A shop of memories

My grandfather Hall had a hardware and lumber shop. As a child, when my family made the trek from Osaka, Japan to Richmond Virginia, we visited his store. The memories I have of it include the loud buzz of a table saw, the fresh scent of red oak, and sawdust everywhere.

Fast forward many, many years to North Carolina. Step into our garage. While not a brick and mortar store with a bell that rings when you open the front door, Carved By Heart is in business. Inside the garage, wooden creations are made---signs, plaques, clocks, bird feeders, pet remembrances, and more.

Plaques in memory of loved ones, custom-made signs, memory pieces. And yes, the aroma of red oak and pine permeates throughout the garage as the saw buzzes to cut the wood.

We love providing handcrated wooden items for our customers.

My son Daniel never met my grandfather Hall. My grandfather died when I was a senior in high school. But the inspiration I hold from the life of my son, who died at at the age of four in 1997, coupled with my grandfathers's love of wood, makes for a lovely tribute.

It is those memories that give our shop the desire and inspiration to create and make items that bring solace and smiles to others.

Find our shop online at Etsy and spend some time there. Let us hear from you! If you can think it, we can carve it! We can be serious, funny, silly or sentimental.

Let us carve some memories for you.

Carved in the Heart of Memory

When my son Daniel died, I feared many things. One was that no one would remember him. He was only four and hadn't learned to read or tie his shoe.

Often in the still of the night, I would stand on my deck and look up toward Heaven. I focused on the distant stars. In the summer evenings, I'd watch the brilliant sunsets, the purples and marigold----painted brushstrokes across the clouds.

I asked God, "Why?" and "How do you expect me to live on?"

The ache in my heart was wider than the sky.

One evening, as I sat on my deck and wondered about remembering and forgetting, suddenly, as if through the spring air and from the sky, came these words:

"Who will remember those who no longer sing on earth?

We, who hear their songs from Heaven."

I wrote the verse down and immediately felt the comfort from the sentiment. Later, I had it printed on cards. I sent the cards to those, who like me, missed their loved ones. People asked to purchase the cards, so I offered them online and at conferences.

When my husband first carved the verse into a piece of red oak, it was as though a big soft blanket wrapped around me. I shared the plaque with others and then there came the requests from fellow bereaved mothers and fathers. "That's beautiful. I want one." "Can you make me one, please?"

Who would have thought that the verse that came to me over twelve years ago would now be bringing solace and hope to others?

Thank you for coming into my life, Daniel. Thank you for the reminder that you live on, and when I listen, I can hear your songs from Heaven.


Visit our Etsy Shop to see this plaque and other products all carved from wood.

Our New Venture

My husband and I have a new venture. Carved Remembrances is a special way of remembering those you love. The red oak plaque here can sit on your table or hang on the wall. There's room for a picture of your loved one as well as his/her name and the birth and death dates. We're expanding our selections to suit your needs. And we're excited about providing our public with wonderfully-crafted items to bring you solace.

Visit our webpage.

Email info@alicewisler to ask for an order form today!