About Us

To my dear valued customers,

I extend my sincere gratitude to each and every one of you for taking the time to explore my shop. Furthermore, I would like to express a particularly heartfelt appreciation to those who are interested in discovering more "About Us". However, I must reveal a little secret to you all - the notion of an "Us" is somewhat misleading. In reality, it is just me, a lone individual behind the scenes responsible for crafting every element you witness within this space. (Though I can't express enough how much gratitude goes out to my amazing wife, without whom, none of this would be possible)

Allow me to properly introduce myself. My name is Steve Apuzzo, and my profound enthusiasm for both learning and creating is what truly drives me. Working with my hands has always been an inherent passion of mine, as I find immense pleasure in transforming ordinary objects into items that bring joy and fulfillment into the lives of others.

I find great inspiration in nature and have developed a strong passion for photography, particularly in the realm of macro photography. I am particularly drawn to capturing the often overlooked aspects of nature, as it grants me a profound appreciation for the intricate details that often go unnoticed. This pursuit has taught me to cherish "the little things" in life.

I have an affinity for technology and proudly identify as a nerd. In my free time, I gather with friends to engage in tabletop games such as Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: the Gathering, and various others. The nickname "Dek" originated from a friend of mine who bestowed it upon me years ago due to my prowess in one particular card game. He humorously described me as "Socrates with a deck of cards," which eventually led to the abbreviated form of "Dekretese" or "Dek" sticking with me. Teaching others how to play the game was always a pleasure for me, even though at the time, in the early 90's, Magic: The Gathering was relatively obscure. I even had to persuade my local trading card shop to carry it. Beyond tabletop gaming, I also have a deep appreciation for science fiction and fantasy, including franchises like Star Trek and The Lord of the Rings. Over the years, I have developed a reputation as the go-to person for resolving technical issues among my peers, often playfully referred to as our group's official "Scotty".

After experiencing a layoff due to cutbacks in the manufacturing industry, I recognized the importance of pursuing my own aspirations rather than dedicating myself to a company that lacked the same level of commitment to product quality as I did. The monotonous routine of what I refer to as "Borg Business", where individuals lose their uniqueness and merge into a collective identity, reinforced my desire for change. Unfortunately, just weeks after being laid off, I faced the heartbreaking loss of my beloved canine companion, Jables the puggle, as he succumbed to cancer. During a reflective moment while browsing through his old photographs, I decided to explore my passion for photography as a potential career path. However, my plans were quickly disrupted by the unexpected arrival of the global pandemic in spring 2020, leading to widespread shutdowns. Needless to say, this was a challenging period for a lot of people. Thankfully, I was fortunate to have an incredibly supportive wife who kept me motivated to persevere. With her encouragement, I continued to push forward, but it became evident that I needed to redirect my efforts in a different direction.

I embarked on my current venture with the intention of creating a lasting memorial for "My Rup", who played a significant role in my life for 16 years. Determined to honor him in a meaningful way, I sought to leverage my diverse background in retail, photography, pyrography, graphic design, string art, fabrication, and manufacturing across various industries, however, I was uncertain how to utilize this diverse range of experience effectively.

That was about when I discovered CNC lasers, a technology that seamlessly integrated several of my favorite hobbies. Driven by my passion for learning, I resolved to apply my past experiences while acquiring the new skills needed to create a fitting tribute for "My Rup" and to offer others keepsakes they can treasure for years to come. Throughout my life, I have been entirely self-taught, continuously seeking knowledge and growth. Yet, I have often faced challenges stemming from my perfectionism, OCD, and imposter syndrome – traits that have, at times, hindered my progress. Nevertheless, a quote has empowered me to rethink the way I handle these "personality quirks" and overcome the obstacles they present...

"A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing." ~George Bernard Shaw

That really resonated with me because I have always had a fear of failure. As a result, I have made it my own personal mission to assist others in overcoming their own challenges and achieve success in areas where I have struggled. I refuse to let my fear of failure hold me back any longer, as I believe that even if I'm not able to achieve my desired outcome, others can still learn valuable lessons from my experiences. To me, this is a victory in itself. My objective is to inspire individuals to realize that life is too precious to spend it pursuing something that lacks happiness. I aim to guide people towards finding that happiness in the simple, as it is in these moments that we come to understand that the events we once considered significant will eventually fade away. And ultimately, it's all the "little things" that leave the most lasting imprints on our lives.