Hi! I am so glad you want to know about me.

How it all started

I enjoy creating things with my hands and inspiring others to create the life they want to live. Why did I choose woodworking you might ask? It all started shortly after I undergrad, my friend and I moved to a huge apartment on the posh side of town. We desperately needed beds, we went to all the savvy shopper stores, BIG LOTS, Goodwill. I saw a platform bed in my future to compliment the Asian inspired theme décor I planned. And then, I saw it. The simple, yet expensive, platform bed at an upscale furniture store. It was far out of my reach, but for some

Then, I saw it. The simple, yet expensive, platform bed at an upscale furniture store. It was far out of my reach, but for some reason, I kept going back to the store, maybe the money was going to fall from the sky or they would gift the bed to me because I’m a nice person. Clearly, none of that happened. After the fifth trip to the store, I was literally under the bed investigating how it was constructed. Then. A light bulb went off. I.CAN.BUILD.THIS.

I immediately called my carpenter-extraordinaire uncle to inquire on what was required to make it happen. It was simple, some pine wood and screws. He suggested I go to Home Depot and have them make precisions cuts. I purchased a battery powered Black and Decker screw driver and borrowed a drill from my manager. It took me three months in my bedroom apartment to build this bed. You Tube had not come about yet and Google was not what it is today. I relied solely on logic. When I tell you, I had no idea what I was doing, that is an understatement, I was committed to finishing what I started.

Once I was done, it was the best feeling in the world to know that I built something and I could enjoy it every night. I slept on that bed for the next five years.

That one thing ignited the fire inside me and oh my word, I realized I love power tools.

My next apartment had a garage, attached (that never happens, right?) and get this, it was across the street from Lowe’s. Okay, this is definitely a sign. This is too perfect. Every paycheck I earned would go straight to Lowe’s (after paying bills, of course). First, it was a circular saw, then a jig saw, router table. If I was in the middle of a project and ran out of screws, I’d close the garage and run across the street, saw dusted hair and clothes. The manager soon started giving me his discount, since I was there so often.  My nights and weekends were spent in the garage.

One of the fondest memories I have of those early days is the workbench I built. It is still in use today.

Why the Wooden Maven?

What is a Maven anyway? According to my friends over at Merriam-Webster. A maven is one who is experienced or knowledgeable. A person who can speak for hours on a particular topic. When it comes to woodworking, there is no shutting me up.

While I’ve been tinkering with wood and the like for several years I wouldn’t call myself an expert or a professional. At this stage, I know a little about a lot and what I do know I want to share every bit of it. There is someone somewhere in the world that has a passion they would like to follow. Maybe it’s woodworking maybe it’s something completely different.  Like many of us Internet lurkers, I’ve spent eons learning and searching the web for nuggets of knowledge and this blog is a small way of giving back a small portion of what has been given to me.

Now…About Me

The people closest to me call me Char. I grew up in sunny California, spending my days running on the sandy beaches. As any young adult would do after living a structured life, I flew the nest and landed in Georgia. And like most good girls, we meet an intelligent and sophisticated man in college and then decide to create a happily ever after with them. My junior year, I met my now husband and our love has spawned four adorable and extremely witty children, the youngest of the brood are our twins. Between the hilarity of their personalities and organizing their schedules and personalities of my babies, I try to find time to pursue my passion(s),  In my spare time I also enjoy decorating cakes and photography.

Do you want to know more, just ask?