The Journey of Artisan Made Designs: A Comeback Story

For most people, a woodworking shop is simply a place where furniture gets built. Boards are ripped, slabs are flattened, and tools hum while the smell of sawdust hangs in the air. For me, my shop has always been something more. It has been my refuge, my place away from the world, my identity.

Two years ago, I nearly lost all of it.

Everything Fell Apart

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

In 2023, I decided to open a storefront in our small town. I invested nearly $30,000 to make it happen. Unfortunately, it was an utter disaster. I didn't come close to breaking even. In October 2023, I made the tough decision not to renew the lease and shut down the storefront.

Life unraveled in a way I never expected.

I lost my IT job, and overnight I was pushed out of stability and into survival mode. Creativity took a back seat to fear. Still, I made a decision that felt right at the time: I was going to pursue woodworking full-time. I would put the failed storefront behind me and focus on growing the business. Orders were slowly coming in, and I felt hopeful. I believed I could finally live the dream.

Life, of course, had other plans.

Not long after losing my job and going full-time woodworking, I woke up one night with a pain in my chest radiating down into my left arm. I thought I was having a heart attack. It turned out to be anxiety-induced, but the doctors discovered something else: a thoracic aorta aneurysm. They weren't concerned and said we would just monitor it every six months with a CT scan.

Another weight to carry. Another quiet fear in the background.

Life moved along, but I was suffering from mild depression. I wasn't putting the effort into making things. I was putting more pressure on growing and forgetting about the work that needed to be built to grow. In April 2025, six months after the anxiety attack, it was time for my first CT scan of my heart. The technician went just a little lower than planned. By the grace of God, they caught something they weren’t even looking for.

Kidney cancer!

Suddenly, everything stopped. Two months later, my left kidney was removed. Recovery was long and exhausting. The uncertainty was suffocating. The depression that followed was heavy in a way only those who’ve lived it truly understand. I couldn’t go to the shop. I couldn’t get myself off the couch. Even after I was healed, I wasn’t building furniture. I wasn’t in the shop, and most days, I wasn’t even myself. Orders fell behind. Customers were let down, and I let depression and anxiety eat away at who I was at my core.

Post Surgery

I wasn't pulling in enough money from a part-time job and the woodworking business. To be honest, I was broken inside and not doing the things I knew I needed to do. I walked away from talking to God daily and doing my devotional. The depression was suffocating. I was putting on a false front with everyone around me. I kept telling myself tomorrow I would be better and get back to work. In April 2025, I ended up having to find a full-time IT job so that we wouldn't lose everything. We were very close to losing our home, and that is one of the toughest things I have ever had to admit out loud.

I am 46 years old, and I am pretty much starting over—starting a career over, starting retirement savings over.

The Thing That Kept Calling Me Back

December 2025 arrived. It had been around three months since I picked up my devotional, read, and journaled about what I read. Mark 11:24 showed up, and my favorite verse, Matthew 19:26, appeared. God was calling me back to my old self with some improvements.

It started small. I began by cleaning my office and purging junk that I hadn't used in years. I started journaling daily again and reading God's word. I began to feel alive again. As I let go of the past and listened, I heard it calling back to me—not the business, not the orders, not making money, but the craft.

There is something healing about running your hand over a rough piece of wood and imagining what it could become. Something grounding about planing a board and watching a clean, fresh layer emerge—renewal happening right in front of you. Something deeply human about creating something that will outlive you. Even on my darkest days, the shop whispered, "Come back. There is purpose here." It took me a long time to hear it.

The Moment Everything Turned

One afternoon, after months of silence, I walked into the shop and picked up a project that was long overdue. I didn’t turn on music, I didn’t overthink it; I just started working. That was the first spark, a small stirring, a quiet reminder of who I was. It wasn’t dramatic. It wasn’t immediate. I didn’t jump back into full production overnight. I swept the floor, picked up tools, cleaned benches, and worked through mental blocks one task at a time. Small actions, but powerful ones. Each one was a step back to myself. Slowly, I began making progress again. Nothing complicated. Nothing stressful. Just putting wood together in a way that made me feel like a craftsman again. As clarity returned, the decision became obvious.

I was going to rebuild Artisan Made Designs from the ground up—stronger, clearer, and more intentional than ever before.

What Rebuilding Really Means

Rebuilding isn’t just about reopening the business; it’s about redefining it. Artisan Made Designs is no longer just a woodworking shop. It is a personal mission to create furniture that matters—pieces that carry stories, memories, and legacy. I don’t want to produce volume; I want to produce meaning. That’s why everything I build in 2026 and beyond is guided by three pillars.

1. Handcrafted with Integrity

No shortcuts.

No cheap materials.

No mass production.

Only American hardwood such as walnut, white oak, cherry, and ash. Only joinery and finishes meant to last decades, not seasons.

2. Designed to Be Heirlooms

I want your furniture to outlive me. I want your children to argue over who gets the cutting board or the family table one day. I want your furniture to develop character, not wear out. Heirloom quality isn’t a marketing term; it’s a promise.

3. Built Through Story

Every piece reflects where I’ve been and where you’re going. My faith rebuilt me and got me back into the shop. Now I build pieces that help shape your home’s story.

The Emotional Weight of Crafting Again

When you come back from illness and depression, every day feels earned. Every moment feels intentional. Today, when I build furniture, I’m not just shaping wood; I’m building resilience into it, hope into it, and legacy into it. That mindset changes everything. I choose boards more carefully. I slow down. I appreciate the process. I enjoy the rhythm of sanding, and I study the grain, wondering how the tree grew. The work feels sacred now—something worth doing slowly and with care.

Why This Story Matters to You

You might be wondering what a comeback story has to do with furniture.

Everything!

When you bring a handmade piece into your home, you aren’t just buying wood and joinery. You’re inviting someone’s craftsmanship, heart, and purpose into your space. Machine-made furniture can’t carry that; fast furniture stores can’t offer that. Handmade carries humanity. When you receive a piece from me, you’re holding:

• A craftsman’s healing.

• A comeback story.

• A reminder that things can be rebuilt.

• A piece made with time, intention, and care.

  
  

Where Artisan Made Designs Is Going in 2026

This year marks a true restart—a relaunch of my mission, brand, and craft.

Here’s what I’m building toward:

Premium heirloom furniture: Focusing on dining tables, accent tables, desks, and bedroom pieces crafted from American hardwoods.

A refined line of cutting and charcuterie boards: Perfect for families, realtors, and meaningful gifts.

Select custom built-ins: Spaces designed with architectural intention.

A loyalty program for repeat clients: Earn points. Redeem rewards. Build your home piece by piece.

Partnerships with realtors and interior designers: Because handmade elevates every closing and every room.

A full year of blog content: Helping homeowners understand quality, design, and timeless craftsmanship.

This isn’t just a relaunch. It’s the beginning of my next chapter.

A Final Thank You

If you’re reading this, thank you.

Thank you for supporting small business.

Thank you for valuing handmade.

Thank you for believing in the craft and the craftsman behind it.

Artisan Made Designs is back. Stronger, more intentional, and more personal.

And I can’t wait to build something meaningful for you.

Matthew 19:26 "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Want to be part of the comeback?

Let’s build something that lasts a lifetime.

👉 Request a Custom Quote

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