Heartwood Creations Blog - Heartwood — Cell phone

Now that summer is here, everyone we know is planning a vacation. After more than a year at home, some are heading off to farther reaches and changing their scenery in big ways. But one way to get some rest and relaxation in, closer to home, is to spend time in nature. One of our favorite ways to enjoy the summer season is to get outdoors. Camping, fishing, hiking and sports are all ways to connect to others, yourself and nature. These activities can all be done simply and with minimal supplies, but many outdoor adventures require some small accessories...

Playing a cribbage game is a sure way to enjoy some entertainment. It’s a hugely popular game for a reason, and has endured through history, with stories about its past ranging from royalty to submariners in the military.  It’s a perfect game for two to play, though it can be adapted for more players. The rules are a bit complex, with a layer of subtlety that must be learned through practice. Scoring points and winning a cribbage game depends on which cards your opponent has played, if cards in the remaining deck will help your hand, and your position on...

The holiday season is over, and we’ve settled into the New Year, but there’s another reason to celebrate, coming up. If you’ve got eyes for someone, Valentines Day may be a moment that gets you excited to show you care. On the other hand, it could be super stressful, with pressure mounting over how to make your love swoon.  It’s easy to think that you need to go overboard with pricey gifts and a lavish display of affection. But oftentimes, it really is the thought that counts. We like to think of our wooden boxes as the ultimate way to...

Buying American made products has never been more important.  With a global pandemic to contend with, small business owners have struggled to operate, more so than in any time in recent history. Products that are made in the United States are an important part of our economy, and buying them helps the situation in so many ways. Many American made products are manufactured by small businesses. Supporting them translates quite literally to supporting families and communities. Small businesses in the US employed 60.6 million Americans in 2017 according to the Small Business Association - that’s over 47% of the working...

A musician must practice in order to improve their performance. Practice makes perfect, right?  As any musician puts more time and intention into regularly using their instrument, studies with mentors or teachers, and challenges themselves with new technique and tunes, they will naturally become more advanced. It’s part muscle memory, part cognitive function, and partly a result of improved sensitivity to stylistic nuances.  Musicians who are new to learning an instrument may prefer to start on a student grade instrument, or borrow, rent, or buy a used instrument. Basic technique can be learned on any one of these, and the...

Inspirational quotes are having a moment. While the state of the world doesn’t seem certain from day to day, inspirational quotes are a great reminder that your happiness is within your control. There are so many ways to explore personal growth, from reading books, to creating routines that offer stability, to religion, therapy, education, and creating community. But ultimately, many of these methods point back to words of strength that help lift spirits or spark new ideas. Social media plays host to so many motivational quotes. You can scroll through different ones all day, but it’s incredibly powerful to choose...

Secret Boxes are small but mighty, with a super appealing smooth shape that begs to be touched. The larger sizes make a beautiful addition to your home decor. They make a statement on a shelf and are so much fun to style. Set up a “shelfie” with other natural components to highlight the color and grain of the wood, or play with shape and dimension and set your box among taller geometric or organic shaped vases and sculptures.  We like a Secret Box on a bookcase in our office, as a hidden place to keep things we always want handy, but...

When you have a special occasion on the calendar that requires a special gift, finding the right one can be a bit daunting. What exactly is the perfect thing? Will the gift be loved and appreciated? The old cliche that “it’s the thought that counts” comes from a good place, but what if you choose your gift carefully and it falls flat? A Heartwood box always has that touch of magic that makes a gift feel truly special. There’s something nostalgic about them; they’re simple and natural and connected to the earth; and they’re touched with an artistry that is immediately obvious....

Tips Whoever said that good things come in small packages must have had jewelry in mind. Smaller jewelry pieces can be just as much fun as statement jewelry, but they do require a little more care, especially with storage. Smaller pieces are usually more delicate, and may be overwhelmed in a regular jewelry box.   If you have many small pieces, you don’t want to buy a jewelry box that consists of one large chamber. Storing all of your jewelry in a single compartment increases the possibility that larger metal pieces will scratch or dent smaller delicate ones. Additionally, you...

