It all began
with a gift.

A thoughtful gesture.
A spark of curiosity.

Our neighbor Matt gave my youngest daughter a little walnut whale teether he’d made himself. It was a thoughtful gift that did more than soothe a teething little one. It got me thinking: “I could do that!”

A year later, we moved into a house with a dedicated woodshop, built by the previous owner, a furniture maker. With an empty shop and plenty of curiosity, I started gathering equipment and learning how to use it.

I picked up tips wherever I could, including YouTube and Instagram. After discovering the work of Tender Lovell Care, I bought a set of teether and rattle plans and began making gifts for friends and family.

During the pandemic, that growing passion became Walnut Whale Woodshop. These days, my work includes my own designs for little and big kids, along with custom projects that turn someone else’s idea into something tangible.

At the heart of it is the same thing that started it all: the joy of making something thoughtful for someone else.

— Jeremy