When I exhibit my handcrafted furniture at local fairs, I frequently encounter a slew of excuses from people about why they can’t own such beautiful pieces. The most common reason? “My kids will destroy it.”

I usually respond with a polite smile and tell them to give me a call if they ever change their mind. But in my head, I picture my own four boys. They’ve grown up in our Washington state home, enduring long winter months cooped up inside. And yet, my furniture remains in pristine condition. Remarkably, most of the pieces in our home have been crafted by me.

Ironically, if any creature has put my furniture to the test, it was a neurotic dog. This furry whirlwind once ran full speed into the leg of an end table—the very first piece I made back in 1996. That leg wasn’t joined well because, at that time, I was still learning. If anyone is careless in our household, it’s probably me. But I also have the skills to fix whatever gets damaged.

I make furniture because I love the process and the end product. Each piece adds a unique, artsy, and beautiful touch to our home, a place where I spend a lot of time. So, why not make it a place that brings me happiness?

My creations are more than just furniture; they are stories in the making. Someday, when my children inherit these pieces, they’ll have tales to share with their own kids and grandchildren about how their great-grandfather built furniture, just as those before him did.

We need stories like these in the world—unique pieces made by local craftsmen who pour their heart and soul into their work. So, next time you see a craftsman’s booth at a fair, don’t just walk by, thinking you can’t have something nice because it’s “too precious” or making excuses not to invest in something meaningful.

These pieces are much more than furniture; they are vessels of memories and stories that can last for generations. Yes, we can’t take our possessions with us when we go. But the memories they hold ensure we are not forgotten. So, consider investing in a piece that will serve as a beautiful reminder of the past and create new memories for the future.