Have an outdoorsman in your life? What can you get him that will make his day? Whether you are buying presents for a birthday, father’s day, anniversary, or something in between, you can always find great and thoughtful gifts for the outdoorsman in your life. Here are just a few of our suggestions: Multi-Tool There are plenty of multi-tools out there. Whether you want to get the traditional Swiss Army Knife or something newer, do some research to find the best possible one for what your outdoorsman likes to do. Tools like the Huckberry EDC Kit 2.0 are easy to...

Cribbage is a card game with a long and colorful history. Sir John Aubrey, the 17th century archeologist and folklorist, attributes the creation of cribbage to Sir John Suckling. Suckling, a poet and a soldier, was regarded as the most skillful card player in Europe at the time.   Suckling derived Cribbage from Noddy, an English card game that had been popular in the previous century. In the language of the day, noddy referred to a fool or dunce. Within the game it is the name for the jack of the suit that is turned up at the beginning of...

Wooden boxes are so common; most people don’t give much thought as to their uses. For hundreds of years, wooden boxes have been go-to containers, widely available to most people. The wealthy could invest in the artisan work needed to produce brass or iron boxes, but anyone with a saw and a few nails could make a wooden box.   Hardwood boxes were strong and sturdy, suitable for all types of travels. Almost every child has heard tall tales of pirates burying treasure in wooden chests. Whether those stories are true is up for debate, but wooden boxes were used aboard ships...

Throughout history, jewelry boxes were handcrafted luxuries that only the wealthy could afford. Artisans created boxes for royal households, members of the clergy, and other affluent patrons who loved using them to store their valuable jewelry. Often the boxes were works of art in their own right, inlayed with precious gemstones and metals, as they needed to be worthy of the elite who would own them.   Today, jewelry boxes are available online and in almost every department store. These easily found boxes are fairly standard, made of wood or plastics, and come in almost every design and color. However...

The creation of puzzle boxes originated in the Hakone region of Japan in the 1800’s. These boxes were originally created for workers who needed to safeguard their tools. Each box required a set of twists and turns to open. The trick was to determine the correct set of movements to open a specific box.   In the 1800’s Hakone was known for its hot springs. Many people visited the region for vacations and the tourism industry flourished. Puzzle boxes began to become popular as souvenirs. This continued through the World Wars, when soldiers on leave would purchase boxes to bring...

Box History   Throughout history, jewelry boxes were handcrafted luxuries that only the wealthy could afford with artisans creating boxes for royal households, members of the clergy, and other affluent patrons. Some areas became known for the expertise of their artists, such as the enamel painting of Limoges, France. Often the boxes were works of art in their own right, inlayed with precious gemstones and metals.   The Industrial Revolution changed all of that. For the first time, jewelry boxes could be made by machine. This allowed for mass-production of different styles, and a price that was affordable for the...

During the summer, there is a lot of time to fill for your kids. From rainy days when you can’t go outside to sunny days when you want to protect sensitive skin from the UV rays and the heat, finding things to do inside can be difficult. Luckily, there are some options that will make summertime just as much fun indoors as it is outdoors:   Simon Says   A traditional game of Simon Says is an easy way to keep your children entertained just about anywhere. The concept is simple: If you say “Simon says” and a command or...

You’ve heard the reports—executive function is key to “successful learning,” says The Atlantic, citing these skills as “more important to learning and educational success than IQ or inherent academic talent.” And one of the best ways to help your kids hone their cognition, executive function and, even, boost attention spans is with structured games. In other words, bring back family game night! We’re overwhelmingly committed to bringing back game night. That means ditching the smart phones, the tablets, the video games and, of course, shutting off the TV. It means gathering the gang around the table for some fun family...

We like our children to be well rounded and explore different sides of their personalities, and arts and crafts projects is a great way for them to express their creative side. When choosing an art project for your kid to do, it is important to pick something that will be of interest to them or it will seem impossible to actually get them to sit down and try it. Here are four crafts projects that almost any kid can do, no matter what their skill set is:   Easy Airplanes   Making an airplane is a great way to get...

Board games have been played for thousands of years by most cultures around the world. Most games included wooden boards, as wood was readily available and easy to fashion into the required shapes. Some artisans crafted elaborate boards that blurred the lines between game board and artwork. Wooden game boards have been found among the historical treasures of many civilizations.   Several of the board games popular today have existed for hundreds or even thousands of years. These games have become part of the cultural heritage of different societies. Some games have been adapted from even older games that are...