HOW DID HENDYWOOD GET HERE?

August 5th was a big day for little old Hendywood. We hit 1000 sales! It was exciting for us, lol!

How did that happen?...
Since my father was a carpenter, I grew up in a wood shop. As I grew older, I kinda lost touch with the wood. Sad, really. In 2004, I told my hubby I wanted a table saw for my birthday, something to cut wood. I figured if I could cut the wood, I could build something. I was getting a hankerin' to get back in touch with the wood. Well, wouldn't you know. God had other plans. I got the table saw for my September birthday and was learning how use it, but in November that year, life took a left turn. I had to spend some time battling and recovering from thyroid cancer. It took me away from my wood and saw for a while. But it's all good! The cancer went away and I dug the saw out and cranked it up. I worked on larger projects, like furniture and it kicked my butt.

I debated doing this, because I knew, if I liked it, it would only cost more money.   - I signed up for a bowl turning class at Woodcraft - It was December 2007. A Jet mini lathe showed up under the Christmas tree that year and my life took a right turn. That little lathe has not stopped since.

The number of bowls started to pile up! I called them Didit Bowls if they worked and Dammit Bowls if they didn't. Fortunately, there have been far more Didits than Dammits. Ha! 

I needed more space ~ OR ~ get rid of some of this stuff. 

I'm a teacher. The kids at school call me Mrs. Hendy which is fine with me. I started throwing around ideas for a name for my work. Another teacher (who's last name was Wood) put Hendy and Wood together and the name 'Hendywood' was born. - Now what -

http://www.Hendywood.Etsy.com

---

April 6, 2008. I remember it was a Sunday. My husband thought I should read an article in the paper about a website called Etsy. You could sell handmade stuff on there and make it your own website (as long as you followed their rules). I decided to give it a go. I figured out the basics and ended the day with about four bowls up for sale on the World Wide Web. It was a scary time. I sent word out to people I knew and wouldn't you know, within a week I had a sale. I 'bout peed my pants when that happened. My sweet sister-in-law bought the bowl in the picture. I will never forget my first sale...

---

Below are some of the early pieces.

After a while, let's say a few years? I noticed people were buying and my style was evolving. I started working with stones, glass, and metal, adding a little variety. I also added a new Etsy shop. http://www.HendysHome.Etsy.com
Below is a peek at the the evolution, lol.

Buttons, silverware, charms, gemstones. It's all fair game! I even got back to the sewing machine, something I learned in my childhood.

Over 1000 of my handmade items are floating around the world - incredible. And it all started with "I want a table saw. I need to cut wood."

Take a look at my work at http://www.Hendywood.Etsy.com and at http://www.HendysHome.Etsy.com