Hi, everyone. My name is Singh and I am the maker and creator behind crafty at heart. And I have 2 kids.One is 13, the other one is 10. They are both very different in personality.
My youngest who is 10, she is also crafty like myself, she took a lot of the characteristics from me.My son is a gamer, but he is a very calm mellow child, but he doesn't ask for much, but we do do a couple of projects together sometimes.So but between both of the kids, they have their own special and unique characteristics behind them. So love them to death.
So I actually became a woodworker because when we first moved into our house, my kids wanted a teeter tatter. So I actually met with a local woodworker and carpenter and we like I got him a plan and then we printed out the plan and we went through it together and he watched me through a lot of the tools that we were going to use, like the router, the drill, and also sander and stuff like that. Pretty much. We got the plans put together and we got it done in one day and he actually had helped me brought it to the house and everything. That was when I actually caught the woodworking bug as they call it.It was a great experience.
And the woodworker that I met with, he had a lot of patience. He knew I didn't have any experience at all, so he spent time with me and went through every tool that we were using. So that was really helpful.
Q2: Why do you want to be a woodworker?
So when I started woodworking, I actually started woodworking. I made flags. I made various different projects that the kids requests for. We build a huge planter boxes for our backyard for our plants and stuff. I made them a little carrier for the vegetables, their little basket. And then I made various different things as well for the kids as they get older. But the other thing is as they got older, they got different interests as well.
And as a mom, I also want to grow my interests as well.So when I first started with working, I made flags. I made various different things. But then I got into scroll sawing because my daughter wanted something that required scroll sawing.And then I made ring boxes at that time and various different things, also rattles. I made some rattles with a scroll saw.
The other thing was like, my son wanted to get into 3d printings, so we got a 3d printer.I also, like, throughout the years, I've evolved as well because of the interest of my kids.I got into epoxy pouring because my daughter likes the epoxy and all the little molds and stuff like that. And then I got into laser engraving, laser cutting and stuff like that because my daughter and son wanted stuff laser engraved and there are things that they really like, as gifts and stuff like that too.So my shop and my experience has definitely grew since I started in 2018. And I'm glad I did definitely have different experience and different knowledge base from all my experience that I've had because of the kids, because of their interests.So which is great, so that gives me reason to buy new tools and then also a reason for me to learn and take the time to learn these tools and the machines and stuff like that too. So I didn't want to limit the kids their experience and their creativity and I also don't want to limit myself either. So we both learn different skills and knowledge and machines and tools together. So
Q3: How has motherhood influenced your craft?
So my kids are definitely a huge influence on what I make and what I have time for. The kids are definitely very creative. My daughter is extremely creative.She has a big heart and she wants to give a lot of things away, which is totally fine. And I think that's a great thing to do, especially with her classmates.She is well known among her classmates that she is a big gift giver, and also she goes above and beyond making things for her classmates. Last year she got into candle making and then also got into disease and also so as well. So she did a lot of those things and gave them to her classmates.And we got into laser engraving.
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I wanted a lot of the things that I wanted her to do a lot of the stuff on her own as well.But with the supervision of course. And my son, he got into 3d printing, so we got a 3d printer and he wanted to, and he has three printed several different things and has given to his friends and stuff like that too.And then also my daughter is very straightforward and honest. So when I'm making something or design something, or plan something or create something in the shop, I often ask for her opinion because she's very honest, bless her heart.Sometimes she's too honest, but she's very nice about it though. But otherwise, I think it definitely makes a huge influence what we make in the shop
Q4: As a mother, do you have any tools preference?
As a mom, definitely there is a preference of the tool choice that we decide on when it comes to woodworking. But it also, it's like the drill, the router, the basic tools that I saw, definitely ppes is very important. Dust collection is also very important. But also it's not just the tools, but it's also the process of your project.I try to keep in mind if the kids are coming into the shop with me and stuff like that, I hold off on the sanding, the routing, and also things that will produce a lot of sawdust in the air.The kids don't mind wearing a mask or wearing a hearing Protection and stuff like that.But I try to decrease the frequency of the loud noise, the exposure to the sawdust and subject that too just because they're still young, as they get older so that I just don't want any issues as they get older from their exposure to woodworking and stuff like that. So the other thing is I also like to keep in mind ever since I started.
Q5: Could you share a story behind one special project?
One of my favorite pieces is actually a cabinet that I repurposed a couple of years ago for the shop. I definitely know I needed more storage, so I repurpose a cabinet. It was coming low, so I added casters and then I also painted the cabinet as well. And then I also added plywood on top as a storage area.But the coolest part I really like was that it actually will slide. Because when I repurposed that, I kept in mind that I will do some epoxy pouring.So I need surface for the epoxy pore, but I also want to make sure I have access to the items on the bottom, so without flipping or anything like that or opening things.
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I added sliding hardware so that it just glides across and it doesn't disturb or interrupt the epoxy, especially when it's not quite cured yet.So I want to make sure I have enough room and also making sure that it glides smoothly the sliding hardware. So that was my favorite build and repurpose project for the shop.It still is my favorite, because I have a lot of storage in underneath. And I still do a lot of pouring on that surface as well, because it's made out of melamine.And then along with that, I also have a roll of brown paper that goes across. Or I put shower curtains on the surface just so that way I could clean up much easier. So that's my favorite project
Q6: What do you want to say to other woodwork moms?
I just want to say Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. You guys are crushing it. Definitely take the time to make sure you guys are giving yourself Grace. Make sure you are spending time for yourself and taking the time to relax.I know there are days when we just feel like we just want to cry and curl up in a ball and hide away. But definitely make sure you guys are taking time to take care of yourself.In order for you to take care of others, you have to take care of yourself as well.So give yourself some Grace and definitely make sure you are doing the things that you enjoy doing.Life isn't easy and being a mom isn't easy. And also kids rely on us so much. So make sure you guys are taking care of yourself so that way you could take care of others.So Happy Mother's Day. Keep crushing it and definitely keep doing what you're doing. You are doing a great job.
To every woodworking mother:
Thank you! From wood to wonder, mom makes magic.
Watch the full interview video here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiRk2lDuIxk&t=486s
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