Charmswoodworks

The work you see here—including the educational toy line and a variety of kitchen décor, furniture, and commission work—combines Cathy Harms love of tinkering, woodworking, and creating fun and engaging learning experiences for children.

When Cathy was introduced to metalsmithing during college, she instantly fell in love with the shop environment. She furthered her design skills with coursework at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and in the years since, she has honed her skills and drawn inspiration from her diverse roles as an editor, marketer, parent, and student of other artisans.

The handmade wood educational toys are designed to actively engage body and mind, help develop fine motor skills, and provide a fun literacy/math experience. Learning activities should be fun, interactive, and interesting, which is what Cathy strives for when making educational toys.

The furniture, cutting boards, pens, and other woodworking projects are also made with love and dedication to the finer points of design, form, and function. Every piece is handmade by Cathy in her home woodworking shop or at The Makers Space in Raleigh, North Carolina.

A thinker and a designer: These words summarize Cathy and her ability to traverse the mediums of wood and metal. Cathy's well-constructed designs prove that superior function and great design work hand in hand.