Welcome to Cottage Creations
There's a particular kind of quiet you only find at the cottage. The dock creaking under bare feet. Loons calling across the water at dusk. The smell of a campfire clinging to your favourite hoodie. If you're reading this, you probably already know exactly what I mean.
That feeling is where Cottage Creations started.
Why I started this
I've spent years finding and making one-off gifts for family and friends here in Rideau Lakes. A notebook for my partner Kimberly. A little something for a neighbour's retirement. Every time, the reaction was the same: people didn't just like the object — they got quiet for a second, because it meant something. It created a genuine emotion.
Cottage country is full of that kind of memory. A specific dock. A specific sunset. A cottage that's been in the family for three generations, or one you just bought last summer and are still pinching yourself over. I wanted to build something that takes those personal photos — the ones sitting in your camera roll, not a stock image — and turns them into something you can actually hold, use, and pass down.
So that's what Cottage Creations is: a small, local, handmade shop that turns your cottage photos into keepsakes.
What we make
Everything starts with a photo you send me — your cottage, your dock, your view, your family. From there, I hand-prepare the image and engrave or print it onto:
Slate coasters — a rustic, natural stone finish that shows off fine photo detail
Wood coasters — warmer tone, great for a classic cottage look
Leather patches — perfect for hats, bags, or gifting
Personalized WiFi QR code lights — a genuinely useful one for guests and renters, engraved with your network info so nobody has to ask for the password again
We continue to expand our offerings. Every piece is made to order, by hand, right here — not mass produced, not drop-shipped.
How it works
Send your photo. High-resolution, well-lit shots of your cottage, dock, or family work best.
I prep the image. Your photo is carefully outlined and adjusted so it engraves or prints with real depth and detail — this is the step that separates a keepsake from a novelty item.
It gets made. Laser engraved or UV printed depending on the product and material.
You get a story you can hold. Something that'll sit on your coffee table, hang by your door, or get gifted to someone who'll genuinely tear up over it.
Our promise
This is a small operation, and I like it that way — it means I actually see and approve every piece before it goes out. If something isn't right, tell me and I'll make it right. That's not a marketing line, it's just how a small local business has to operate: on trust, word of mouth, and doing right by the next person who orders.
What's next
I'm just getting started, and I'd love for you to follow along — I'll be sharing behind-the-scenes process shots, new product experiments (cutting boards and glass items are next on my list), and the occasional customer story on Instagram. Right now, first customers get a launch discount — details are on the Instagram page.
If you've got a cottage photo that means something to you, I'd love to help you turn it into something you'll keep for years. In the meantime let stay in touch!