Sharaya got her drivers license after several delays, and we were all able to attend our oldest son, Ashton’s high school graduation. 

A few days after the final liver biopsy test, we were called with the news that Brennan has Autoimmune Hepatitis. His own immune system is attacking his liver. The diagnosis, although hard to hear, did bring a sense of peace with it - we finally knew what was wrong, and a plan was being implemented to treat it, and hopefully bring it into remission in a few years’ time. I wish I could say that this was the end of the stress, but unfortunately it wasn’t.Our friend got news that the cancer wasn’t only contained in his eye region but had indeed spread to his lymph nodes. So, while he had known all along he would be receiving radiation treatment, he was now facing chemo therapy along with it. Simultaneously. Our hearts are so burdened by this news and, as of today, the treatments are extremely hard on his body. We dearly love him, his wife and his four boys, as well as his extended family. He is still in the battle, so please pray for him. 

A few weeks ago, Brennan had a fever and a cold, and had to miss his last day of class. So, while he was recuperating in bed, I decided to get started on a huge list of things that needed my attention, after our busy few weeks of hospital visits. The first thing I decided to do was brush our dogs, who were beginning to look quite neglected. I sat on the stair, second from the bottom, and brushed and stripped their coats over the tile floor in the entry way, as I usually do. I must have been sitting in an awkward position while I continuously held them still and brushed because when I finally stood up, I herniated a disc in my lower back! I made my way back upstairs, but I was soon completely immobilized. When Curtis got home from work and found that, even with his help, I couldn’t make it to the bathroom and back without unimaginable pain, he called 911. Sharaya arrived home from her job just in time to see me carried down to the ambulance. My oldest son, who really is the kind of guy you want around in a crisis, jumped in the ambulance and spent a long night sitting beside my stretcher in an Emergency room hallway. I was finally discharged at 6am, after I had been given enough morphine to allow me to walk carefully to the bathroom on my own with a walker. Curtis picked us up, and slept on the couch beside me until about 10 am.

Sharaya and her friend, Victoria, were planning to go out to celebrate Sharaya’s birthday with a few other friends, since it was her day off. Victoria, sweetheart that she is, made us all breakfast. At the same time, Sharaya started experiencing pain in her abdomen. Curtis and Ashton had just left to take our laser engraver in to be fixed, and so I suggested that perhaps Victoria should take Sharaya to a nearby walk-in Clinic. The Dr wasn’t sure what might be wrong, and she was ordering some tests. While she was taking her blood pressure, Sharaya fainted. Now, those of us who know her well, weren’t terribly surprised or alarmed when we heard. If I had been there, I probably would have told the doctor not to worry about it. (If you get a chance, you should definitely ask her to tell you the story about the time she tried to donate blood! Haha) Anyway, the doctor was concerned and called an ambulance to take her to the Langley hospital. As it turned out, it was exactly where she needed to be because her appendix needed to come out.

I painfully made my way to the hospital the next day so that I could be with her while she waited for her laparoscopic surgery. I really couldn’t sit, so I climbed into her bed with her. It was such a crazy experience. We were both in a great deal of pain, and the previous weeks had been so stressful, but the only thing to do really, at this point, was laugh. We tried not to, because it hurt to laugh, but the situation was so ludicrous, we couldn’t not laugh.

So, now we are all home again, and in recovery mode. Sharaya has healed enough to go back to her camp job. I’m three weeks into an estimated 6 week recovery period. We are still waiting to see an orthopedic surgeon to find out if Caiden needs surgery on his foot. Brennan’s treatment seems successful so far, and Ashton’s foot has healed.
As I lie here on my couch, I picture myself resting in the shadow of the Almighty. God has been so near to us in this season. In spite of the difficulty and the pain, He has encouraged my heart through the unexpected time spent together, through the messages, phone calls and prayers of our friends, and meals lovingly prepared and delivered by our church family and community. He truly is my fortress and my God in whom I trust. 

Psalm 91:1-2 He who dwells in the secret place of the most high - wood sign

]]> <![CDATA[Would you like an adventure now, Or shall we have our tea first?]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/would-you-like-an-adventure-now-or-shall-we-have-our-tea-first/ Sat, 30 Jun 2018 20:39:53 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/would-you-like-an-adventure-now-or-shall-we-have-our-tea-first/ One of my favourite parts about having a creative family business is that I know exactly where to go (or whom to go to) for a Birthday, Thank You, or Wedding gift for a friend. Last year I asked my good friend, Becky, what words she would like on a plaque of wood for a gift, and she chose the quote “Would you like an adventure now, or shall we have our tea first?” by J.M. Barrie. My mom saw the finished product first, and fell in love with it instantly. When I saw it, I did too. Fast forward a month, and I was hurriedly packing for my year long internship at Barnabas Family Ministries on Keats Island. In the midst of the craziness, my parents offered to engrave a sign for me to add a taste of home to my new room, and that touched me. I chose the exact same sign that Becky did.

Would you like an adventure now or shall we have our tea first

Minutes before I left, my mom and I propped up the sign and shared a pot of tea. It describes the two of us so well; we both like adventuring - shopping together, exploring new places, walking along the beach, etc, but spending focused time together over a hot drink would probably be our first choice for quality time. There is something special about having a meaningful conversation in a cozy environment with a hot cup of tea, because it spurs that beloved heart-to-heart connection that then comes so naturally, for us.

I am thankful that every sign my dad spends time creating is more than just a piece of decor to hang on the wall; it is a treasure that evokes sentimental feelings to be cherished. Like I said above, I love words, and I love how the words he creatively engraved onto the sign he gave me (pictured) captures something I care about: my time with my mom. Yes, I could write the quote down on a sticky note and stick it on my mirror. However, I think that the handmade piece of art, with the tea cup to represent the quote, brings it to life in a magical way. It also adds a dose of gratefulness in my heart whenever I see it, because is a beautiful, personal reminder that my mom and I have each other to drink tea with.

]]> One of my favourite parts about having a creative family business is that I know exactly where to go (or whom to go to) for a Birthday, Thank You, or Wedding gift for a friend. Last year I asked my good friend, Becky, what words she would like on a plaque of wood for a gift, and she chose the quote “Would you like an adventure now, or shall we have our tea first?” by J.M. Barrie. My mom saw the finished product first, and fell in love with it instantly. When I saw it, I did too. Fast forward a month, and I was hurriedly packing for my year long internship at Barnabas Family Ministries on Keats Island. In the midst of the craziness, my parents offered to engrave a sign for me to add a taste of home to my new room, and that touched me. I chose the exact same sign that Becky did.

Would you like an adventure now or shall we have our tea first

Minutes before I left, my mom and I propped up the sign and shared a pot of tea. It describes the two of us so well; we both like adventuring - shopping together, exploring new places, walking along the beach, etc, but spending focused time together over a hot drink would probably be our first choice for quality time. There is something special about having a meaningful conversation in a cozy environment with a hot cup of tea, because it spurs that beloved heart-to-heart connection that then comes so naturally, for us.

I am thankful that every sign my dad spends time creating is more than just a piece of decor to hang on the wall; it is a treasure that evokes sentimental feelings to be cherished. Like I said above, I love words, and I love how the words he creatively engraved onto the sign he gave me (pictured) captures something I care about: my time with my mom. Yes, I could write the quote down on a sticky note and stick it on my mirror. However, I think that the handmade piece of art, with the tea cup to represent the quote, brings it to life in a magical way. It also adds a dose of gratefulness in my heart whenever I see it, because is a beautiful, personal reminder that my mom and I have each other to drink tea with.

]]> <![CDATA[From Concept to Wood Sign]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blogfrom-concept-to-wood-sign/ Mon, 09 Apr 2018 23:11:35 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blogfrom-concept-to-wood-sign/ A few years ago, Curtis and I were on holidays with our kids and my parents at Family Camp at Barnabas Family Ministries - on Keat's Island, just off of the Sunshine Coast in BC, Canada. It's a beautiful setting, and a wonderful place to rejuvenate, reconnect, and have fun. ‎A previous group that had visited there left a large and long paper scroll that listed all the names of Jesus. The director unravelled it for us to see and Curtis instantly knew that he had to make a wood sign of it. He mentioned it to me right away, and sure enough, several months later, when he had a window of time, he started the design. Didn't it turn out beautifully?

]]> A few years ago, Curtis and I were on holidays with our kids and my parents at Family Camp at Barnabas Family Ministries - on Keat's Island, just off of the Sunshine Coast in BC, Canada. It's a beautiful setting, and a wonderful place to rejuvenate, reconnect, and have fun. ‎A previous group that had visited there left a large and long paper scroll that listed all the names of Jesus. The director unravelled it for us to see and Curtis instantly knew that he had to make a wood sign of it. He mentioned it to me right away, and sure enough, several months later, when he had a window of time, he started the design. Didn't it turn out beautifully?

]]> <![CDATA[NEW! Multi Board Rustic Wood Signs]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blognew-multi-board-rustic-wood-signs/ Mon, 24 Jul 2017 23:11:48 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blognew-multi-board-rustic-wood-signs/ I'm excited to announce that after many requests from customers, we are now branching out and making larger, multi-plank signs. This is great news for anyone with a large wall in their Great Room, or really anyone who wants a larger conversation piece above their mantle (or anywhere, really). They are still completely customizable, so contact us to discuss your design ideas, or to request one of our other designs on a much larger sign.

Here are some photos below of signs we have made recently. (It is a little tricky to see the scale, so check out the dimensions listed below each one.)

This one is a sign my husband made for me (3 ft x 2 ft). I was wanting a sign for above our fireplace that would pop and be noticed. I chose this phrase because my favourite time of the day is when everyone is at home, and we are able to spend time together in our living room, talking, laughing, eating, listening to one of our sons playing piano, reading or doing homework. This past year our oldest has lived away from home. She did an internship on Keats Island, and is back again working there for the summer. I will never again take for granted the joy of having all my kids at home together!

This 2 ft x 4ft sign is stunning, in my opinion. The photos really don't do it justice. It was commissioned by a couple who had it made for some family members. It looks amazing, don't you think? (The gentleman in the picture is the customer when he came to pick it up.)

This Cabin Rules sign (1.5 ft x 2 ft) was recreated from an image that was sent to us. (Btw, feel free to send us a photo of a sign, poster or image you've come across and would like to have made into a wood sign.) It is now hanging in a cabin at Lake of the Woods which sits in Manitoba, Ontario and Minnesota.

This sign was commissioned by a man who wanted to give it to his wife on her birthday. Size is 3 ft x 1.5 ft

This sign (1.5 ft x 2 ft) was created for a blended family. One of our customers came back to us with a request for a larger, multi-plank sign. She hand drew what she wanted, and Curtis recreated it for her. This was a challenge for sure, but it may be the sign that launched us into this new direction.

