Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeremy Watson.
Hi Jeremy, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
By These Hands, Designs was birthed in and operates currently out of our home in Belleville. Our business is a product of hobby and is fueled by our desire to be creative and build a form of that creativity with our hands.
Handmade wreaths were our start. My wife, Carmelita Watson, has the ability to create these beautiful forms of art that truly speak to our buyers. She has created wreaths for every holiday, every occasion, mostly which include weddings. Births and funerals. Wreaths are more than door décor, they can be used to style any part of your home, office, and business, and that is a piece of what Carmelita showcases in her designs.
I love to say that a branch of By These Hands Designs are the children’s books that I have written and have dedicated to my children. My first book was self-published in September 2019 and was inspired by a note my youngest son, Ian, left his mother and me. The note read, “Thank God for making people with color… because, without color, the world would be blank like paper.” That simple yet powerful message was the jolt of inspiration I needed to carry out my dreams of being a children’s author. His note gave me a starting point, a renewed focus, a subject, and it gave me inspiration. There was just no better way to introduce my writings to the world than to also introduce my family and, more importantly, my faith which are two subjects that are heavily infused in my writing.
Ian’s note inspired my first book, If the World Was Without Color, which was purchased and distributed to roughly 350 homes across the country by way of an Atlanta-based business, Just Like Me! Box. I have also published books dedicated to my other children, Dance Izzy, Dance, The Beach, and What is Pretty? A Book of Affirmations with several more books in the works.
During the pandemic, I was a hotel General Manager managing through some difficult times for the hospitality business. Fortunately, within the first few months of the pandemic, the world offered most of mankind an opportunity to be still, focus on what matters and change what needed to be changed. I took advantage of what the world was offering in its moment of stillness and quiet and I learned how to build furniture. Yes, I saw pockets in my professional life that offered me opportunity and time to learn a new craft., so I did. As I began to do more building, people began purchasing the items I created. The more I built, the more people gave me money to build more… and I saw the avenue the Lord was opening up for me. For the first time in my life, I owned saws and tools that I’ve used to build dining tables, desks, patio sets, entry and coffee tables, wall décor, and much more.
For my particular hotel, March 2021 was the month that began to show that the moment of quiet was long over. The hospitality business finally began to resemble its old self again. People were traveling, teams and events meeting again, weekends sold out and, like many businesses, I could not find enough staff willing to return back to an industry that needed them to survive. Therefore, the burden rested on me and I worked tirelessly to ensure my hotel survived and thrived. However, after months of seven days work weeks, days that start in the light and end with cleaning rooms till night, I realized that the energy I was using to build another man’s business I could use to build my own. So, in May 2021, my wife and I made the decision for me to leave my full-time employment and go into business for ourselves… by faith. The sweat of my brow simply needs to mean more.
Moving into July 2021, we are looking at commercial storefront locations and hope to house our business under one roof that people can come to and explore all that By These Hands Designs has to offer.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It’s hard to define the road that you haven’t been on that long and you feel you are so far away from your intended destination. We are just moving from start and hope this particular road leads us to some great mentors and guides that can help us in building and establishing our goals.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Our name ‘By These Hands’ epitomizes how we do what we do. Whether its the writing of children’s books, building furniture, photographing your special day, creating the perfect recipe for body butter and crafting wreaths – the designs, and all that we do, are produced ‘by these hands’ with which adds a depth of personalization and character that is our own.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
To keep the faith and never allow doubt and opinions to force you to distort the vision. Some people are not meant to understand the vision as you see it. That is why it wasn’t given to them… it was giving to you because you have all it takes to see that vision to fruition.
Pricing:
- Handmade Wooden Decor: $5 – 300+
- Handmade Wreaths: $50-$300+ (We also take custom orders to build around budgets)
- Handmade Furniture: $50 – $300 (We also take custom orders)
Contact Info:
- Email: jcw@bythesehandsdesigns.com
- Website: jeremycwatson.com
- Instagram: @ByTheseHandsDesigns; @JeremyCWatson
- Facebook: @wreathsbycarmelita
