Today we’d like to introduce you to Tracey Gines.
Hi Tracey, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started woodworking roughly 10 years ago, after my spouse and I purchased a new home. We wanted a farmhouse table. We had no power tools, and at that time I was actually scared of power tools that had the potential of cutting off your digits! Ha. Regardless of the fear, I went to the local big box store and purchased a set of basic power tools. I had literally zero experience in wood working and building a table seemed overwhelming. Thanks to YouTube, we repurposed an old oak table and increased its footprint from a 3’x6′ to a 4-1/2′ x 6′ farmhouse table! After that project, I was hooked. My favorite part of that entire process was putting on the finish and watching the grain of the lumber pop. From there, I started doing little projects around the house, making other small and very simple furniture items, and putting on my wish list… more power tools. 🙂 Fast forward 10 years, I have built up my little wood working shop, trading out the entry level tools, with top-of-the-line woodworking tools, like Sawstop Cabinet Saw, Laguna Bandsaw and Jointer, etc… am still growing in my skills as a wood worker and have a very ‘healthy respect’ for my large power tools, but my fear has been replaced with the love and making things with my hands. Up until the past few years, I have given all of my handcrafted products away to friends and family, which makes my heart happy, as I love seeing their expressions on their face when they receive the gift and realize it was made by me, from scratch. It’s just a cool feeling. I love that.
Things have progressed somewhat over the past few years, to my surprise actually. I didn’t see myself having a business or making things and selling them to other people. However, that seems to be the direction I am going! I have worked with a local entrepreneur who commissioned me to help her with making wedding displays and other items for her business. I have made chessboards, cutting boards, sour dough bread boards and knives, cabinets (for my shop), outdoor kitchen for our backyard patio and other projects I can’t think of right now. I like trying new things and challenging myself so I can keep learning and growing. I recently received my LLC and working on getting my new website up soon. I hope to promote one-of-a-kind items that folks will love. I love gifting most of all, and I still struggle when someone wants to buy something I made. It still feels weird to put a price on something I make.
I also started working part-time at a new local woodworking store located in Taylorsville 2 years ago. I’m still there and have recently retired from my full-time job. So, now I’m working a few more days a week/weekend at the store and loving it.
At the store, I get to teach woodworking classes and talk to people all the time about their passion of woodworking. I love helping people, and I truly enjoy having the opportunity to help someone with their journey of woodworking or helping them upgrade or purchase their first woodworking tool. I love working there, and I have learned so much from the community and my co-workers too. I am just super happy that I get to continue to focus on my own woodworking skills and also work around people who are also as passionate as I am.
It’s my goal by the end of this year to get my little Sugarwood Woodworking Business up and running; and as I mentioned I hope to have my website up soon (sugarwood-woodworking.com)
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I wouldn’t say this journey has been a struggle. I have had some challenges along the way, and truly the main challenges I have and am facing really, is running out of space in my shop as I grow and upgrade my tools etc… (which many folks who are share my same passion are challenged with).
Having high-end tools and machines will help me be more efficient and eliminate frustration especially where precision is key…the challenge…high-end tools are expensive. So, I have learned to be patient in all thing’s woodworking. Patience in making things and when they don’t go as planned to stop and reset and problem solve and patience in saving money to get the tool/machine that will help me be more successful in my projects.
So, space, time and patience. However, I wouldn’t change a thing. I am very, very grateful and feel very lucky to just be able to do what I am doing.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Sugarwood Woodworking LLC?
I’m still in the infancy stage of starting my business officially. I recently received my LLC, and in the process of creating my new website Sugarwood-woodworking.com I hope to have that up very soon.
Every piece that I post on my website will be handcrafted and one of a kind. In other words, no two items will ever be the same. Some items may look similar to another item, but I will change it up with using different exotic woods or other creative design features to set it apart not only from other items I post on my website, but also from others who are in the same line of fun work I am in. Bottom line…what I create is not going to be mass produced. When it’s gone, its gone and I will create something else in its place. To be honest I don’t want this to feel like a job, and having pressures of deadlines, etc. I’m not really that interested in making a ton of money; I just want to continue to create and work on my craft of woodworking and make something that I hope will bring joy to someone else. I want the wood in my projects to speak for itself. I use all kinds of exotic woods in my projects, and some of the items you will see on my website will include end grain, face and edge grain cutting boards, cheese slicer boards, sour dough bread knife/spoon & bread board kits, chess boards, knife blocks and whatever else I decide to create!
I pour time, energy, and heart into each project, and as I said before watching the grain pop at the end of a project never gets old—it’s a moment that reminds me why I do this.
My goal is simple: to create something special that brings joy to others.
For now, I won’t be doing any commissions until I can get my business up and running and hopefully finding a little success in it, but I’m always willing to chat with someone who would like to talk about ideas they have.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I have lived in the city for roughly 17 years. I love the history and the old brick homes. I first lived in a cute cottage 1 bedroom, and after I married, we bought slightly larger home in Liberty Wells area. People are friendly, and I love how liberal and diverse the city is. I live close to Sugarhouse and also within close proximity to downtown. Everything I need is within 10 minutes. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.
I can’t think of anything negative about our city.
Pricing:
- Cutting Boards will range depending upon size, thickness and type of grain/pattern from $150 -$300
- Sourdough Bread Knife, Spoon and Bread Board will also range from $130 – $200
- Cheese Slicer Boards will range $80 – $150, also depending on types of exotic / domestic woods used, size and hardware
- Other items TBA!
Contact Info:
- Website: Sugarwood-woodworking.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sugarwoodwoodworking/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tracey.gines/