I love this one - with the monogram and the antlers. So rustic and beautiful! 18.75" x 16"

Since there are many possibilities for sizes, contact us for a quote.  The boards we have available are: 3.7x16, 6x12, 8x16, 12x12, 12x18, 12x24, 6x24  - all birch 3/4" thick


]]> I'm excited to announce that after many requests from customers, we are now branching out and making larger, multi-plank signs. This is great news for anyone with a large wall in their Great Room, or really anyone who wants a larger conversation piece above their mantle (or anywhere, really). They are still completely customizable, so contact us to discuss your design ideas, or to request one of our other designs on a much larger sign.

Here are some photos below of signs we have made recently. (It is a little tricky to see the scale, so check out the dimensions listed below each one.)

This one is a sign my husband made for me (3 ft x 2 ft). I was wanting a sign for above our fireplace that would pop and be noticed. I chose this phrase because my favourite time of the day is when everyone is at home, and we are able to spend time together in our living room, talking, laughing, eating, listening to one of our sons playing piano, reading or doing homework. This past year our oldest has lived away from home. She did an internship on Keats Island, and is back again working there for the summer. I will never again take for granted the joy of having all my kids at home together!

This 2 ft x 4ft sign is stunning, in my opinion. The photos really don't do it justice. It was commissioned by a couple who had it made for some family members. It looks amazing, don't you think? (The gentleman in the picture is the customer when he came to pick it up.)

This Cabin Rules sign (1.5 ft x 2 ft) was recreated from an image that was sent to us. (Btw, feel free to send us a photo of a sign, poster or image you've come across and would like to have made into a wood sign.) It is now hanging in a cabin at Lake of the Woods which sits in Manitoba, Ontario and Minnesota.

This sign was commissioned by a man who wanted to give it to his wife on her birthday. Size is 3 ft x 1.5 ft

This sign (1.5 ft x 2 ft) was created for a blended family. One of our customers came back to us with a request for a larger, multi-plank sign. She hand drew what she wanted, and Curtis recreated it for her. This was a challenge for sure, but it may be the sign that launched us into this new direction.

I love this one - with the monogram and the antlers. So rustic and beautiful! 18.75" x 16"

Since there are many possibilities for sizes, contact us for a quote.  The boards we have available are: 3.7x16, 6x12, 8x16, 12x12, 12x18, 12x24, 6x24  - all birch 3/4" thick


]]> <![CDATA[Kitchen Makeover - The "After"]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blogkitchen-makeover-the-after/ Wed, 26 Apr 2017 23:12:13 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blogkitchen-makeover-the-after/ I am finally posting Before and After photos of my kitchen cabinet makeover. I can't help but laugh at myself. When I was researching Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Kitchen Cabinet projects I noticed that many people made good progress on their kitchens and then life got in the way. Most people didn't complete their projects until weeks and weeks after they began. I was determined that I was going to start and finish my kitchen project in about two and a half or three weeks. I was going to push through until. Reached the finish line. Well, that didn't happen. I started the project in January and only finished a few days ago, just in time for Easter. Life didn't just happen, it ran me over.

The cupboards themselves took many more coats of paint than was suggested, so that probably doubled the time I actually needed to complete the project. As you can see, my cupboards were fairly dark before, and I was using Old White paint. It actually took between 4 and 5 coats to completely cover everything. I did both sides of the cupboard doors, so those were brutal. I was making really good progress, though, until I got sick. I came down with a cold/flu that put me in bed for a week or two. Just as I was beginning to feel like myself again, and was looking forward to finishing everything up, we joined my sister and her family on a short weekend trip to Great Wolf Lodge (a hotel with an indoor water park) in Ground Mound, Washington to celebrate my sweet nephew's 13th birthday. We had a fabulous time with a lot of laughter until the morning we were leaving. My youngest son had tried unsuccessfully to get any of us adults to join the kids in the pool. So that morning, I borrowed my sister's swim suit and headed in with them for their last swim. I figured that since he was almost 10 years old, there might not be many more occasions when he would really want me to join in. I secretly thought it was incredibly sweet, and so I made a spontaneous decision to join in the water fun with my boys and nephew. I had been having lower back pain on and off since Christmas, so I opted not to go down the waterside, and decided to play it safe and stick to the kids' wave pool. This was a decision I very quickly came to regret. Within 10 or 20 minutes of getting out, my back muscles had seized and I could barely move. To make things even worse, I scraped the top of my foot quite badly on the bottom of the pool (I think...I'm not totally sure) and soon developed a nasty and deep infection. And so began a 9 week (and counting) recovery. I was in an unprecedented amount of pain which meant I was out of commission for weeks. Not only was I unable to finish my kitchen makeover, I couldn't cook, clean, do laundry, drive my kids to their activities or even stand or walk for more than a minute or two. I was completely dependent on my family and friends for everything I needed. It was a vulnerable and frustrating season, but God blessed me immensely through the people in my life.

My daughter, who can very competently manage our home, has been away doing an internship this year, and she wasn't around. So, it was really up to my hubby and my boys (who are 16, 12 and 10) to keep things going. I was so blown away by the love and grace they showed me. I don't think any of them complained once about all the extra chores they had to do. Curtis had to take over grocery shopping and all errands that involved driving. He also had to do absolutely everything business related. He fulfilled all HeartwoodGifts orders, and made all the signs from beginning to end on his own, on top of his day time job. (He is a busy guy even with my help, so this was a lot of work for him.) My boys took care of all of the meals, all the cleaning and all the laundry. They played piano to keep me entertained, and just sat with me when I couldn't move. They took such great care of me, and the house. My 12 year old gave me a jar of "Mom Tickets". Any time I needed something done all I had to do was give him a ticket. The sweet thing was that when I ran out of tickets, he just made me some more. ❤️ I honestly don't know if I would have shown as much grace as I received. (Holder Boys, you guys are awesome!) I am also so very grateful to all my friends who called, sent texts and emails, dropped off food and flowers, drove my kids around, took me to appointments and prayed for me! Thank you so much!

So, back to the kitchen cupboards... Even up to a couple of weeks ago, I was completely unsure how I was ever going to get the rest of the cupboards painted. My sweet neighbour, seeing my dilemma, offered to come and help me. She did all of the bending and more difficult tasks, while I finished the cupboard doors on craft paper on top of the counter, so I could do it without any bending. It is now officially completed and I really love how it turned out! My kitchen is so much brighter than it was. It was a lot more work than I thought it would be, but so worth it. My hubby likes it, too. The real blessing, though, is that whenever I think about my cupboards, I will remember how blessed I am by the people God has surrounded me with.




]]> I am finally posting Before and After photos of my kitchen cabinet makeover. I can't help but laugh at myself. When I was researching Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Kitchen Cabinet projects I noticed that many people made good progress on their kitchens and then life got in the way. Most people didn't complete their projects until weeks and weeks after they began. I was determined that I was going to start and finish my kitchen project in about two and a half or three weeks. I was going to push through until. Reached the finish line. Well, that didn't happen. I started the project in January and only finished a few days ago, just in time for Easter. Life didn't just happen, it ran me over.

The cupboards themselves took many more coats of paint than was suggested, so that probably doubled the time I actually needed to complete the project. As you can see, my cupboards were fairly dark before, and I was using Old White paint. It actually took between 4 and 5 coats to completely cover everything. I did both sides of the cupboard doors, so those were brutal. I was making really good progress, though, until I got sick. I came down with a cold/flu that put me in bed for a week or two. Just as I was beginning to feel like myself again, and was looking forward to finishing everything up, we joined my sister and her family on a short weekend trip to Great Wolf Lodge (a hotel with an indoor water park) in Ground Mound, Washington to celebrate my sweet nephew's 13th birthday. We had a fabulous time with a lot of laughter until the morning we were leaving. My youngest son had tried unsuccessfully to get any of us adults to join the kids in the pool. So that morning, I borrowed my sister's swim suit and headed in with them for their last swim. I figured that since he was almost 10 years old, there might not be many more occasions when he would really want me to join in. I secretly thought it was incredibly sweet, and so I made a spontaneous decision to join in the water fun with my boys and nephew. I had been having lower back pain on and off since Christmas, so I opted not to go down the waterside, and decided to play it safe and stick to the kids' wave pool. This was a decision I very quickly came to regret. Within 10 or 20 minutes of getting out, my back muscles had seized and I could barely move. To make things even worse, I scraped the top of my foot quite badly on the bottom of the pool (I think...I'm not totally sure) and soon developed a nasty and deep infection. And so began a 9 week (and counting) recovery. I was in an unprecedented amount of pain which meant I was out of commission for weeks. Not only was I unable to finish my kitchen makeover, I couldn't cook, clean, do laundry, drive my kids to their activities or even stand or walk for more than a minute or two. I was completely dependent on my family and friends for everything I needed. It was a vulnerable and frustrating season, but God blessed me immensely through the people in my life.

My daughter, who can very competently manage our home, has been away doing an internship this year, and she wasn't around. So, it was really up to my hubby and my boys (who are 16, 12 and 10) to keep things going. I was so blown away by the love and grace they showed me. I don't think any of them complained once about all the extra chores they had to do. Curtis had to take over grocery shopping and all errands that involved driving. He also had to do absolutely everything business related. He fulfilled all HeartwoodGifts orders, and made all the signs from beginning to end on his own, on top of his day time job. (He is a busy guy even with my help, so this was a lot of work for him.) My boys took care of all of the meals, all the cleaning and all the laundry. They played piano to keep me entertained, and just sat with me when I couldn't move. They took such great care of me, and the house. My 12 year old gave me a jar of "Mom Tickets". Any time I needed something done all I had to do was give him a ticket. The sweet thing was that when I ran out of tickets, he just made me some more. ❤️ I honestly don't know if I would have shown as much grace as I received. (Holder Boys, you guys are awesome!) I am also so very grateful to all my friends who called, sent texts and emails, dropped off food and flowers, drove my kids around, took me to appointments and prayed for me! Thank you so much!

So, back to the kitchen cupboards... Even up to a couple of weeks ago, I was completely unsure how I was ever going to get the rest of the cupboards painted. My sweet neighbour, seeing my dilemma, offered to come and help me. She did all of the bending and more difficult tasks, while I finished the cupboard doors on craft paper on top of the counter, so I could do it without any bending. It is now officially completed and I really love how it turned out! My kitchen is so much brighter than it was. It was a lot more work than I thought it would be, but so worth it. My hubby likes it, too. The real blessing, though, is that whenever I think about my cupboards, I will remember how blessed I am by the people God has surrounded me with.




