Our Story
Meet the Artisan Made Family, Bill and Heather McBeth and our wonderful daughters Caitlyn (Left), MacKenzie (Right), and Isobel (middle). Our story began in the year 2000 When Heather and I met. We lived in an apartment for a year decided to buy our first home. We have always been a crafty couple and the first home brought out the diy'ers in us. Even today we still tackle most projects in our home ourselves, although we do like to support local businesses and do outsource some work.
Bill started Wood Artisan in 2016 as a way to take his hobby of woodworking and slowly turn it into a full time job. After doing several craft shows and some custom work Heather noticed that there were a lot of small scraps that were not usable in Bill's projects. Instead of wasting those scraps in the burn pile she took them and began making signs and that is how the husband and wife team was formed.
In 2020 the Pandemic hit and we started thinking about how to evolve and expand Wood Artisan. We made the decision that it was time to take the business to the next level and form an LLC…well that ended up not going well as someone already had our name since 2010 and we could not register the official LLC under that name. After a lot of thinking and ideas Artisan Made Designs, LLC was brought to life.
Bill’s Story
My journey into woodworking started when I was a young kid, I used to spend a lot of time at my grandparents house and my grandfather always had some scrap wood for me to sit around and play with. He would show me how to correctly drive a nail, how to use a hand saw and never told me no when I grabbed one of his tools from his workshop. He always inspired me with what he built and could make anything he set is mind to building. Even today he is my sounding board for new ideas and will always be my hero.
Fast forward to when I was 12 years old, I built my first workbench out of scraps I gathered from houses being built in my neighborhood and fastened with screws and nails I found in the dirt at those job sites at this point in my life I wanted to be a carpenter and that was my go to answer when asked “What do I want to be when I grow up”. That all changed when I turned 17 years old and found out that I really enjoyed computer technology…I am now in my 23rd year of working in enterprise computer environments and the fascination of woodworking has never left me; it just got put on hold for a while so I could start a career, build a life with someone special and start a family.
When I am not behind the computer or in the shop we enjoy hiking, camping and taking outdoor photos. I am an avid BBQ guy and you’ll see me typically smoking some Kansas City style BBQ on the weekends. I am a Husband, Father, Coach, IT guy and woodworker...Can't beat it :)
Heather’s Story
I can't remember a time in my life when I wasn't making something. My parents were both crafty. Mom sewed, baked, crocheted and made lots of other stuff. I can remember from a very early age, watching my Mom decorate cakes. She always made us the best birthday cakes and that's a tradition I have continued with my daughters as well as just about anyone else who asks me to make them one. One of my favorite childhood memories was the year my Mom made sugar Easter eggs for my entire Kindergarten class!
My Dad has always been a wood worker. There was a short time when he did toll painting but I don't think he really enjoyed it much. He also made some beautiful stained glass pieces. My favorite picture of my Dad and I is the two of us under the picnic table he was attempting to fix, I was a bit of a shadow! I started scrapbooking after I graduated from college, and eventually bought my first die-cut machine, a Sizzix. For my 30th birthday, Bill bought me a cricut, a few years later i upgraded to a Silhouette and that is what i use to cut all my vinyl for my signs.
I met a fantastic, crazy, knitter at work in 2009 and she got me hooked on yarn. After knitting for a few years I taught myself how to crochet and I go back and forth now, depending on my mood. My most favorite thing to make is hats!
So, I am a Wife, Mother, Daughter, Sister, Scrapper, Knitter, Hooker (aka Crocheter), Painter, Baker, Sewer, Crafter .. and 40 hours a week I'm a computer geek :)