One of the very best parts about our seasonal Joy Box capsules, are the handmade goodies that we are sure to include! As a small business ourselves, supporting other small businesses like ours is at the heart of our Joy Box. Besides that, there is something about a unique, handmade item that adds a more found, collected, and personal feel to your space!
The Spring/Summer Joy Box is no exception, and in this box you will find a set of hexagon shelves (shown above) created by Indiana husband and wife duo, Carpenter Creations.
Austin and Jenni Carpenter started Carpenter Creations in September of 2019 as an outlet for their creativity, and to have something of their own outside of their regular line of work. Since opening their business, they have enjoyed creating pieces of furniture and decor for people to display in their homes, and they get a lot of fulfillment out of making customers happy with their creations.
The Carpenters live in Middlebury, Indiana (the same town as Joyfully Said!) with their four kids, a dog, a bunny, and some chickens. We asked them some questions to dig a little deeper into small business life for them, and here's what they had to say:
What inspires you for the items you decide to create?
We try to come up with things that we would want to have in our house. We try to create things that are versatile and can be displayed in multiple types of spaces. Some things are more of a simple farmhouse style, and others are a bit more of a modern industrial style. We think the two go together well.
How is the family involved in this side business?
This business has been a really great lesson for our kids. Our oldest son helps out and we pay him a small amount to help us out, and he is learning the value of work. The kids have also taken it upon themselves to use scrap wood to imitate things that we make, and to think out how they can make sell the items. It's been a great experience for our family, and has brought us closer.
What is your work space like?
Our work space is basically just our garage. We have racks to hold all of our wood along the wall, and different work stations set up for cutting, assembling, sanding, and staining. We haven't parked in our garage since October!
What role do each of you play in your business?
Jenni is the creative force behind everything we make. She decides what we should try to make, Austin cuts and assembles everything, then Jenni sands and stains/paints everything and makes it look great. The business has really brought out creativity and skills that we didn't really even know we had. It has been a great way to really test ourselves and see what we are capable of doing.
What's the biggest or most challenging project you've ever done?
The two most unique things we have done were a large toy box and a twin sized teepee bed. The toy box was much more complex than we thought it would be. It was a labor of love, though, knowing a little boy would be storing his most prized possessions in it for years to come. The teepee bed was the most fun that Austin has had building something. The bed, itself, was simple and pretty basic. But, then adding the teepee part, to each side and the connecting board between them was really cool.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly... what is on your work playlist?
We listen to a little bit of everything when we're working. We listen to a lot of 90s rock, some Crowder, Post Malone, Cole Swindel, etc. Whatever gets the blood flowing that day.
There you have it, friend! How fun are Austin and Jenni?! We are so thrilled to support their small business, and we LOVE the hexagon shelves that they have built for us to include in our latest Joy Box! You can follow along with all of Carpenter Creations adventures on their Instagram account, @carpenter.creations or Facebook @carpentercreationsin. Don't forget to watch for the Spring/Summer Joy Box, launching on Wednesday, April 1st!
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