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A moving and inspirational memoir from the beloved maverick carpenter on HGTV’s smash hit Fixer Upper that shows how to turn your hobbies and craft into a career and celebrates the power of meaningful work. Now known to the countless fans of Fixer Upper as Chip and Joanna Gaines’s go-to table maker and acclaimed artisan, Clint Harp hasn’t always lived the DIY dream we see on the show. Ten years ago, he was dutifully working at a sales job that, while it provided security for his family, did nothing to help him achieve his unfulfilled dreams of building furniture. With the support of his wife, the encouragement of a mentor, and a life full of lessons, he finally took the leap, quitting his job and setting out on the quest to become a carpenter. Without formal training, financing, workspace, or customers, the Harps were quickly on the edge of financial collapse. Then Clint met Chip Gaines at a gas station—a chance encounter that marked the next chapter on a wild ride Clint could never have imagined possible. Spanning Clint’s remarkable journey—from a childhood learning carpentry and hard work at his grandfather’s knee, through his struggles to balance pursuing his dreams with supporting his family, to his partnership with Chip and Joanna Gaines and the many adventures and misadventures of filming Fixer Upper—Handcrafted is part memoir and part manual for dreamers of all backgrounds. “From the floor of his first shop to the foundations of Habitat for Humanity houses, to building furniture for the world to see, Clint Harp is living a handcrafted life” (President Jimmy Carter).
Reviews with the most likes.
I picked this book up by mistake, thinking it was a book of a similar title. I hadn't heard of Clint Harp before. That being said, I really enjoyed this book.
I admire Harp's willingness to take a big risk to peruse a dream and to dive into a challenge. In some ways I think that I could never do that and in others I find myself inspired to take on new challenges and take risks because Clint did it and found joy in it.
My favorite part of this book comes in the last chapter when he speculates that God desires us to become the best versions of ourselves. I agree with Clint. Too often I don't pursue a dream or try something for fear of failing or not being good enough. The fact is that God loves us and is for us, no matter how talented we are or how badly we fail at something. I want to live in that confidence.