]]> <![CDATA[Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Makeover ]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blogannie-sloan-chalk-paint-makeover-/ Wed, 18 Jan 2017 23:12:24 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blogannie-sloan-chalk-paint-makeover-/ Those of you who know us, know that my husband, Curtis and I are quite opposite. I'm a Tigger, he's an Eeyore. I'm spontaneous, he's a planner. I'm a spender, he's a saver. The list goes on and on, but one of the differences that has been exceptionally difficult for us is that I'm an adventurer who loves having new experiences, and I thrive on change (good changes, of course). When things start to get too routine, I start to feel like I'm suffocating. My hubby, on the other hand, doesn't like change at all, and he thrives on routine and predictability. He can plow through the more mundane tasks involved in our business like a pro (packaging and shipping, for example) because he has it down to a science. He has a very high tolerance for repetitive tasks, which, sadly, I do not. (I need to add that he does have a very creative side, and he is the brains behind the beautiful sign designs.)

Anyway, Curtis has had to put up with a lot of change since we got married. I am constantly rearranging things nd switching up furniture. I tend to buy most of our furniture on Craigslist because...well, it's like a treasure hunt (which I love), and also because, if I find a great deal, I don't feel like I've made a lifetime commitment. If something isn't working for me anymore, I can just put it back on Craigslist because it wasn't a huge investment. (Curtis sometimes jokingly asks me, when we are driving each other nuts, if I'm going to put HIM on Craiglist!)

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, I asked him if I could paint our kitchen cabinets a creamy white. I have a lot of wood in my kitchen and dining room. I love it, it's cozy, but I'm finding it a little dark. I want to keep the cozy feel, but I also want to make it feel a little brighter. I'm hoping white cabinets will reflect more light during these rainy Vancouver days. I was expecting an adamant "no", because they are in really good shape and they aren't ugly at all. He didn't say "no". In fact he said "yes". Honestly, I'm still in shock because so many of the much smaller changes I've made over the years have been really hard for him to embrace. (Embrace might actually be too strong of a word!) Anyway, I can't tell you how loved I feel that he is willing to let me take on this project! We've been married 19 years, so this is a big deal!

I invited my friend @homewithkelly over to look at the colours and discuss options, and she suggested that it might be wiser to start with something smaller than a kitchen! So, I'm going to start with this pine buffet, and I'm going to use Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White. I'll update you with progress photos after I get started. I'm hoping to buy the paint tomorrow. 

]]> Those of you who know us, know that my husband, Curtis and I are quite opposite. I'm a Tigger, he's an Eeyore. I'm spontaneous, he's a planner. I'm a spender, he's a saver. The list goes on and on, but one of the differences that has been exceptionally difficult for us is that I'm an adventurer who loves having new experiences, and I thrive on change (good changes, of course). When things start to get too routine, I start to feel like I'm suffocating. My hubby, on the other hand, doesn't like change at all, and he thrives on routine and predictability. He can plow through the more mundane tasks involved in our business like a pro (packaging and shipping, for example) because he has it down to a science. He has a very high tolerance for repetitive tasks, which, sadly, I do not. (I need to add that he does have a very creative side, and he is the brains behind the beautiful sign designs.)

Anyway, Curtis has had to put up with a lot of change since we got married. I am constantly rearranging things nd switching up furniture. I tend to buy most of our furniture on Craigslist because...well, it's like a treasure hunt (which I love), and also because, if I find a great deal, I don't feel like I've made a lifetime commitment. If something isn't working for me anymore, I can just put it back on Craigslist because it wasn't a huge investment. (Curtis sometimes jokingly asks me, when we are driving each other nuts, if I'm going to put HIM on Craiglist!)

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, I asked him if I could paint our kitchen cabinets a creamy white. I have a lot of wood in my kitchen and dining room. I love it, it's cozy, but I'm finding it a little dark. I want to keep the cozy feel, but I also want to make it feel a little brighter. I'm hoping white cabinets will reflect more light during these rainy Vancouver days. I was expecting an adamant "no", because they are in really good shape and they aren't ugly at all. He didn't say "no". In fact he said "yes". Honestly, I'm still in shock because so many of the much smaller changes I've made over the years have been really hard for him to embrace. (Embrace might actually be too strong of a word!) Anyway, I can't tell you how loved I feel that he is willing to let me take on this project! We've been married 19 years, so this is a big deal!

I invited my friend @homewithkelly over to look at the colours and discuss options, and she suggested that it might be wiser to start with something smaller than a kitchen! So, I'm going to start with this pine buffet, and I'm going to use Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White. I'll update you with progress photos after I get started. I'm hoping to buy the paint tomorrow. 

]]> <![CDATA[Yellow Mama]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blogyellow-mama/ Fri, 26 Aug 2016 23:12:35 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blogyellow-mama/ When we moved to BC, we learned very quickly that we weren't in Kansas, er Winnipeg, anymore. We had sold our house, the one that we had spent four years upgrading, but realized when we got here that it was going to be a while before we could afford another home of our own. Curtis was now working at a non-profit and Surrey is just a really expensive place to live. God placed us in an amazing community, and the 8 years we rented were definitely a gift for many, many reasons (but that's a post for another day). Anyway, two years or so ago, we bought a beautiful home that couldn't be more perfect for us. I loved everything about it, everything, that is, except the paint colour. After we bought the house, and before we moved in, we went back to take some measurements. It was a particularly dreary day, the kind BC winters are known for, and I noticed for the first time that the all the walls on the main floor were painted grey. The grey skies outside and the grey walls inside left me feeling really down.

I have to explain that I am not a person who has ever liked grey. In fact, I really dislike it. I love warm, happy colours that make spaces feel inviting and cozy, and this just wasn't doing it for me. We moved in with our really warm coloured wood furniture and accessories and the rooms still didn't feel cozy or inviting to me. Curtis, on the other hand really likes grey, and he was quite pleased with the paint, particularly because it had just been freshly painted, and the walls didn't even have any nail holes in them. The previous owners had painted just before putting the house on the market in order to make it easier to sell, I guess. They chose a very popular, modern colour. I almost wanted to cry when our new neighbours told me that it had been a beautiful warm colour scheme before. You might ask, what the big deal is. Why not just paint it myself? My dilemma was that it was hard to justify the expense of painting, when it had just been professionally done. Also, the ceilings in our living room are about 16 feet high, and the walls even part way up to the moulding are about 10 feet. So, any painting would involve a pretty high ladder and maybe even a scaffold. Not to mention, that my husband made it clear that he would not be helping at all. He did humour me a little. He smiled when I started praying about painting. I brought home paint chips to show him, and he always checked them out. I couldn't, however, seem to find a colour that tempted him enough to seriously consider it. In my heart, I really wanted to warm up the walls as much as I possibly could - which, of course means yellow, right? Curtis is not a fan of yellow at all, so I showed him every shade of beige, tan and mocha that I could find. Still, he was unconvinced.

Anyway, fast forward almost two years. We traveled back to Winnipeg to visit Curtis' Baba who is quite ill. The boys and our puppy all stayed with her at Curtis' parents' home, and the rest of us stayed with friends who live nearby. Two different families who both have yellow walls!! I was feeling some definite wall envy, let me tell you. One morning, Curtis, Sharaya and I were sitting at one of the homes having quick breakfast before heading over to visit family. The beautiful sunshine that Winnipeg is known for was streaming through the windows and reflecting off the yellow walls. It was a heavenly moment. I said to Curtis, "I have to tell you, I am LOVING, all this yellow!" Sharaya agreed and my husband, being the sweet guy that he is opened his heart to yellow walls in that moment, I think.

When we got home, everything just sort of fell into place. One of my very kind and very skilled cousins painted for us, and we now have yellow walls up to the moulding. I was inspired by my other long-time friend that we stayed with in Winnipeg who had both grey and yellow walls in her home. She is an interior designer and I have always valued her input when choosing colours. Seeing her colour scheme gave me hope that perhaps we could paint the walls yellow under the moulding, and leave the grey up above, and therefore avoid the scaffold difficulties altogether. We did, and you know what? It works. We may eventually have the higher part of the walls painted a lighter shade of yellow sometime in the future, but for now, it works. In the grand scheme of things I know that the colour grey on my walls isn't a big deal - especially in light of eternity. I'm guessing that God has already been painting my walls yellow in heaven. Or, perhaps the golden streets reflecting God's glory and light give off more than enough brightness and He knows yellow really isn't necessary. Either way, this home school mama's heart practically sings every time I come out of my bedroom and look over the railing into the living room below. I love it. (And I don't think Curtis minds it too much, either.)  Another benefit is that our wood signs look so much better against the new brighter colour and it motivated me to arrange a feature wall. I'm sure that as time goes by it will change (knowing me, that's probably a given), but for now I'm so happy with it!



]]> When we moved to BC, we learned very quickly that we weren't in Kansas, er Winnipeg, anymore. We had sold our house, the one that we had spent four years upgrading, but realized when we got here that it was going to be a while before we could afford another home of our own. Curtis was now working at a non-profit and Surrey is just a really expensive place to live. God placed us in an amazing community, and the 8 years we rented were definitely a gift for many, many reasons (but that's a post for another day). Anyway, two years or so ago, we bought a beautiful home that couldn't be more perfect for us. I loved everything about it, everything, that is, except the paint colour. After we bought the house, and before we moved in, we went back to take some measurements. It was a particularly dreary day, the kind BC winters are known for, and I noticed for the first time that the all the walls on the main floor were painted grey. The grey skies outside and the grey walls inside left me feeling really down.

I have to explain that I am not a person who has ever liked grey. In fact, I really dislike it. I love warm, happy colours that make spaces feel inviting and cozy, and this just wasn't doing it for me. We moved in with our really warm coloured wood furniture and accessories and the rooms still didn't feel cozy or inviting to me. Curtis, on the other hand really likes grey, and he was quite pleased with the paint, particularly because it had just been freshly painted, and the walls didn't even have any nail holes in them. The previous owners had painted just before putting the house on the market in order to make it easier to sell, I guess. They chose a very popular, modern colour. I almost wanted to cry when our new neighbours told me that it had been a beautiful warm colour scheme before. You might ask, what the big deal is. Why not just paint it myself? My dilemma was that it was hard to justify the expense of painting, when it had just been professionally done. Also, the ceilings in our living room are about 16 feet high, and the walls even part way up to the moulding are about 10 feet. So, any painting would involve a pretty high ladder and maybe even a scaffold. Not to mention, that my husband made it clear that he would not be helping at all. He did humour me a little. He smiled when I started praying about painting. I brought home paint chips to show him, and he always checked them out. I couldn't, however, seem to find a colour that tempted him enough to seriously consider it. In my heart, I really wanted to warm up the walls as much as I possibly could - which, of course means yellow, right? Curtis is not a fan of yellow at all, so I showed him every shade of beige, tan and mocha that I could find. Still, he was unconvinced.

