Hi, I’m Johnny — full-time dad, part-time wizard, and self-declared Woodcarving Geek. Some guys buy motorcycles in a midlife crisis. I bought basswood blocks and started talking to them until little bearded dwarves emerged.

My whittling journey began the same way many noble quests do... during a global pandemic, fueled by boredom, YouTube, and questionable confidence. I carved one or two shaky little figures, immediately realized I had no idea what I was doing combined with a large inability to sharpen a knife, and then... quit. Hard. Like “stuff-the-tools-in-a-drawer-and-pretend-that-never-happened” quit.

But in the fall of 2023, something changed. Call it redemption. Call it spite. Call it an excuse to avoid folding laundry. Whatever it was, I picked up the knife again. This time with purpose, passion, and probably too much caffeine. I dove headfirst into the hobby and haven't looked back (except when I lose my strop, which happens more than I’d like to admit).

By June of 2024, just over six to eight months into carving seriously, I uploaded my first YouTube video.  Mostly to share the joy, frustration, and oddly satisfying moments that come from turning blocks of wood into expressive little dwarves (and occasionally, sad lumps that were supposed to be dwarves). Teaching and sharing have always been second nature to me, so combining that with carving felt like a natural evolution… or at least a very enthusiastic experiment.

These days, I’m whittling away in Bonne Terre, Missouri, nestled in the quiet lake community of Terre Du Lac, where I live with my wife Lindsay, our three awesome kids, and a slowly growing army of wooden figures that silently judge me from the shelves.

So whether you’re here to learn, laugh, or just feel better about your own carving mistakes, welcome. You’re in good company and if you haven’t stropped yet today, consider this your friendly reminder!  ;)