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BELMONT, N.S. — Taylor Andrews of Belmont, N.S., doesn’t feel like she’s always been a creative person. Her work, however, shows something different.

Andrews credits her grandmother for any of her creative talents. According to Andrews, her grandmother was a very creative woman and always loved to craft. She could make anything.

“I feel like maybe I got a bit of that in my genes,” she said.

Andrews originally began exploring her creative side mostly as a hobby or something to do when she wasn’t working her regular job, which, at the time, was a CCA in a nursing home.

When she first started creating, Andrews said she started out making wooden shelves. It was through trial and error that she learned, so she said she was largely self-taught. After this, Andrews decided to try making wooden sings. At this point, she asked lots of questions.

A big help was her friend Deborah who had all kinds of experience in creating all kinds of things. This is what gave Andrews the push she needed to spend the $300 on her first Silhouette (vinyl cutter). Once she bought that, Andrews joined a lot of Facebook groups and got started making.

The rest is history.

Since 2016, Andrews has operated the business Country Roads Rustic Décor where she focuses on making home decor and giftable items. She makes a variety of wooden signs which are all painted.

“I really enjoy being able to create gifts for people. I love making funny items to make you chuckle, but I also really love making items that pull at your heart strings.”

She said it fills her heart to know she can create a special piece that will mean a lot to someone.

Although she loves the work, the most challenging thing for her is actually finding the time to do everything that she has stored away in her head.

Besides making and selling, she also works full time. Although, during the busy time of the holidays she feels like she is actually working two full-time jobs. On Mondays to Fridays, she works full days at the transport trailer shop as the service advisor. She gets off at 5 p.m. and goes home to make supper and then tries to be in her shop by 6 or 6:30 most evenings.

Out of everything she makes, she said her most popular items are definitely her wooden signs and Christmas ornaments.

Her inspiration comes from just about everywhere. She loves nature, so anything to do with nature, really speaks to her. This love for nature led to one of the most interesting thing she said she makes. These are her “Nova Scotia Scavenger Hunt Boards”. She created these scavenger hunt boards out of wood that has handles for kids to carry around. They are engraved with different items such as flowers, sea glass or berries. The point of the board is to get the kids outside, exploring beautiful backyards and beaches.

Andrews also takes on a bit of custom work but is trying to get away from it a bit this year as custom orders can be very time consuming.

Last year, she purchased a laser and this opened a whole bunch of new avenues for her and design possibilities. So, this year, she said she would like to knuckle down and really get into the wholesale side of sales.

To view or purchase work from Country Roads Rustic Décor, visit her website, or find her on Facebook or Instagram under the same name. She also sells at the Avery’s Farm Market in Bible Hill, where she has a full wall where you can shop. Additionally, she sells at My Home Mercantile in Truro and at the Truro Farmers Market.