In 2015, about six years into my mothers’ journey with Alzheimer’s I looked for ways for mom and me to engage around things that made both of our hearts happy and ventured into DIY cardmaking. It provided time together, laughter, color, creativity, and tactile experiences we both enjoyed when I visited her retirement community.

Soon, other residents from the retirement community where mom and dad lived joined our weekly craft sessions. We shared stories past and present around the crafting table as we created cards. The residents built love and connection with each other and extended family and friends as they mailed or shared their unique creations.

My parents spent 40 years of their marriage on what many term a magical 100 acre property in West Linn, Oregon where my husband and I moved in 2014 and eventually opened our home and property to birth Campbell Lane Winery. In 2019, an idea was born from the joy of sharing cardmaking with my mom and others; we would construct a dedicated place for creativity, a Maker’s Shed. 

2020 and its worldwide host of challenges pressed the pause button on the realization of the Maker’s Shed, but belief for its completion in 2021 stands firm. 

What is a Maker?  Well, it is a noun and in part means a person who has the hobby of creating tangible physical products, especially do-it-yourself handmade crafts fostering hands-on creativity, and (particular to our story) it also means God. I believe each one of us has a Maker and personally, everything I possess and can share with the world is from that Maker, hence “My Makers Shed”; it belongs to God.  Yet the meaning is more expansive. The Maker’s Shed will be the physical place where I go as a maker (crafter) and others will visit and become makers as well.

The Maker’s Shed is a well equipped designated location for makers to share their skills and passions. At its heart is the desire to provide space to encourage the creative “maker” in each of us whether it be passions around food, cardmaking, photography, flower arrangement, leather crafts, wood working, wine making or brewing beer!   The ideas are infinite.

My passion is to bring color, creativity, and joy to the heart of others as they discover their own unique gift as a maker and believe the Maker’s Shed will introduce them to creative experiences in the presence of The Maker. 

Tracy Campbell Parks, January 2021