Anyway, fast forward almost two years. We traveled back to Winnipeg to visit Curtis' Baba who is quite ill. The boys and our puppy all stayed with her at Curtis' parents' home, and the rest of us stayed with friends who live nearby. Two different families who both have yellow walls!! I was feeling some definite wall envy, let me tell you. One morning, Curtis, Sharaya and I were sitting at one of the homes having quick breakfast before heading over to visit family. The beautiful sunshine that Winnipeg is known for was streaming through the windows and reflecting off the yellow walls. It was a heavenly moment. I said to Curtis, "I have to tell you, I am LOVING, all this yellow!" Sharaya agreed and my husband, being the sweet guy that he is opened his heart to yellow walls in that moment, I think.

When we got home, everything just sort of fell into place. One of my very kind and very skilled cousins painted for us, and we now have yellow walls up to the moulding. I was inspired by my other long-time friend that we stayed with in Winnipeg who had both grey and yellow walls in her home. She is an interior designer and I have always valued her input when choosing colours. Seeing her colour scheme gave me hope that perhaps we could paint the walls yellow under the moulding, and leave the grey up above, and therefore avoid the scaffold difficulties altogether. We did, and you know what? It works. We may eventually have the higher part of the walls painted a lighter shade of yellow sometime in the future, but for now, it works. In the grand scheme of things I know that the colour grey on my walls isn't a big deal - especially in light of eternity. I'm guessing that God has already been painting my walls yellow in heaven. Or, perhaps the golden streets reflecting God's glory and light give off more than enough brightness and He knows yellow really isn't necessary. Either way, this home school mama's heart practically sings every time I come out of my bedroom and look over the railing into the living room below. I love it. (And I don't think Curtis minds it too much, either.)  Another benefit is that our wood signs look so much better against the new brighter colour and it motivated me to arrange a feature wall. I'm sure that as time goes by it will change (knowing me, that's probably a given), but for now I'm so happy with it!



]]> <![CDATA[Homeschooling? Are You Crazy?!]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/bloghomeschooling-are-you-crazy/ Tue, 31 May 2016 23:12:46 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/bloghomeschooling-are-you-crazy/ Our first born graduated from high school this week! What a celebration this has been for our family, and particularly for me! I began homeschooling Sharaya when she started kindergarten. I had wanted to homeschool her from the moment she was born. I had known a few families who were homeschooling their children, and the seed had been planted in my heart before Curtis and I were even dating. My husband had very different ideas, though. He was an Education student and was very pro-public school. We had completely opposite views and just couldn't seem to come to agreement on the issue at all. We literally went back and forth on the issue for years. Then, just a few months before Sharaya was ready to begin kindergarten, I asked Curtis to just come with me to the Homeschool Convention in Winnipeg, where we lived at the time. He agreed to go with me, but cautioned me that he wasn't promising anything. That day is etched in my memory. I know neither one of us was expecting to be as moved by the speakers as we were. We were both close to tears more than once. The keynote speaker was the founder of Lamplighter Publishing. (http://lamplighter.net/c/about/history/). He inspired us with his passion for great Christian literature. Another speaker was a local homeschool mother who had recently lost her seven year old boy in a tragic accident. She shared with us the gratitude she felt for the opportunity to spend all of her son's days with him at home. By the time Curtis and I went out for lunch between sessions, we both knew God was confirming to our hearts that we were supposed to homeschool our children. We agreed to take it one year at a time and re-evaluate our decision every year.

And so our journey began. We bought our curriculum from a local homeschooling family who had six children and lived in a small house in St. Boniface. We visited them in their home and selected books from their stock in the basement. It was a crazy thing we were doing. Aside from my best friend, who embarked on the same journey with me, we didn't know any other families in our city who were homeschooling their children. Our families were a little apprehensive (that might be a gross understatement), as the idea of homeschooling was really a foreign one still in Winnipeg at that time. We did find a homeschool group to join, but even there we were surprised to feel a little out of place. Most families were really big (7+ children), and they were mostly from out of town - small conservative towns. Many girls wore long dresses and some wore head coverings. We got to know a few families and, as they shared their hearts and experiences with us, I was even more sure we were on the right track.

My parents had moved to Surrey a couple of years earlier, and we were in the habit of making yearly trips out to visit them. This particular year, my dad called and asked if we would like to time our trip to coincide with the BC Homeschool Convention which was going to be held in Surrey. He even offered to pay for us to attend. (I guess he figured that if we were determined to homeschool our kids, they would do whatever they could to help us do it well.) So, with great excitement on my part, and great reluctance on Curtis', we signed up. The keynote speaker was Gordon Neufeld. He spoke from his book, Hold On To Your Kids. Even though he was not "promoting" homeschooling, his research and message confirmed in our hearts that homeschooling was what we were called to do. We've never looked back. That's not at all to say that I've never been tempted to throw in the towel! I'm sure I have had a meltdown about once a year since then, when I hit a wall and realize that there is no way I can teach all my kids everything they need to know in life all on my own. It's in those moments, though, that God whispers to my heart that I'm right - there is no way that I can teach them everything they need to know. He then reminds me that where I am weak, He is strong. While I can't give them everything they need, He can. He calms my fear that I am going to "ruin" them, and assures me that He will make up the difference. And, you know, He really has!

The fall Sharaya was beginning Grade Two, and our oldest son was beginning kindergarten, God moved us to Surrey. I like to think of BC as the Mecca for homeschoolers. In Winnipeg we very much felt like we were swimming against the stream, but in BC, we found "our people"! People who lived in the city and wore blue jeans most days. We couldn't believe how much government support there was for homeschooling families. We enrolled with Traditional Learning Academy (TLA), and it has truly been wonderful for our family. We learned about Distance Learning, Blended Learning, Online learning and Flip-Learning. We were able to enrol our kids in classes that taught everything from Ancient China, to penguins, to sewing, to Lego Mindstorms. Our kids were able to go to weekly classes and experience recess and packing a lunch! (This was a BIG deal, folks!). Our learning experiences have looked different every single year. It has been amazing! When I think about it, I am so blessed by the rich learning experiences my kids have had, and the flexibility there has been to cater their education and experiences to their needs and interests. The teachers who have supported me, and taught my kids, have been exceptional. It was a rewarding experience to be at Sharaya's graduation ceremony with most of those fine people, many of whom have become friends.

For the last few years, Sharaya has taken most of her high school courses online through TLA, with the exception of one Direct Class - Humanities - also through TLA. They had one class per week on Thursday afternoons, and completed work at home which prepared them for the following week's discussion. The 18 or so students have grown together over the past few years, and have loved their class. Many of them thanked their teacher, Suzanne Uher (who taught them every year), in their grad speech, and their enjoyment of the class shone through their words. It has been the best classroom experience, I've ever heard of. Rich learning experiences and deep discussions with all of the bonding, and none of the drama. So, Sharaya and her fellow students, decided that they wanted to do something special to honour their beloved teacher, and so they came up with the words and Curtis designed a Subway Art style wood sign for them to present her with. On it they included all the places visited and memories they could conjure up.

]]> Our first born graduated from high school this week! What a celebration this has been for our family, and particularly for me! I began homeschooling Sharaya when she started kindergarten. I had wanted to homeschool her from the moment she was born. I had known a few families who were homeschooling their children, and the seed had been planted in my heart before Curtis and I were even dating. My husband had very different ideas, though. He was an Education student and was very pro-public school. We had completely opposite views and just couldn't seem to come to agreement on the issue at all. We literally went back and forth on the issue for years. Then, just a few months before Sharaya was ready to begin kindergarten, I asked Curtis to just come with me to the Homeschool Convention in Winnipeg, where we lived at the time. He agreed to go with me, but cautioned me that he wasn't promising anything. That day is etched in my memory. I know neither one of us was expecting to be as moved by the speakers as we were. We were both close to tears more than once. The keynote speaker was the founder of Lamplighter Publishing. (http://lamplighter.net/c/about/history/). He inspired us with his passion for great Christian literature. Another speaker was a local homeschool mother who had recently lost her seven year old boy in a tragic accident. She shared with us the gratitude she felt for the opportunity to spend all of her son's days with him at home. By the time Curtis and I went out for lunch between sessions, we both knew God was confirming to our hearts that we were supposed to homeschool our children. We agreed to take it one year at a time and re-evaluate our decision every year.

And so our journey began. We bought our curriculum from a local homeschooling family who had six children and lived in a small house in St. Boniface. We visited them in their home and selected books from their stock in the basement. It was a crazy thing we were doing. Aside from my best friend, who embarked on the same journey with me, we didn't know any other families in our city who were homeschooling their children. Our families were a little apprehensive (that might be a gross understatement), as the idea of homeschooling was really a foreign one still in Winnipeg at that time. We did find a homeschool group to join, but even there we were surprised to feel a little out of place. Most families were really big (7+ children), and they were mostly from out of town - small conservative towns. Many girls wore long dresses and some wore head coverings. We got to know a few families and, as they shared their hearts and experiences with us, I was even more sure we were on the right track.

My parents had moved to Surrey a couple of years earlier, and we were in the habit of making yearly trips out to visit them. This particular year, my dad called and asked if we would like to time our trip to coincide with the BC Homeschool Convention which was going to be held in Surrey. He even offered to pay for us to attend. (I guess he figured that if we were determined to homeschool our kids, they would do whatever they could to help us do it well.) So, with great excitement on my part, and great reluctance on Curtis', we signed up. The keynote speaker was Gordon Neufeld. He spoke from his book, Hold On To Your Kids. Even though he was not "promoting" homeschooling, his research and message confirmed in our hearts that homeschooling was what we were called to do. We've never looked back. That's not at all to say that I've never been tempted to throw in the towel! I'm sure I have had a meltdown about once a year since then, when I hit a wall and realize that there is no way I can teach all my kids everything they need to know in life all on my own. It's in those moments, though, that God whispers to my heart that I'm right - there is no way that I can teach them everything they need to know. He then reminds me that where I am weak, He is strong. While I can't give them everything they need, He can. He calms my fear that I am going to "ruin" them, and assures me that He will make up the difference. And, you know, He really has!

The fall Sharaya was beginning Grade Two, and our oldest son was beginning kindergarten, God moved us to Surrey. I like to think of BC as the Mecca for homeschoolers. In Winnipeg we very much felt like we were swimming against the stream, but in BC, we found "our people"! People who lived in the city and wore blue jeans most days. We couldn't believe how much government support there was for homeschooling families. We enrolled with Traditional Learning Academy (TLA), and it has truly been wonderful for our family. We learned about Distance Learning, Blended Learning, Online learning and Flip-Learning. We were able to enrol our kids in classes that taught everything from Ancient China, to penguins, to sewing, to Lego Mindstorms. Our kids were able to go to weekly classes and experience recess and packing a lunch! (This was a BIG deal, folks!). Our learning experiences have looked different every single year. It has been amazing! When I think about it, I am so blessed by the rich learning experiences my kids have had, and the flexibility there has been to cater their education and experiences to their needs and interests. The teachers who have supported me, and taught my kids, have been exceptional. It was a rewarding experience to be at Sharaya's graduation ceremony with most of those fine people, many of whom have become friends.

