Second Chances

Day 6 – Made to Matter: 13 Soulful Stories from the Studio

Some pieces don’t begin at a workbench or studio table. They begin with a relationship, a place, a memory—something that lingers long after the doors have closed.

This corner bookcase didn’t start out as a bookcase.
Its bones once held table legs and bedposts in a beautiful furniture shop called Hartford House, owned by my dear friend Sarah Smith. Her store was more than a storefront—it was an experience. Each piece handcrafted, each corner filled with charm. I still remember walking in for the first time back in 2009, furniture shopping with my first husband, and feeling like I’d stepped into a place that understood beauty and soul. That day, we met Sarah—and started a friendship that would carry us through more seasons than I can count.

Fast forward to 2020. Sarah and her longtime store manager, Mickey, visited me to talk candles. We collaborated on a special collection—ten exclusive fragrances crafted just for Hartford House. My gift sets and candles were stocked in her shop until the store closed in 2022. When that chapter ended, it felt personal.

As everything went up for sale, I spotted a display rack most had walked past without a second glance. But I saw potential in it. Maybe even a second chance. I bought it for a small fee and a shoulder massage, and with my dad’s help—plus a little teamwork from Jim and my brother—we gave it new life.

That old rack was transformed into a corner bookcase, now nestled into my own space. It holds more than books. It holds stories.

It holds the memory of a shop that shaped my early days as a maker.
It holds the scent of candle dreams born from shared trust.
It holds the labor and love of the men in my life who helped bring it to life.

The finish may be fresh, but the soul is seasoned.
This isn’t just about wood and nails—it’s about reverence. For the past. For the people. For what we choose to preserve.

Because sometimes the most beautiful pieces…
are the ones we give a second chance.

“We do not remember days, we remember moments.” — Cesare Pavese

“Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.” — Psalm 127:1

A Thought to Carry

What parts of your story are still waiting for a second chance?
What might be transformed if you saw it with fresh eyes?