Meet Doug Delong | Music Educator and Woodworker

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

Hi Doug, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
For the majority of my working life, I was a music educator, working as a band teacher at the middle school level. Music had always been a huge part of my life, and as an adult, it made sense to provide young kids the joy, satisfaction, and inspiration that comes with performing music. Teaching kids to read music, play instruments, and develop a love for the musical arts was exciting and rewarding! As my career in music education drew to a close, and thoughts turned towards retirement, I began to consider ways to incorporate some level of artistic creativity into retired life.

Thinking that retirement would offer time to devote to hobbies, I considered some of the interests I had always wanted to pursue. I thought back to my school experiences as a kid and remembered that, besides music, my favorite class was shop class! I loved working with tools and learning to turn raw materials into useful objects.

Woodworking was now coming into focus, and the desire to turn that hobby into a small business gave me a sense of direction. The challenges were many: how to start a home-based business? What kinds of products to make? How do I sell those products? Through trial and no small amount of error, I have found a few products that people seem to appreciate and that I enjoy making. This has been a huge learning curve for me, but I love the sense of purpose this business has provided. The greatest satisfaction comes from knowing that others enjoy my work and products!

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.
As a novice woodworker seeking to start a small home-based business, I have found both processes to be challenging. An initial hurdle was deciding what products to make and what might sell. Early on, I decided to focus on small, decorative items that could be sold at Denver area craft shows. This has led me to make such things as indoor lanterns, keepsake boxes, and a variety of holiday decorative items. Far and away, my best-selling product is my “Book Lover’s Thumb Thingy,” a small wooden tool that helps readers hold a book open one-handed. The “Thumb Thingys” have proven to be so popular that several Denver area independent bookstores have been selling them over the past couple of years. The next challenge is to offer this product through e-commerce, which I’m hoping to initiate sometime in 2025.

As a woodworker, I enjoy simple designs while focusing on the details as much as possible. I have been drawn to elements of Scandinavian design for as long as I can remember. I love the simplicity and clean lines associated with that style, so I try to incorporate those elements into my work. I also value the tactile nature of wood, so my products must have a smooth, soft touch and feel good in the hand. Although bringing these details into my work requires more time and effort, the result is worth it.

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.
I grew up in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, and have lived in the Denver area ever since. For dining, there are so many great restaurants near downtown Denver, especially in some of the newly revitalized neighborhoods! Now that Casa Bonita has been remodeled and is open again, I’d want to take a visitor there just for the sheer spectacle of it! Other must-see attractions in Denver include seeing the Rockies play at Coors Field and spending some time at Union Station. For shopping, I prefer visiting the smaller main street markets such as Littleton, South Pearl, Gaylord and Platte.

I would make it a point to get out of Denver for some side trips, such as taking in a concert at Red Rocks or maybe strolling the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder. If time allowed, I’d book an excursion on the old Durango to Silverton railway to give a visitor a better sense of Colorado’s history as well as to immerse them in the Rocky Mountains.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Growing up, teachers were always my primary source of inspiration, and I was fortunate to have had some incredible teachers, in a variety of subjects, who motivated my aspirations. Musically and artistically, my High School band teacher, Larry Wallace, is front and center. Mr. Wallace instilled such a high level of music appreciation in me that I was compelled to pour every ounce of emotion and control into my playing. His guidance and encouragement motivated me to pursue music in college and, later, to become a music educator.

My younger brother, Pete, has been a consistent source of inspiration to me, especially now that I have begun to channel more of my creative efforts into woodworking. Through his work as a graphic designer, I have long admired his refined sense of design and style, and I value his opinions and suggestions as they pertain to my work. My wife, Lora, has been my chief supporter and source of encouragement as I navigate the uncertainties involved with starting a small woodworking business. I am constantly running ideas, doubts, and worries by her, and she always responds with the support that allows me to move forward confidently.

Website: https://www.dugedeedesigns.com

Instagram: dug_e_dee_designs

Image Credits
Kelly Eileen Designs LLC