For the last few years, Sharaya has taken most of her high school courses online through TLA, with the exception of one Direct Class - Humanities - also through TLA. They had one class per week on Thursday afternoons, and completed work at home which prepared them for the following week's discussion. The 18 or so students have grown together over the past few years, and have loved their class. Many of them thanked their teacher, Suzanne Uher (who taught them every year), in their grad speech, and their enjoyment of the class shone through their words. It has been the best classroom experience, I've ever heard of. Rich learning experiences and deep discussions with all of the bonding, and none of the drama. So, Sharaya and her fellow students, decided that they wanted to do something special to honour their beloved teacher, and so they came up with the words and Curtis designed a Subway Art style wood sign for them to present her with. On it they included all the places visited and memories they could conjure up.

]]> <![CDATA[Baba Teenie]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blogbaba-teenie/ Fri, 06 May 2016 23:12:57 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blogbaba-teenie/ We are approaching this Mother's Day this year with some sadness. My husband's grandmother is in the hospital and we are faced with the possibility of losing her soon. She is a beautiful and strong pioneer woman who raised her kids on a farmstead in Dauphin, Manitoba - the Ukrainian capitol of Canada. I met her at her 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration. Curtis and I had just started seeing each other and he was excited to introduce me to his clan, and especially his Baba and Gido. They very graciously welcomed me, a stranger, to their special occasion. I even made it into many of the professional family photos. I was enchanted by his Baba's Ukrainian accent and amazed at the abundance of food she had prepared and had stored in her pantry and freezers ( yes, there were a few) ready to send home with anyone who came to visit. Over the years, we often went to Dauphin for the weekend and we would be sent home with an abundance of pickles, beets, borscht and perogies. Our kids loved going. One summer, we went out to visit one weekend when Curtis' parents were also there. We decided to take a drive out to the old homestead that Curtis' great-grandfather and grandfather had built, and where his mother and uncles had spent their early years. The house was still standing, despite the fact that no one had lived in it for many years. The front wall was missing, and we were able to walk right in and look around. We enjoyed the stories and the tour as Curtis' mom and Baba reminisced about their years spent in that home - their chores, their pets, the difficulties and the joys. It was incredible that we were still able to see the wallpaper on the walls even after many harsh Manitoba winters. The snow would have blown right in. Even more incredible is the treasure that we found in a box that had been packed, but inadvertently left behind. It was a baby book that Curtis' Baba had created when she had her only daughter, my MIL. It was hilarious to read that she had described her baby girl as, "nice and chubby"! Truly, what a gift it was to find it all those years later. I will never forget that day.

Just recently, we traveled back to Manitoba to visit with Baba, and the rest of Curtis' family, realizing that it might be our last visit with her. We were able to talk, laugh, hug, pray and just enjoy being together. We also feasted on a seemingly endless supply of delicious, Ukrainian dishes. Everything was so beautifully familiar. It was lovely to be back.

Unfortunately, a week or so after our visit, Baba fell and broke her femur. She had surgery the very next day, but she has bronchitis and cancer and has been declining in health ever since. It is very touch and go at the moment, and she is never far from our thoughts and prayers. My MIL, is also constantly in our prayers as she has travelled to Dauphin from Winnipeg to care for her mom in the hospital. Curtis and I both wish we could jump back on a plane to go and be with them at this important time. We love them both so much!

Here is a wood sign we made for Baba last year.


The kids (and Monty) with Baba Teenie

]]> We are approaching this Mother's Day this year with some sadness. My husband's grandmother is in the hospital and we are faced with the possibility of losing her soon. She is a beautiful and strong pioneer woman who raised her kids on a farmstead in Dauphin, Manitoba - the Ukrainian capitol of Canada. I met her at her 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration. Curtis and I had just started seeing each other and he was excited to introduce me to his clan, and especially his Baba and Gido. They very graciously welcomed me, a stranger, to their special occasion. I even made it into many of the professional family photos. I was enchanted by his Baba's Ukrainian accent and amazed at the abundance of food she had prepared and had stored in her pantry and freezers ( yes, there were a few) ready to send home with anyone who came to visit. Over the years, we often went to Dauphin for the weekend and we would be sent home with an abundance of pickles, beets, borscht and perogies. Our kids loved going. One summer, we went out to visit one weekend when Curtis' parents were also there. We decided to take a drive out to the old homestead that Curtis' great-grandfather and grandfather had built, and where his mother and uncles had spent their early years. The house was still standing, despite the fact that no one had lived in it for many years. The front wall was missing, and we were able to walk right in and look around. We enjoyed the stories and the tour as Curtis' mom and Baba reminisced about their years spent in that home - their chores, their pets, the difficulties and the joys. It was incredible that we were still able to see the wallpaper on the walls even after many harsh Manitoba winters. The snow would have blown right in. Even more incredible is the treasure that we found in a box that had been packed, but inadvertently left behind. It was a baby book that Curtis' Baba had created when she had her only daughter, my MIL. It was hilarious to read that she had described her baby girl as, "nice and chubby"! Truly, what a gift it was to find it all those years later. I will never forget that day.

Just recently, we traveled back to Manitoba to visit with Baba, and the rest of Curtis' family, realizing that it might be our last visit with her. We were able to talk, laugh, hug, pray and just enjoy being together. We also feasted on a seemingly endless supply of delicious, Ukrainian dishes. Everything was so beautifully familiar. It was lovely to be back.

Unfortunately, a week or so after our visit, Baba fell and broke her femur. She had surgery the very next day, but she has bronchitis and cancer and has been declining in health ever since. It is very touch and go at the moment, and she is never far from our thoughts and prayers. My MIL, is also constantly in our prayers as she has travelled to Dauphin from Winnipeg to care for her mom in the hospital. Curtis and I both wish we could jump back on a plane to go and be with them at this important time. We love them both so much!

Here is a wood sign we made for Baba last year.


The kids (and Monty) with Baba Teenie

]]> <![CDATA[Wedding and Shower Gifts Made Easy]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/wedding-and-shower-gifts-made-easy/ Fri, 05 Jun 2015 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/wedding-and-shower-gifts-made-easy/ Wedding Season Has Begun!

...And we are ready! We have many beautiful options for wedding decor, shower gifts, wedding gifts, wedding party gifts and anniversary gifts.

Our leather bound journals and books make great guest books, and gifts for everyone in your wedding party. They can even be personalized any way you like with names and your wedding date. Our leather photo albums, filled with wedding photos, make a great keepsake, and can also be personalized.

Our wooden pen sets also make great thank you gifts for anyone who has helped make a wedding a success.

Our plantable paper and journal products can be used for a variety of things, from gift tags for wedding favours to thank you gifts.

Our custom made-to-order shabby chic wooden signs can be designed for just about anything you can think of. We can make signs for wedding decor...to direct your guests to their seats, the reception area or just as a fun addition to your theme. We have done "Save the Date" and other signs for wedding and engagement photo props. We have also made signs with a couple's wedding vows, which make a beautiful keepsake for the couple. This simple Love sign is also a beautiful choice. Our most popular signs might just be our Family Establishment signs. There are several styles and sizes on our website for you to peruse through. Take a look! If your creative juices are flowing, and you have an idea for a sign, send us an email, or give us a call. We love custom orders!

]]> Wedding Season Has Begun!

...And we are ready! We have many beautiful options for wedding decor, shower gifts, wedding gifts, wedding party gifts and anniversary gifts.

Our leather bound journals and books make great guest books, and gifts for everyone in your wedding party. They can even be personalized any way you like with names and your wedding date. Our leather photo albums, filled with wedding photos, make a great keepsake, and can also be personalized.

Our wooden pen sets also make great thank you gifts for anyone who has helped make a wedding a success.

Our plantable paper and journal products can be used for a variety of things, from gift tags for wedding favours to thank you gifts.

Our custom made-to-order shabby chic wooden signs can be designed for just about anything you can think of. We can make signs for wedding decor...to direct your guests to their seats, the reception area or just as a fun addition to your theme. We have done "Save the Date" and other signs for wedding and engagement photo props. We have also made signs with a couple's wedding vows, which make a beautiful keepsake for the couple. This simple Love sign is also a beautiful choice. Our most popular signs might just be our Family Establishment signs. There are several styles and sizes on our website for you to peruse through. Take a look! If your creative juices are flowing, and you have an idea for a sign, send us an email, or give us a call. We love custom orders!

]]> <![CDATA[Custom Wood Signs For The Office]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/custom-wood-signs-for-the-office/ Tue, 02 Jun 2015 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/custom-wood-signs-for-the-office/ Custom Signs for the Office. Inspirational, Motivational or just for Fun!
We are often asked by companies to design and make signs to add a personal touch to the office environment. We can engrave your company logo for a sign in your lobby or outside your door, or make employee names for outside their offices. We can even make menus, direction signs, awards or memorial plaques. Here are a few signs that we have made recently. If you are interested in personalizing your office space, we are happy to help!

]]> Custom Signs for the Office. Inspirational, Motivational or just for Fun!
We are often asked by companies to design and make signs to add a personal touch to the office environment. We can engrave your company logo for a sign in your lobby or outside your door, or make employee names for outside their offices. We can even make menus, direction signs, awards or memorial plaques. Here are a few signs that we have made recently. If you are interested in personalizing your office space, we are happy to help!

]]> <![CDATA[Corporate Gift Orders]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/corporate-gift-orders/ Tue, 19 May 2015 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/corporate-gift-orders/ If you are a company or organization looking for unique gifts for your members or employees, or if you have a special event coming up, we may have just what you are looking for. We have provided beautiful corporate gifts for many companies and for various occasions. Our plantable paper products are ideal for many different environmentally conscious organizations and events. Our collapsible baskets have been a top pick for a variety of companies and organizations as employee/member appreciation gifts. Our selection of wooden pens and leather journals are also a popular choice, and can be engraved with names and/or logos. In fact, just last week we wrapped up an order for le club b from Geneva, Switzerland. They are a private members financial group that found us online to provide special gifts for their guest speakers, for their upcoming Canadian seminar at the Ritz Carlton inToronto. We were able to send a complementary beautiful rosewood pen, and a leather journal engraved with the company logo and an inspiring phrase which they chose, for each member.


If you are interested in corporate gifts, please feel free to give us a call! We would be happy to discuss options and pricing with you.

"I just wanted to take the time to thank you for offering such wonderful service. It’s been agreed already that we will place the same order for our Canada conference next year so please know that the exceptional service you provide has not gone unnoticed." ~ Samantha, le club b

]]> If you are a company or organization looking for unique gifts for your members or employees, or if you have a special event coming up, we may have just what you are looking for. We have provided beautiful corporate gifts for many companies and for various occasions. Our plantable paper products are ideal for many different environmentally conscious organizations and events. Our collapsible baskets have been a top pick for a variety of companies and organizations as employee/member appreciation gifts. Our selection of wooden pens and leather journals are also a popular choice, and can be engraved with names and/or logos. In fact, just last week we wrapped up an order for le club b from Geneva, Switzerland. They are a private members financial group that found us online to provide special gifts for their guest speakers, for their upcoming Canadian seminar at the Ritz Carlton inToronto. We were able to send a complementary beautiful rosewood pen, and a leather journal engraved with the company logo and an inspiring phrase which they chose, for each member.


