Sometimes a custom piece starts with a very simple, very personal need. In my case, it was my mother. She kept business cards on her dresser, but didn’t really want to see them all the time. She needed a way to keep them close, organized, and accessible—without the visual clutter. I already had several decorative tins that I could have offered her. But none were just the right size to keep business cards filed neatly. She asked me to build her a solution.
I thought something like a jewelry box would be perfect … only one designed specifically for business cards.
I started by finding a clean black line-art butterfly design that I thought she would love. Using a laser, I engraved three butterflies into a small piece of cedar, giving it a soft, elegant character.
From there, I constructed the box by hand using 1/2-inch thick cedar. To keep the box sleek and unobtrusive, I crafted the bottom using two pieces of 1/4-inch thick pine, allowing the base to remain strong while maintaining a clean, low profile. The, I finished it with Olympic WaterGuard semi-transparent Woodland Cedar stain and sealer, which enhanced the natural grain of the cedar while protecting the wood and giving the entire piece a uniform color. Lastly, I added two small silver hinges to attach the lid, completing a simple but meaningful piece made exactly for her needs.
That small project is a perfect example of what Windymere Custom Crafts is all about—creating custom, handcrafted pieces designed around your specific purpose. If you have an idea, a problem to solve, or something unique in mind, Windymere can build a piece tailored just for you.