What is the Best Compliment You've ever Received on Your Work?

[Andrew Joiner]

I used to get paid for my woodworking and design ability. A happy client handing me payment was a satisfying experience that I got regularly. I miss that.

Now, I only build for me and my family. Yes, family and friends give me compliments. However, sometimes I feel under-appreciated.

I designed and built a dining table last winter. I'm very happy with it. A week ago I got a special ego boost. We had 20 women over for a fund raiser. One of the women in attendance was Fiona. She's young, beautiful and turns heads around our town. As everyone was leaving, Fiona touched my table and looked me in the eye. She said" you made this" Yup, I said. Then she said" it's very sexy". I'm still grinning!

[Bruce Volden]

I once rcv'd $100.00 for about $10.00 worth of engraving. Customer makes knives (very nice ones) and had me engrave one, said the check is in the box with the knife. Engraved the knife and opened the envelope to find the Ben Franklin. Called customer and said he over paid---he told me NO I DID NOT -- keep it. I like customers like this, but hate the bookwork of adjusting things on the business side!

Keep grinning and keep building.

Bruce

[Craig Behnke]

Fiona touched my table and looked me in the eye. She said" you made this" Yup, I said. Then she said" it's very sexy".

that is a perfect first line of a Xaviera Hollander letter.

[Larry Edgerton]

$5K bonus.

Larry

[Jim Finn]

Best response I got was overpayment. I got that three times in seven years of making and selling my wood work.

[Prashun Patel]

The few times people have said, 'you have a good eye.' The craftsmanship is a function of your tools and time. Having a good eye for design is much harder to attain.

[Ryan Mooney]

A couple of times I've gotten exclamations of "wow" after an involuntary double take which pretty much does it for me

[Rod Sheridan]

My FIL who is a retired cabinetmaker evaluated my Morris chairs and only had 6 complaints about them, it was pretty high praise.

A few weeks later my MIL was down visiting and mentioned that on the way home my FIL had remarked on what an outstanding job I had done on the chairs. Her comment was "Would it have killed you to tell Rod that you thought the chairs were nice""

His comment was " I would never tell him that, how do you expect him to improve if I don't criticise him?"

Well, I guess it's kind of like damning with faint praise............LOL..............Rod.

[Andrew Joiner]

that is a perfect first line of a Xaviera Hollander letter.

Yes, that's why I'm still grinning. Better than the 2 monetary tips I got over many years in the business.

[Richard Coers]

Given a one man show at an art gallery and the place was packed on the artist reception evening. She's carried several pieces at a time since that show, 1 1/2 years ago. Nice reward for a 40 year road to skill improvement.

[matt swiderski]

When my wife told me that I was finally at the level that I could start making furniture for the house, as opposed to just for the garage.

Matt

[Michael Yadfar]

Somehow, a girl I have a thing for had a picture of my chicken coop on her phone and didn't even know it was mine. She was showing the picture to one of my friends who also raises chickens and was like "You should build this coop. It's very nice and you chickens would love it." Then I was like "hey that's my chicken coop!" Then she told me that it's really nice

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Thanks Andrew, now mine doesn't feel so good. I can't really imagine better!

[Mark Wooden]

A second, high profit order.

[Roger Feeley]

When my daughter was married, I was enlisted to make wedding favors. I made 85 cheeseboards and 85 chinese checker game. Every guest got one or the other. I was thrilled to learn that there was a sort of underground market of people trading back and forth.