If you are interested in corporate gifts, please feel free to give us a call! We would be happy to discuss options and pricing with you.

"I just wanted to take the time to thank you for offering such wonderful service. It’s been agreed already that we will place the same order for our Canada conference next year so please know that the exceptional service you provide has not gone unnoticed." ~ Samantha, le club b

]]> <![CDATA[Heartwood Gifts Customers Are the BEST!]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/heartwood-gifts-customers-are-the-best/ Thu, 29 Jan 2015 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/heartwood-gifts-customers-are-the-best/ <![CDATA[A Year In Review ]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/A-Year-In-Review Sun, 18 Jan 2015 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/A-Year-In-Review Wow! 2014 was an amazing year for us! It was a year of expansion and blessing. At the beginning of the year, we had more than outgrown our space. We knew we couldnʼt possibly grow any more unless we made a change and moved. With some trepidation, we took some small steps towards finding a bigger place for our family and for Heartwood Gifts. We spoke with our financial advisor (Rob Gawthrop at Gawthrop Financial), found a realtor, and went out and looked at a few places. On just our third outing, we found a place that was even more perfect for us than we knew. It was not smooth sailing, though. There were several large obstacles, but after 6 (very long) roller coaster weeks, we purchased our new place. We had to wait a few months for possession but, finally, in June we moved in. It was lovely to be able to spend the summer months settling in to our new home and neighborhood, before the homeschool year started up again. We suddenly had a lot more space for inventory and shipping, and we had fun setting up our “Heartwood Gifts” room. We thought that this was our new normal, but God had more in mind for us than we realized. In August, we were faced with a big decision to do with our wood signs. We had to either abandon that line of gifts or jump in with both feet. We both love wood signs, though. Because they can be personalized, they have a unique potential to encourage and uplift those who read them. They can celebrate the arrival of a new baby, or the beginning of a new marriage. They can help build family identity. They can be touching, inspirational or humorous. There are endless possibilities. So, we decided to jump in with both feet. We took over the production of the signs, from designing to engraving to hand painting. What a blast! We just had our busiest Christmas season to date. Thank you to all of our customers for being a part of this journey! We feel really blessed

]]> Wow! 2014 was an amazing year for us! It was a year of expansion and blessing. At the beginning of the year, we had more than outgrown our space. We knew we couldnʼt possibly grow any more unless we made a change and moved. With some trepidation, we took some small steps towards finding a bigger place for our family and for Heartwood Gifts. We spoke with our financial advisor (Rob Gawthrop at Gawthrop Financial), found a realtor, and went out and looked at a few places. On just our third outing, we found a place that was even more perfect for us than we knew. It was not smooth sailing, though. There were several large obstacles, but after 6 (very long) roller coaster weeks, we purchased our new place. We had to wait a few months for possession but, finally, in June we moved in. It was lovely to be able to spend the summer months settling in to our new home and neighborhood, before the homeschool year started up again. We suddenly had a lot more space for inventory and shipping, and we had fun setting up our “Heartwood Gifts” room. We thought that this was our new normal, but God had more in mind for us than we realized. In August, we were faced with a big decision to do with our wood signs. We had to either abandon that line of gifts or jump in with both feet. We both love wood signs, though. Because they can be personalized, they have a unique potential to encourage and uplift those who read them. They can celebrate the arrival of a new baby, or the beginning of a new marriage. They can help build family identity. They can be touching, inspirational or humorous. There are endless possibilities. So, we decided to jump in with both feet. We took over the production of the signs, from designing to engraving to hand painting. What a blast! We just had our busiest Christmas season to date. Thank you to all of our customers for being a part of this journey! We feel really blessed

]]> <![CDATA[Plantable Seed Paper - A Fantastic Unique Gift Idea]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/plantable-seed-paper-a-fantastic-unique-gift-idea/ Tue, 29 Apr 2014 13:30:10 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/plantable-seed-paper-a-fantastic-unique-gift-idea/ The day we set our clocks an hour a head and "spring forward" is one of my favourite days of the year. I never complain about the lost hour of sleep. I don't enjoy winter because I have a very low tolerance for cold. We used to live on the prairies in Winnipeg and I used to hibernate with my little ones for almost 5 months of the year, leaving the house only when absolutely necessary. I don't enjoy the cold, or any activities that involve being cold. Since moving to South Surrey, BC, I don't need to hibernate any more, but I do admit that the lack of sunshine gets me down. Spring Daylight Savings feels to me like a kick-start to the Spring season, the official start of long days and sunshine. I was excited to see flowering plants for sale in a big outdoor display when I was grocery shopping this week. It brought to mind a very cool line of unique gifts that we offer: Plantable Seed Paper. Handcrafted by the fine folks at Botanical Paperworks, this company began out of the owners' love of handcrafting their own paper. Mary Reimer and her daughter, Heidi Reimer-Epp are long-time friends of ours that were, at one time, my next-door neighbours. (Heidi and I also attended the same high school.) In fact, they even made our wedding invitations back in 1997 when Curtis and I got married.Their company was one of the first in North America to invent plantable seed paper. 

Their paper products are made with seeds that, when planted in the ground, grow wild flowers. We offer journals with plantable covers, and card sets made from seed paper. These come in "thank you" cards and various occasion cards; all which make great unique gifts for any flower-loving friends. One of our most popular card sets are the "Yummy Cards". Each card in this pack of 6 includes a strip of seed paper that grows 

herbs when it is planted. A corresponding recipe is printed on the back of the card. Some of our corporate customers have bought these for their clients attending various eco-friendly green events. On the flipside, our DIY customers prefer the 8.5" x 11" sheets of paper that comes in packs of 10. These sheets allow you to get as creative as you want. Many have created their own business cards, event invitations, or favours for weddings, showers and parties. No matter which you prefer, all of our plantable seed paper products promotes a greener environment, as they are made with post-consumer material. This means that no new fibers are used in the production of the paper. Also, when the paper itself is planted, it composts away leaving only wildflowers (or herbs) and NO WASTE!

 

]]> The day we set our clocks an hour a head and "spring forward" is one of my favourite days of the year. I never complain about the lost hour of sleep. I don't enjoy winter because I have a very low tolerance for cold. We used to live on the prairies in Winnipeg and I used to hibernate with my little ones for almost 5 months of the year, leaving the house only when absolutely necessary. I don't enjoy the cold, or any activities that involve being cold. Since moving to South Surrey, BC, I don't need to hibernate any more, but I do admit that the lack of sunshine gets me down. Spring Daylight Savings feels to me like a kick-start to the Spring season, the official start of long days and sunshine. I was excited to see flowering plants for sale in a big outdoor display when I was grocery shopping this week. It brought to mind a very cool line of unique gifts that we offer: Plantable Seed Paper. Handcrafted by the fine folks at Botanical Paperworks, this company began out of the owners' love of handcrafting their own paper. Mary Reimer and her daughter, Heidi Reimer-Epp are long-time friends of ours that were, at one time, my next-door neighbours. (Heidi and I also attended the same high school.) In fact, they even made our wedding invitations back in 1997 when Curtis and I got married.Their company was one of the first in North America to invent plantable seed paper. 

Their paper products are made with seeds that, when planted in the ground, grow wild flowers. We offer journals with plantable covers, and card sets made from seed paper. These come in "thank you" cards and various occasion cards; all which make great unique gifts for any flower-loving friends. One of our most popular card sets are the "Yummy Cards". Each card in this pack of 6 includes a strip of seed paper that grows 

herbs when it is planted. A corresponding recipe is printed on the back of the card. Some of our corporate customers have bought these for their clients attending various eco-friendly green events. On the flipside, our DIY customers prefer the 8.5" x 11" sheets of paper that comes in packs of 10. These sheets allow you to get as creative as you want. Many have created their own business cards, event invitations, or favours for weddings, showers and parties. No matter which you prefer, all of our plantable seed paper products promotes a greener environment, as they are made with post-consumer material. This means that no new fibers are used in the production of the paper. Also, when the paper itself is planted, it composts away leaving only wildflowers (or herbs) and NO WASTE!

 

]]> <![CDATA[Beaded Silverware Utensils and Canadian Souvenirs - Unique Gifts from The Dazzling Gourmet]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/beaded-silverware-utensils-and-canadian-souvenirs-unique-gifts-from-the-dazzling-gourmet/ Tue, 29 Apr 2014 13:30:08 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/beaded-silverware-utensils-and-canadian-souvenirs-unique-gifts-from-the-dazzling-gourmet/ Curtis and I love checking out local craft shows. We enjoy seeing artisans proudly displaying their creations. The first time I saw beaded silverware, I was delighted. So simple, yet so beautiful. Dazzling Gourmet is a local, Canadian company that makes several lines of serving spoons, forks, knifes and sets, as well as wine bottle corks, book clips, salad servers and tongs. They offer a dazzling selection of coloured beads to match any decor, as well as lovely charms that appeal to a variety of hobbies and interests. 

They have a line of Canada Souvenir gifts that are perfect for those wanting to take give something Canadian to a relative or friend on during their travels. My favourite is the Fiesta line of products decorated with rich, colourful stones. The boxed and carded gift sets make lovely birthday, engagement, wedding and anniversary gifts. The cake server sets, in particular, are popular with brides and grooms at the cake cutting ceremony on their wedding day. The beads can be pearl white, or can coordinate with the bridesmaidsʼ dresses. For this reason, they make great shower gifts. The tea, friendship, java and jam spoons make lovely gifts for any occasion. The many hors dʼoeuvres and condiment utensils are fabulous for entertaining. You can check them out on our Dazzling Gourmet page.

]]> Curtis and I love checking out local craft shows. We enjoy seeing artisans proudly displaying their creations. The first time I saw beaded silverware, I was delighted. So simple, yet so beautiful. Dazzling Gourmet is a local, Canadian company that makes several lines of serving spoons, forks, knifes and sets, as well as wine bottle corks, book clips, salad servers and tongs. They offer a dazzling selection of coloured beads to match any decor, as well as lovely charms that appeal to a variety of hobbies and interests. 

They have a line of Canada Souvenir gifts that are perfect for those wanting to take give something Canadian to a relative or friend on during their travels. My favourite is the Fiesta line of products decorated with rich, colourful stones. The boxed and carded gift sets make lovely birthday, engagement, wedding and anniversary gifts. The cake server sets, in particular, are popular with brides and grooms at the cake cutting ceremony on their wedding day. The beads can be pearl white, or can coordinate with the bridesmaidsʼ dresses. For this reason, they make great shower gifts. The tea, friendship, java and jam spoons make lovely gifts for any occasion. The many hors dʼoeuvres and condiment utensils are fabulous for entertaining. You can check them out on our Dazzling Gourmet page.

