Meet Amanda Ridenour | Creator and Maker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda Ridenour and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I started this company because I had a passion for making and tinkering with processes to make products. I graduated with Industrial Design from UW- Stout and I got a job at a laser engraving company that made urns. I had worked with lasers in college but this is were my passion grew. I loved to be able to take something from the computer and change the settings to create beautiful images on wood and other materials! Once I left that company I knew I wanted to keep making things with lasers and I always used scrap materials when creating products before so why not keep that going and try to make an assortment of products our of recycled or reclaimed materials! As soon as I had a blip in my “full time” career I started to push myself to make more and more products and here we are three years later!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I try things, and I try so hard not to fail but it happens all the time! Sometimes it works out in a single go but rarely does that happen. I always am scared to fail but I need to keep myself going because that is how we learn! I know so many creatives that have imposter syndrome and it is extremely real, I struggle with it on the daily! My whole brand is created on trying things and then failing and picking myself up again and getting better each time. I had no idea I was going to make a business out of this, but I have just kept making and people keep on buying!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The routine – I usually mix and match on the days depending on how the visitor is feeling but here are those highlights for visiting Colorado Springs! -Garden of the gods- Walk around, go to drive by over look, hike back into the park, drive balancing rock and take some photos
-Old Colorado City – Go do what the tourists do and visit all the different shops: Simple Body Product is a must stop at, all natural beauty products. Eclectic Co- all sorts of artist made products, prints, candles, jewelry!
-Check out Mother Muffs for a nice drink and talk about the history of OCC ( Old Colorado City )
-Go to the Olympic Museum
-Hike Raspberry Mountain for the back view of Pikes Peak
-Eat and Drink at Cerberus Brewing Company – Great Colorado Poutine
-Ivy wild for some beers and the schoolhouse environment
-Axe and Oak for their Tobacco Old Fashions
-Palmer Park small hike – This place holds a special place in my heart since I got married there, so I have to show it off!
-Drive up Pikes Peak have doughnuts up at the top and stop at The Pickle Shack on the way down and out
-Manitou Springs – more of the tourist walking and shopping but being sure to stop at the Penny Arcades to do some video games and get a old timey horoscope or fortune!
-Eat at Townhouse in Manitou Springs – they have amazing Cujo Wings!
– Visit Ohana Kava and experience the kava drinks!
-Go get some cocktails at Brooklyn on Boulder
-Get your Ice Cream on at Frozen Gold – amazing Ice cream mixes
-Coati for the upgraded food court experience with so many amazing Instagramable places inside!
-Take a stroll out the Painted mines for a little walk among the rocks
-Check our the Drekar Meadery
-If up for a drive Bishops Castle is a homemade castle about and hour and half away from COS And while you are down there check out the Great Sand Dunes as well!
– Get a coffee at all of the shops in town – Third Space, Pikes Perk, Carnelian Coffee Co, Jives and so many other places – I am obsessed with coffee

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My Husband has been my endless cheerleader in all of this. We have made so many strides in our future this past year and he has been there through it all for me. Since I am the creative, off the wall, running around like crazy one, he has been there to encourage all my ideas and push me forward on my creative journey!

Website: https://cocut-mini.square.site/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cocutmini/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/COCUTmini/

Image Credits
Amanda Ridenour photography