My Picky Mother-In-Law
My family is everything to me. When it comes to woodworking, support from them has been incredibly important. My dad and father-in-law help with tools and advice, my brother pushes me to sell my stuff, my kids are enthusiastic apprentices, and my wife and mom are happy to suggest ideas for what I should make next. My mother-in-law? Well, she is always willing to give her … feedback.
When I was trying to think of what to call my woodworking business, one story came to mind. My mother-in-law is a wonderful woman and one of the kindest people I know. She knows what she likes and she’s not shy about saying so, including what she thinks of my woodworking. A few years back, when she was re-decorating her dining room, she asked if I could make a “gather” sign for her wall. The stuff she found online was too expensive and didn’t have that handmade feel she wanted. Of course, I was more than happy to help out. I designed a few stencils, showed her what I came up with and made a sign. Well, that first one was entirely too small. So I tried again. This one wasn’t quite what she wanted either, but it was closer. As I returned to my garage to start working on a third sign, my son chimed in and said “Dad, if she doesn’t like this one, don’t make another one. It’s too many versions.”
But the thing is it wasn’t too many versions. Each time my picky mother-in-law gave me feedback, the sign got better. In fact, since I’ve known her, she’s helped me improve my woodworking by telling me what she loves as well as what she doesn’t. My mother-in-law is loving, caring, and all around awesome. She is also very picky. When I got to the point in my woodworking that I was making things she loved on a consistent basis, I thought I’d try a craft fair. My mother-in-law even helped me set up my booth. I had a great time selling my work and getting comments and feedback from other people. At that point I knew I was capable of starting my own business. Of course, I had to pay homage to the woman who had done so much to help me improve. So (with my mother-in-law’s approval) My Picky Mother-In-Law Woodworking had to be the name.
Oh, and the third version of the “gather” sign? Well, according to my picky mother-in-law, it came out perfect as did the rest of her dining room decor.