The Celtic Pony has an interesting lineage. Our family spent several years homesteading – livestock, gardens and all – in an effort to become more self-reliant. Self-reliant meant raising our own food, fiber and making much of what we used. While we discovered we could do it, we also discovered that our other life commitments suffered because of it. Eventually circumstances dictated that we move away from that plan for awhile. Today we still have a large and abundant garden, a few milk goats, a handful of chickens and our horses however we are no longer in the ‘farm business’ so to speak.
While being the intrepid farmers we did explore skills (some of which we had done before, some not) such as woodworking, quilting, spinning, braiding and other crafts. And without the farm to care for, we now had time to hone those arts and today we are beginning to offer our hand worked gifts to others.
Some of the most cherished items in our home are those that have been passed down in our family for generations. Quilts made by a great-great grandmother, woodworking by a grandfather, our piano, books from a great-grandfather’s dairy. All are more than THINGS. It is with genuine awe and reverence that we incorporate each item into our home. We love using and living with these items knowing our ancestors used them and lived with them also. There is something deep in us that responds to running our hand over a piece of fabric than an ancestor 100 years ago also ran their hand over. It’s a tangible link to our genealogy, it makes them REAL and part of our family instead of just a name on a piece of paper.
That same love leads us often to antiques (such as my treadle sewing machine) and vintage (oh do I LOVE vintage kitchen utensils!). We admire the craftsmanship, the innovation and the determination of eras gone by.
When we decided to launch The Celtic Pony, we wanted the items we offered to be the sort of thing that was genuinely ‘heirloom’ quality. We chose integrity of materials and workmanship over quick turnover. We wanted each item to be unique and appreciated and hopefully something that would be passed down to future generations..
