"Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise." - Victor Hugo, Les Misérables As lifelong Texans, we simply aren’t used to extended periods of sub-freezing conditions, snow, or ice. It takes little more than a light dusting of snow or a bit of freezing precipitation to shut down entire regions of the state. Usually, everyone treats it as a kind of free day. The kids are happy to miss a day of school and the adults get a day off—or at least a day to work from home.  The winter weather that hit Texas this last week was different, though. Many people were without electricity and water for extended periods of time, creating an uncomfortable situation for...

I wish I could say that all of our ideas are the result of artistic genius. But the truth is, a lot of our designs begin with a problem looking for a solution. The first minis/ornaments we produced were made simply as a way to curb waste.  All of the wood we used in our large wall hangings was scavenged back then, often found in trash piles during the city’s bi-annual bulk pick ups. We liked the idea that we were taking stuff that was meant for the landfill and giving it a chance at a completely different life, but we couldn’t use 100% of the wood we scavenged. We often ended up with narrow strips of wood that would...

I’ve always been interested in the creative process. I grew up with a love for both books and movies, and I always wondered how some of these great and popular works could spring so well-formed from the mind of one person. As I got older and became more interested in writing fiction, I began to realize that behind a finished novel are hours of revision, editing, and tinkering. I also found that many books or works of art I admire often ended up in very different places than the artist intended when they began them.  Maybe there are some geniuses out there whose art ends up exactly the way they intended from inception, but for us mere mortals, art is...

I was scanning through our Instagram feed the other day and reflecting on how our style has changed over the almost decade that we’ve been making reclaimed wooden art. If you’ve recently stumbled onto our site or social media feeds, you might think we’ve always been about bold colors and a retro aesthetic, but those of you who have been with us for a long time (thank you, by the way!) know that our style has changed a great deal over the years.  The truth is, I always wanted to try using retro colors in our pieces, but I had to overcome some fears before we were able to successfully pull it off.  For the first 4 years of our...

“This is the year, Kris!” I’ve lost count how many times Kelley has said this at the start of a new year. It’s a running joke between us at this point. (She even said it at the beginning of 2020. Ha.) I tease her for it, but honestly, many of the milestones we’ve had with Hemlock & Heather began with that optimism and forward-thinking attitude. We balance each other out The truth is, I’ve never been the optimistic one in our relationship. As much as I hate to admit it, for many of the obstacles we’ve overcome and projects we’ve taken from concept to reality, my first thought has often been how we can’t rather than why we can.  I...