The Story Behind Timberwood Designs: How It All Began

The Story Behind Timberwood Designs: How It All Began

You know how some things just kind of fall into place, even when you didn’t plan them? That’s exactly how Timberwood Designs started. Back in 2019, after my son was born, I was on a mission to find the perfect personalized baby blocks. I wanted something made from natural hardwood—eco-friendly, safe for babies, and timeless. Bonus points if it was created by a Canadian company.

But no matter where I looked, nothing quite fit. Everything I found missed the mark in one way or another. So, I decided, “Why not just make my own?” Honestly, I had no idea what I was getting myself into! We bought a machine and started creating wooden baby blocks, thinking it would be a fun project for my kids and maybe a nice gift for friends and family.

What I didn’t realize was how much this small idea would change our lives.

From Hobby to Name Sign Business

At first, it was just about making these baby name blocks for the people around us. But then something amazing happened: people started asking, “Where did you get these?” The compliments poured in, and before we knew it, we were selling blocks through word-of-mouth and even on Facebook Marketplace. It was just a way to cover the cost of the machine, but it slowly started to grow into more.

By mid-2020, we started thinking, “Could this actually become something bigger?” That’s when we decided to dip my toes into influencer marketing.

Name Blocks on Shelf

A Game-Changing Nursery Sign Collaboration

I’ll never forget reaching out to Jessica Van Gaalen in August 2020. She had such a warm, relatable vibe, and I admired how authentic she was online. It felt like she’d be a perfect fit for our brand. So, I sent her some personalized baby blocks for her son and daughter, and to my surprise, she agreed to host a story giveaway with us.

The response was amazing, but the real turning point came a month later. Jess casually mentioned on her Instagram story that she was looking for someone to make a name sign for her daughter’s nursery. Here’s the thing—we had never made a name sign before. But I didn’t hesitate. I immediately messaged her and said, “We can do it!”

That moment marked the start of a whole new chapter for us.

Creating Our Signature Nursery Name Signs

Making Jess’s name sign was a challenge, but it was also exciting. We went back and forth about wood types and designs, but when it came to the font, we couldn’t find one we truly loved. That’s when I decided, “Let’s just create our own.”

We reached out to Britt, a graphic designer and one of our earliest block customers. After playing around with different ideas, we realized Britt’s handwriting was perfect. To this day, she handwrites every name for us, which makes each sign so personal and special.

Our nursery name signs stand out not just because of the custom fonts but also because of the materials we use. Every single sign is crafted from solid hardwood-no plywood, no off-gases, and no toxic paints. It was so important to us to create something safe and high-quality for nurseries and kids' spaces. 


nursery name sign

Taking the Leap with Our Website

After finishing Jess’s sign, we knew it was time to take Timberwood Designs to the next level. We decided to build a website—something we had zero experience with. Between my full-time teaching job and Josh running his hardwood flooring business, it was a lot to juggle. Let’s just say there were many late nights and weekends spent learning as we went.

Finally, on October 25, 2020, we launched our website with our very first product: personalized wooden name signs. That same day, Jess shared her sign on Instagram, and everything exploded. Within an hour, we had gained nearly 1,000 followers and received several orders. It felt surreal—like Christmas morning the way we were jumping around screaming like kids!

Connecting with Customers

One thing I didn’t expect when we launched the website was how much I’d enjoy connecting with customers. Sometimes orders would come in with missing details because I didn't set something up correctly on the website, so I’d reach out personally to clarify. These one-on-one conversations turned into something really special. People would share their stories, send photos of their nursery signs, and tell me how much they loved their orders.

One name, in particular, stood out: Ayla. After Jess’s post, it became one of our most requested names, and seeing it pop up in so many beautiful nurseries was so cool!


Looking Back Our Wooden Sign Journey

When I think about how far we’ve come—from making baby blocks for my own kids to creating custom name signs for nurseries across Canada and the world—I feel so grateful. That one decision to say “We can do it!” to Jess opened so many doors for us.

Since then, we’ve had the chance to work with incredible influencers and families, each with their own unique stories. Those collaborations have been at the heart of what we do, and I can’t wait to share even more of them with you.

Thank you for being part of our journey. Whether it’s personalized baby blocks, wooden name signs, or nursery shelves, every single product is made with love and care.

I can’t wait to take you behind the scenes to share how we bring personalized nursery pieces to life and the incredible people we meet along the way! From inspiring nursery reveals to fresh design ideas, there’s so much more to come—stay tuned!

timberwood designs blog postDo you have a special nursery story or design journey? I’d love to hear it! Maybe even feature you as a guest blogger—how fun would that be?

Just a quick note: Most products featured in our blog are made by Timberwood Designs, but sometimes I will add in products from other companies that will have an affiliate links. That means if you make a purchase through these links, I’ll earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you! 

Looking for even more nursery inspiration? Check out some of my other posts, like 6 Ways to Feature a Name Sign, 10 Creative Nursery Ideas, or 5 Reasons Why we Recommend Baby Blocks

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