The One I Almost Didn’t Send
The Morning Buzz Project started as a simple thank-you package… and slowly turned into something much bigger.
This one started with a simple idea: send a thank-you package to Greg & The Morning Buzz. Nothing fancy. Just a few handmade items, some laughs, and a genuine appreciation for a show that had become part of my daily routine.
Then the project grew.
At some point, the project stopped feeling like “just a package” and started feeling more like a representation of everything I enjoy about creating custom work. Not because it was expensive or complicated, but because every piece had a reason behind it.
The mugs weren’t generic. The graphics and details were chosen specifically for each member of the show. Laura’s cutting board wasn’t just another walnut and maple board either—it was designed around the personality and identity of Cooking on a Budget itself. Even the packaging, care cards, microfiber towels, and board balm became part of the experience.
That’s the part of custom work I enjoy most: building something that feels personal enough that people instantly know it was made specifically for them.
What started as “maybe I’ll make a board” slowly turned into custom mugs, engraved packaging, board balm tins, microfiber towels, personalized details, and more late nights in the shop than I care to admit. Every time I thought I was done, another idea showed up.
And somewhere in the middle of all that, doubt crept in too.
Part of the reason the project kept growing was simple: once I started building something for one member of the show, it didn’t feel right not to create something personal for everyone else too.
What began as a single idea slowly expanded into custom mugs, personalized graphics, engraved details, microfiber towels, packaging, care items, and a handwritten letter explaining why the project mattered to me in the first place. Every addition made the package feel less like “a gift” and more like a complete experience.
I remember standing in the shop looking at the finished package thinking, “This is stupid. They’re busy. They probably get things like this all the time. Maybe I should just keep it here and move on.”
I almost didn’t send it.
But I did.
And what happened afterward reminded me why 3 Dogs Woodworking exists in the first place: not just to build things, but to create something personal enough that people actually feel it.
Build Details
- Personalized 15 oz sublimated coffee mugs and microfiber towels created for each member of Greg & The Morning Buzz.
- Custom thin-cut walnut and maple cutting board featuring the custom-designed “Cooking on a Budget” logo, created specifically for Laura.
- Laura’s board package also included a printed care card, handmade 3 Dogs Woodworking board balm, and additional microfiber towels for long-term care and maintenance.
- Every piece in the package was designed to feel personal, useful, and connected to the personalities behind the show—not simply branded merchandise.
If you’re thinking about a gift with a story behind it, I’d love to hear what you’re imagining.
The morning after the package arrived, the crew opened it live on-air.
On-air reactions from Greg & The Morning Buzz after receiving the custom 3 Dogs Woodworking project package.
Permission for use graciously granted by Greg Kretschmar — thank you.
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More Than Just Wood
Not every project at 3 Dogs Woodworking is made from hardwood—but every project is built with the same attention to detail and purpose.
Alongside custom woodworking, I also create personalized coffee mugs, frosted beer steins, short-run sublimation apparel, and other custom pieces designed to make gifts feel a little more personal and memorable.
If you’ve got an idea—whether it’s wood, apparel, or something completely different—let’s talk about it and bring it to life.