]]> <![CDATA[Leather Journals - Our Story of a Really Great Unique Gift Idea]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/leather-journals-our-story-of-a-really-great-unique-gift-idea-/ Tue, 29 Apr 2014 13:30:01 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/leather-journals-our-story-of-a-really-great-unique-gift-idea-/ Not too long after we had HeartwoodGifts.com up and running, we attended a trade show to seek out some more unique gifts for our store. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a display of beautiful, handmade leather journals. Deneen grabbed my hand and pulled me in to take a look with her, and we were introduced to Phasha journals for the first time. I was so drawn to the deep brown and red hues in the leather. The smooth appearance made it irresistible and I just had to pick them all up and feel them. They had a great variety of styles. There were plain ones that had an understated, rustic feel to them. The Stitch with Stone ones really caught my attention, and I think they are my personal favourites. They come in a variety of semi precious stones, and are stitched around the edges. They also had several different tooled journals, which have a 

pattern embossed into the leather. These come with or without stones, and all featured handcrafted acid-free cotton paper inside. We also were impressed with their gorgeous photo albums, guest books and sketch books. We spent most of our time that day talking with the owners of the company. They were a young, Canadian couple who had spent some time traveling the world. While they were in India, they made some relationships with a leather artisan, and the vision for their company was born. We were delighted that their connection to the people manufacturing their products was so strong (they travelled regularly to India to ensure quality was never compromised), and that they knew that the working conditions were good, and that the artisans were being paid a fair wage. (Phasha has since changed hands, but the relationship with the artisans has continued with the new owners.) So, we decided to go for it that day, and weʼve never looked back. One of the lines that we introduced later on are the Celtic leather journals. We already had had several leather journals we wanted to keep in stock in all their various sizes, but decided to take a chance and see if they would appeal to our customers. Perhaps we had to because of our British, Scottish and Irish heritage (we gave our three sons names with Celtic origins, so that ancestry might be strong). I was particularly drawn to the Tree of Life design. At our first home birth, after our baby boy was born, our midwife (and special friend) took the time to show me the placenta before I cut the cord. I was amazed to see that there was a perfect Tree of Life design in the placenta. Anyway, apparently our customers really like them, too. They are always hard to keep in stock.

]]> Not too long after we had HeartwoodGifts.com up and running, we attended a trade show to seek out some more unique gifts for our store. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a display of beautiful, handmade leather journals. Deneen grabbed my hand and pulled me in to take a look with her, and we were introduced to Phasha journals for the first time. I was so drawn to the deep brown and red hues in the leather. The smooth appearance made it irresistible and I just had to pick them all up and feel them. They had a great variety of styles. There were plain ones that had an understated, rustic feel to them. The Stitch with Stone ones really caught my attention, and I think they are my personal favourites. They come in a variety of semi precious stones, and are stitched around the edges. They also had several different tooled journals, which have a 

pattern embossed into the leather. These come with or without stones, and all featured handcrafted acid-free cotton paper inside. We also were impressed with their gorgeous photo albums, guest books and sketch books. We spent most of our time that day talking with the owners of the company. They were a young, Canadian couple who had spent some time traveling the world. While they were in India, they made some relationships with a leather artisan, and the vision for their company was born. We were delighted that their connection to the people manufacturing their products was so strong (they travelled regularly to India to ensure quality was never compromised), and that they knew that the working conditions were good, and that the artisans were being paid a fair wage. (Phasha has since changed hands, but the relationship with the artisans has continued with the new owners.) So, we decided to go for it that day, and weʼve never looked back. One of the lines that we introduced later on are the Celtic leather journals. We already had had several leather journals we wanted to keep in stock in all their various sizes, but decided to take a chance and see if they would appeal to our customers. Perhaps we had to because of our British, Scottish and Irish heritage (we gave our three sons names with Celtic origins, so that ancestry might be strong). I was particularly drawn to the Tree of Life design. At our first home birth, after our baby boy was born, our midwife (and special friend) took the time to show me the placenta before I cut the cord. I was amazed to see that there was a perfect Tree of Life design in the placenta. Anyway, apparently our customers really like them, too. They are always hard to keep in stock.

]]> <![CDATA[Buy A Tiffany Lamp And Make a Really BIG Difference]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/buy-a-tiffany-lamp-and-make-a-really-big-difference/ Tue, 29 Apr 2014 13:29:58 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/buy-a-tiffany-lamp-and-make-a-really-big-difference/ Years ago, when we lived in Winnipeg, Manitoba, we were blessed with a really special friendship. We were hosting a small group in our home and we clicked instantly with one of the couples that joined us. They were witty and fun and we had a lot in common. We both had a toddler and a new baby. We had similar views on parenting, and similar goals for our families. We had both had home births, were die hard breastfeeders and were talking about homeschooling our children someday. They introduced us to the many benefits of cloth diapering. You get the idea. We bonded over attempts to capture a mouse that had escaped the cold outside, had made its way into our kitchen and was tormenting us. We so enjoyed hanging out with them that were terribly disappointed when they announced that they had applied for a job in Ottawa. We were secretly (or not so secretly) hoping that it wouldn’t pan out, but alas it did, and only six months into the friendship they moved away. I honestly didn’t think that we would be able to keep in touch. Life is busy and people move on, but somehow we did keep in touch. Roberta and I kept in contact by phone mainly, and we visited with them whenever they returned to Wpg to see family.

A few years later, we moved to BC. We no longer were able to visit when they were in Wpg, but we did get to see Adrian a few times when he was in our neck of the woods for work. We were delighted when, after having three biological children, they decided to build their family through adoption. When they stopped over in Vancouver on their way home from China with their new daughter, we met them at the airport. What an exciting day that was. A couple of years later, they decided to adopt another child from China. Because they felt that their newest daughter was not ready to be left by both parents, and because they felt that it was too soon to take her back to China, they decided that one of them needed to stay home. It was decided that Roberta should be the one to travel, and they asked me if I would consider going with her to help. What an honour! I have always loved adoption, and I had been to China before and loved it, too. It really was a dream come true for me, and I was thrilled to be invited to be a part of their adoption story. It was an amazing trip, and such a privilege to see their newest son welcomed into his forever family.

A couple of months after we had returned home, they called with some incredible news - they felt called to leave their job and home, and move with their five children to China. They couldn’t stop thinking about all the orphans they had left behind. They wanted to do something for the ones who were not “adoptable” - those with special needs who were in need of surgery. So, they did. Less than two months ago they moved to China. Their blog is called Forever Family and we hope you'll check it out. We are so inspired by their lives, and so blessed by their friendship, that we would like to support the ministry that they are working with. It is called New Day South Foster Home in Zhongshan, China. So this is what we have come up with: We would like to give 10% of each Tiffany Lamp sale to New Day South to care for, and provide surgeries for, orphaned children who need them. (Just so you know, we have not raised the prices by 10%, plus we are  offering FREE shipping within Canada and the USA. That's right, there's really nothing left in it for us.)  Even if you don’t buy a Tiffany Lamp, we invite you to partner with us and support this ministry. Feel free to contact us for more details. 

]]> Years ago, when we lived in Winnipeg, Manitoba, we were blessed with a really special friendship. We were hosting a small group in our home and we clicked instantly with one of the couples that joined us. They were witty and fun and we had a lot in common. We both had a toddler and a new baby. We had similar views on parenting, and similar goals for our families. We had both had home births, were die hard breastfeeders and were talking about homeschooling our children someday. They introduced us to the many benefits of cloth diapering. You get the idea. We bonded over attempts to capture a mouse that had escaped the cold outside, had made its way into our kitchen and was tormenting us. We so enjoyed hanging out with them that were terribly disappointed when they announced that they had applied for a job in Ottawa. We were secretly (or not so secretly) hoping that it wouldn’t pan out, but alas it did, and only six months into the friendship they moved away. I honestly didn’t think that we would be able to keep in touch. Life is busy and people move on, but somehow we did keep in touch. Roberta and I kept in contact by phone mainly, and we visited with them whenever they returned to Wpg to see family.

A few years later, we moved to BC. We no longer were able to visit when they were in Wpg, but we did get to see Adrian a few times when he was in our neck of the woods for work. We were delighted when, after having three biological children, they decided to build their family through adoption. When they stopped over in Vancouver on their way home from China with their new daughter, we met them at the airport. What an exciting day that was. A couple of years later, they decided to adopt another child from China. Because they felt that their newest daughter was not ready to be left by both parents, and because they felt that it was too soon to take her back to China, they decided that one of them needed to stay home. It was decided that Roberta should be the one to travel, and they asked me if I would consider going with her to help. What an honour! I have always loved adoption, and I had been to China before and loved it, too. It really was a dream come true for me, and I was thrilled to be invited to be a part of their adoption story. It was an amazing trip, and such a privilege to see their newest son welcomed into his forever family.

A couple of months after we had returned home, they called with some incredible news - they felt called to leave their job and home, and move with their five children to China. They couldn’t stop thinking about all the orphans they had left behind. They wanted to do something for the ones who were not “adoptable” - those with special needs who were in need of surgery. So, they did. Less than two months ago they moved to China. Their blog is called Forever Family and we hope you'll check it out. We are so inspired by their lives, and so blessed by their friendship, that we would like to support the ministry that they are working with. It is called New Day South Foster Home in Zhongshan, China. So this is what we have come up with: We would like to give 10% of each Tiffany Lamp sale to New Day South to care for, and provide surgeries for, orphaned children who need them. (Just so you know, we have not raised the prices by 10%, plus we are  offering FREE shipping within Canada and the USA. That's right, there's really nothing left in it for us.)  Even if you don’t buy a Tiffany Lamp, we invite you to partner with us and support this ministry. Feel free to contact us for more details. 

]]> <![CDATA[Leather Journals - Handcrafted in Canada Venetian Style]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/leather-journals-handcrafted-in-canada-venetian-style/ Tue, 29 Apr 2014 13:29:54 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/leather-journals-handcrafted-in-canada-venetian-style/ Whether you are a traveller visiting Canada, a Canadian wanting to send a special unique gift to a loved one oversees, or just someone who loves to buy local, there is something charming about purchasing a Canadian made gift from a local artisan who uses Canadian materials. Venetian style Leather Journals are just that. They are made by Nigel Picard, a home-grown British Columbian, who is a true artisan. We met Nigel on a trip to Victoria, BC last summer and fell in love with his gorgeous journals. Nigel was mentored in the art of Venetian Journal Binding and has creatively added a uniquely Canadian flair to his creations. 

