What’s in a name?

Actually, everything.  So often, I’ve heard the age old phrase that Shakespeare coined.  “A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet.”  And while this may be true in it’s own way, the other truth is that words are among the most powerful tools at our disposal.  Shakespeare, himself, knew of their strength and used them to create worlds within worlds, masterpieces that remain unmatched.  You see, a name tells a story, conveys meaning, evokes emotion, paints a picture that can only be seen in your mind.  How amazing and magical is that?  To have the ability to step into another world of your own creation?

When I first began to consider what I would name my business, I wanted to do just that and invite others to take a walk with me, into this special place I had created, where it felt safe to just be yourself and know that you were an important part of this world.

In the past, before my dad became sick, I would spend so many afternoons, walking in the woods on our property with him, checking fencelines, spying animals and foliage, finding our perfect Christmas tree to dig up and plant the following Spring, on occassion, rescuing a baby or helpless animal, but mostly just talking or being quiet and appreciating the beauty and peace of nature and the savoring the precious moments we were able to spend together.  Having an older dad, the fleeting nature of life was always apparent to me, and because of that, I was lucky enough to take notice and cherish each and every word, every hug, every step, every special glance, and it helps to know that they’ll always remain part of me.

Those moments are what I wanted to capture, to still time and step into the magical woods for another walk with my dad, to be enveloped by this special world each time I walked into my studio, so that my studio, my forge would be surrounded by the magic of those days, and I wanted to share that beautiful experience with others, to invite you to take a walk in the special place where you were always happiest every time you looked at the little reminder on your finger, around your neck or wrist.

One of our favorite activities was choosing trees to help grow bigger and fuller by clearing the brush and smaller trees and learning more about the type of tree.  We explored our set of encyclopedias and the internet together and learned more about trees all over the world.  When we came across the the American Chestnut, we discovered that it was an endangered species of the Chestnut tree, so I chose that one as the home of the Forge, making it all the more rare and lovely, a place to treasure and savor, and in the Chestnut Forge, only the most unique pieces are created, and hopefully, the journey is as memorable and pleasant for you as it is for me, each and every day.  Thank you for dropping in and taking a walk with me!