Our People
Hi there! We are so happy you're here!
Shall we start with introductions? That's as good a place as any..
I, Samantha (she/her), am the face of the business! I am a wife and a stay-at-home-mom to two young boys. On the rare occasion that I’m not doing mom stuff, I can be found either testing out new baking recipes, or zoning into a video game with my tiny dog, Watson, in my lap. I’m also learning new languages in my spare time!
Then there is Levi (he/him)! He is one of my best friends. He is a Journeyman Red Seal Carpenter with over a decade of experience and runs a contracting company full time. He is the star of this show, to be honest. LeBlackbird Woodshop would be nothing without his talent, creativity, problem solving, hard work and dedication.
Together we have built every part of this business, may it be digital creation or physical product. It's a true joint project!
Our Name
We know our name is a bit odd but we would love for you to know why!
LeBlackbird Woodshop is an ode to our grandmothers [as they were businesswomen in their own times.] We love and miss them always.
The 'Le' in our name is in honour of Levi's grandmother, specifically her French heritage. Having French as her first language, it was an ever present influence her whole life. When she did speak in English, often she would throw in French words and carry on like she didn't notice. We decided to immortalize that through our shop name. Additionally, in our logo, the blackbird is standing on a branch from a wild blueberry bush. One of her favourite activities was picking wild blueberries from patches in the middle of the forest. She may have looked like a proper lady on the outside (cue her impeccable hair and lipstick) but she definitely had a wild streak and great sense of adventure!
The 'Blackbird' in both our name and logo is in honour of my (Samantha's) grandmother. Since she passed, whenever she comes to mind, a blackbird appears around me. It's an obvious sign, to me, that she is saying 'hello.' She knew what it took to own and run a retail business. I know she would be so proud of this venture. We channel her positive attitude, passion, integrity and willingness to help as pillars of our little woodshop.
The symbolism in our logo is full of good vibes. We hope these attributes transfer to you and your home as you welcome our products into your space.
- Much love to all -
[Blackbird symbolism - adaptability, determination, wisdom, transformation, luck]
[Blueberry symbolism - youthfulness, optimism, good health, creativity, prosperity]
Our Story
As many businesses do, our story started from a desire to have quality items for our own homes.
It was the summer of 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. My kids were turning from babies into (very) active toddlers during the pandemic lockdowns and I needed ways to keep them entertained and expending their energy at home. I stumbled upon wobble boards and other Montessori/Waldorf inspired gross motor activities. I asked Levi if it was possible to make a wobble board instead of having to order one from expensive specialty retailers. As he does, he set off to his garage and created our first prototype wobble board. We then created a climbing triangle and accompanying slide. My boys loved them! I was so thankful to have a versatile indoor playset at home where I knew my kids would be safe and happy.
We then started garnering interest from friends and family about buying these playsets for their kids too. So off we went! In October 2020, we opened an online shop (LeBlackbirdWoodshop) on a popular 'global marketplace that focuses on handmade or vintage items and craft supplies' to make our creations accessible to everyone who asked.
There were about a dozen different items in our shop that were geared towards babies/toddlers/preschoolers. We had zero expectations for our shop. Neither Levi or I had any experience in running an online business. We didn't even think we would be making sales to locals never mind total strangers living across the continent! (Looking back at that, we were hilariously naive.) But as Christmas grew closer, orders kept coming and coming and coming. We could barely keep up! We were amazed to see that people wanted our products in their homes.
We haven't looked back since! We have learned and evolved SO much in both business and skill. Our products have improved and evolved along with us. Some items have been retired. Other items have undergone total redesign. Most items have been steadily improved day by day.
Four years later, here we are!! Our second/independent shop is finally open. WOOT! We are incredibly proud of our increasing offerings and the level of service we provide to our customers. This dream is nothing without your support!