 

He loves to work with both cowhide and deer skin which are soft, supple and a delight to hold. He often leaves the edges rough cut, giving them a rustic feel reminiscent of the days of the Explorers and Voyageurs. He is constantly on the lookout for unique, West Coast Canadian accessories, be it a piece of animal antler, or a wood stick. Many of his leather journals feature cool golden rings that appeal to fans of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. He also enjoys finding interesting and new ways to add design with the leather straps. He loves creating new and one-of-a-kind designs.The paper he uses is high-end and definitely a joy to write on. It is a flax based linen paper that is acid-free and archival quality. Each piece is cut and folded by hand and then sewn into the beautiful leather covers. His journals come in a variety of sizes and colours making them a perfect gift for just about anybody. They would be a thoughtful gift for travelers, students, bakers, brides, writers, artists, designers, anyone who loves to journal or jot down creative ideas throughout the day, make a memory book, or just write down the cute things their kids say. Taken out in public, they are sure to be noticed!

]]> Whether you are a traveller visiting Canada, a Canadian wanting to send a special unique gift to a loved one oversees, or just someone who loves to buy local, there is something charming about purchasing a Canadian made gift from a local artisan who uses Canadian materials. Venetian style Leather Journals are just that. They are made by Nigel Picard, a home-grown British Columbian, who is a true artisan. We met Nigel on a trip to Victoria, BC last summer and fell in love with his gorgeous journals. Nigel was mentored in the art of Venetian Journal Binding and has creatively added a uniquely Canadian flair to his creations. 

 

He loves to work with both cowhide and deer skin which are soft, supple and a delight to hold. He often leaves the edges rough cut, giving them a rustic feel reminiscent of the days of the Explorers and Voyageurs. He is constantly on the lookout for unique, West Coast Canadian accessories, be it a piece of animal antler, or a wood stick. Many of his leather journals feature cool golden rings that appeal to fans of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. He also enjoys finding interesting and new ways to add design with the leather straps. He loves creating new and one-of-a-kind designs.The paper he uses is high-end and definitely a joy to write on. It is a flax based linen paper that is acid-free and archival quality. Each piece is cut and folded by hand and then sewn into the beautiful leather covers. His journals come in a variety of sizes and colours making them a perfect gift for just about anybody. They would be a thoughtful gift for travelers, students, bakers, brides, writers, artists, designers, anyone who loves to journal or jot down creative ideas throughout the day, make a memory book, or just write down the cute things their kids say. Taken out in public, they are sure to be noticed!

]]> <![CDATA[A Look Back at Our Journey with Unique Gifts]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/bloga-look-back-at-our-journey-with-unique-gifts/ Mon, 28 Apr 2014 21:48:48 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/bloga-look-back-at-our-journey-with-unique-gifts/ Back in the early 1990s, when Deneen and I were dating and studying at the University of Winnipeg, an unexpected connection at a family wedding in Edmonton helped shape our future. At the wedding, I met Brad, a distant relative of Deneen's who owned a Winnipeg gift shop called Splinters. The store specialized in beautiful wooden gifts and had locations at Portage Place Mall, The Forks, and seasonal kiosks at Polo Park and St. Vital Centre during Christmas. 

Brad offered Deneen a job, and she worked there for a couple of years. Early into her role, she injured her back and needed someone to cover a few shifts. With no other options, she got permission to ask me to step in. Naturally, I said “yes,” and before long, I became an official Splinters employee too. 

We both loved the unique wooden items Brad carried—pens, jewelry boxes, carved ducks, trinket boxes, and the ever-popular wooden puzzle boxes. During the holiday rush, those puzzle boxes were a huge hit, and we spent countless shifts demonstrating how to open and close them. One day, Brad took me to his home to restock inventory for the kiosks. Seeing rows of shelves packed with wooden treasures in his basement left me amazed. I remember thinking, I could see myself doing something like this someday. 

Eventually, Brad closed Splinters when the opportunity arose to take over a larger gift shop at The Forks, but the experience stayed with me. 

Fast forward to 2006—now married for nine years with three kids, Deneen and I had moved to the Lower Mainland. The entrepreneurial spark reignited, and I decided to start a side business. I remembered the wooden products we had sold at Splinters and began searching for artisans to collaborate with. I wanted to offer unique, high-quality, handcrafted gifts. 

Being proud Canadians, we prioritized Canadian-made items but also drew inspiration from our travels, seeking out fair-trade and eco-friendly products from around the world. The first product we brought in? Those same wooden puzzle boxes from Splinters. 

Initially, we didn’t have a website, so we started small, selling at local craft shows. To our delight, the puzzle boxes received the same enthusiastic reactions here as they had back in Winnipeg. That excitement, from both us and our customers, sealed the deal—I was officially hooked.

]]> Back in the early 1990s, when Deneen and I were dating and studying at the University of Winnipeg, an unexpected connection at a family wedding in Edmonton helped shape our future. At the wedding, I met Brad, a distant relative of Deneen's who owned a Winnipeg gift shop called Splinters. The store specialized in beautiful wooden gifts and had locations at Portage Place Mall, The Forks, and seasonal kiosks at Polo Park and St. Vital Centre during Christmas. 

Brad offered Deneen a job, and she worked there for a couple of years. Early into her role, she injured her back and needed someone to cover a few shifts. With no other options, she got permission to ask me to step in. Naturally, I said “yes,” and before long, I became an official Splinters employee too. 

We both loved the unique wooden items Brad carried—pens, jewelry boxes, carved ducks, trinket boxes, and the ever-popular wooden puzzle boxes. During the holiday rush, those puzzle boxes were a huge hit, and we spent countless shifts demonstrating how to open and close them. One day, Brad took me to his home to restock inventory for the kiosks. Seeing rows of shelves packed with wooden treasures in his basement left me amazed. I remember thinking, I could see myself doing something like this someday. 

Eventually, Brad closed Splinters when the opportunity arose to take over a larger gift shop at The Forks, but the experience stayed with me. 

Fast forward to 2006—now married for nine years with three kids, Deneen and I had moved to the Lower Mainland. The entrepreneurial spark reignited, and I decided to start a side business. I remembered the wooden products we had sold at Splinters and began searching for artisans to collaborate with. I wanted to offer unique, high-quality, handcrafted gifts. 

Being proud Canadians, we prioritized Canadian-made items but also drew inspiration from our travels, seeking out fair-trade and eco-friendly products from around the world. The first product we brought in? Those same wooden puzzle boxes from Splinters. 

Initially, we didn’t have a website, so we started small, selling at local craft shows. To our delight, the puzzle boxes received the same enthusiastic reactions here as they had back in Winnipeg. That excitement, from both us and our customers, sealed the deal—I was officially hooked.

]]> <![CDATA[Wooden Signs - Personalized Wood Signs for Around the Home]]> https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/Wooden-Signs-Personalized-Wood-Signs-for-Around-the-Home Mon, 28 Apr 2014 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.heartwoodgifts.com/blog/Wooden-Signs-Personalized-Wood-Signs-for-Around-the-Home

I love words that evoke positive emotions. I really love words that remind me what is important, and that give honour to the people and things that I value. That is probably why I love decorative signs for the home and why we jumped at the chance to offer wooden signs to our customers. They are made from 1/4" thick birch plywood and include a saw-tooth hook on the back, so it's ready to hang anywhere in your home. Signs make unique gifts that can be thoughtfully chosen for just about any occasion. We have helped customers design custom signs for their businesses using their business logo as the main graphic. Some customers have delighted their relatives with a beautiful custom sign for their storefront or a special sign for their cabin with symbolic words or graphics. We love getting feedback from our customers after their special gift has been received with joy.

We also sell personalized signs for families. I love these. I think they are my favourite. In fact, to commemorate our 16th wedding anniversary, Curtis and I had an 12 x 24 family establishment sign made for our living room. It features our last name, our first names, the names of our children, and our wedding date. It is really special to me because we are always trying to think of ways of building family identity with our children. In this day and age where divorce is more common than permanency in marriage, we want to let our children know that we are not going to be one of the statistics. For me, this sign symbolizes our lasting commitment to each other and to our family. For couples who are just getting married, or who have not finished having children yet, family establishment signs can be made with just their last name and their wedding date. 

There are several different designs you can check out here. They come in different sizes, can be painted in several different colours, and favourite fonts can be chosen for a truly personalized sign. They make wonderful wedding gifts or anniversary gifts. For baby shower gifts, a really popular choice is our personalized baby name signs. It is fabulous way to welcome a new life and celebrate all the details that make this new little one so special. Each one can include any information you like about the baby, like names, weight, length, and date and time of birth. You can even choose a sweet graphic to include, and they can be painted to match the babyʼs room. For older children, a sign with just their name is often a special addition to their bedroom decor. We also have a selection of signs here with encouraging sayings, that also make unique gifts, which can be customized with colours and fonts. Or, you can design your own sign with special words from “your song”, a popular phrase, a pledge or vow or even a private joke. The possibilities are endless!

]]>

I love words that evoke positive emotions. I really love words that remind me what is important, and that give honour to the people and things that I value. That is probably why I love decorative signs for the home and why we jumped at the chance to offer wooden signs to our customers. They are made from 1/4" thick birch plywood and include a saw-tooth hook on the back, so it's ready to hang anywhere in your home. Signs make unique gifts that can be thoughtfully chosen for just about any occasion. We have helped customers design custom signs for their businesses using their business logo as the main graphic. Some customers have delighted their relatives with a beautiful custom sign for their storefront or a special sign for their cabin with symbolic words or graphics. We love getting feedback from our customers after their special gift has been received with joy.

We also sell personalized signs for families. I love these. I think they are my favourite. In fact, to commemorate our 16th wedding anniversary, Curtis and I had an 12 x 24 family establishment sign made for our living room. It features our last name, our first names, the names of our children, and our wedding date. It is really special to me because we are always trying to think of ways of building family identity with our children. In this day and age where divorce is more common than permanency in marriage, we want to let our children know that we are not going to be one of the statistics. For me, this sign symbolizes our lasting commitment to each other and to our family. For couples who are just getting married, or who have not finished having children yet, family establishment signs can be made with just their last name and their wedding date. 

There are several different designs you can check out here. They come in different sizes, can be painted in several different colours, and favourite fonts can be chosen for a truly personalized sign. They make wonderful wedding gifts or anniversary gifts. For baby shower gifts, a really popular choice is our personalized baby name signs. It is fabulous way to welcome a new life and celebrate all the details that make this new little one so special. Each one can include any information you like about the baby, like names, weight, length, and date and time of birth. You can even choose a sweet graphic to include, and they can be painted to match the babyʼs room. For older children, a sign with just their name is often a special addition to their bedroom decor. We also have a selection of signs here with encouraging sayings, that also make unique gifts, which can be customized with colours and fonts. Or, you can design your own sign with special words from “your song”, a popular phrase, a pledge or vow or even a private joke. The possibilities are endless!

]]>