Celebrate International Women's Day outdoors with these inspirational makers

Flexing your innovation and skill is something anyone can participate in, as demonstrated by the women sawyers, builders and acreage owners proving themselves to the world.

Plenty of women, like property owner Sheli or off-gridder Caitlin, show what they can do with the right tools, creativity and the will to make. Their ingenuity and inventiveness also positively impact their families, providing stability and inspiration.

So for International Women’s Day, Woodland Mills wants to raise a toast for the women who create, to help inspire others to break out into new spaces and hobbies.

The goal is to have an open environment where everyone feels like they’re able to try new things and share the great projects they’ve been working on, so here’s a few female members of the Woodland Mills product owners community that we wanted to highlight.

Caitlin’s story is inspirational, showing what one woman can do all by herself, powered through sheer force of determination.

As the pioneer of her solo cabin build in Alaska, Caitlin has used her Woodland Mills sawmill to turn her stretch of wilderness into her own homestead, with lots of plans for new projects planned over the next decade.

While it was her first time doing something like this, that hasn’t prevented her from flourishing. Her story has proven extremely popular amongst the Woodland Mills product owners and community due to how much she’s been able to accomplish by herself.

Caitlin shows that the world is her playground, and her inspirational story continues to evolve with new ideas and ambitious new projects. Her efforts have significantly improved her life and the lives of those around her, demonstrating the profound impact of determination and hard work.

Star of her social media account, House on Wilshire, Sheli’s goal is to promote the idea that you can do anything. All it takes is picking up a tool and learning how, and you can do anything.

Sheli's family, particularly her dad, has been a source of inspiration and support in her DIY projects. In her conversation with Woodland Mills, she shared how she wants more people to adopt the do-it-yourself mindset, just as she has done alongside her dad on their social media channels.

Sheli says she takes a lot of inspiration from her dad, and has been influenced by his ability to translate ideas into finished products.

Beginning your own DIY journey? Sheli says you should always look for opportunity, and her messages continues to inspire and promote that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Just do your research, learn a new skill and get building!

The outdoors life can be a challenge, but for Nikki and her husband Karl, it’s a beautiful getaway where they can enjoy the peace of nature over the bustle of city life.

Nikki and her husband welcomed members of the Woodland Mills team to their Manitoulin Island camp during the summer, where they showed all the ways they’ve managed to transform their property, from the decorating the interior of their lodge with milled lumber to the various amenities they’ve made across their property, like their outdoor shower, deer blind and outhouse.

And Nikki is no stranger to picking up a chainsaw and working with their husband to clean up their rural, forested property and find new projects for the pair to work on. This couple has made their own private oasis, and shown how anyone with the right tools and the right ideas can do the same.

While the world might be a busy place, Nikki and Karl have managed to carve out a delightful little piece of nature for themselves, harnessing the power of their creativity and hard work to transform their camp. They should be proud of the work they’ve accomplished together.

Amy is another off-gridder, building herself an off-grid cabin in the mountains of British Columbia.

Using her Woodland Mills HM136MAX, she’s built herself a container home, a barn, a workshop, a greenhouse, bunny hutches and more as she’s transformed her remote stretch of land into her dream homestead.

From her past inexperience to her current expertise, Amy's journey showcases the evolution of her skills and determination. As someone who knew little about sawmilling or off-gridding before moving out into the mountains, Amy says she’s made a lot of mistakes, but she’s learned to embrace them as part of the process of learning new skills and growing.

With a smile on her face, Amy says she’s proud of everything she’s accomplished, and has embraced the sawyer mindset of problem solving that’s inherent to off-gridding, and she hopes others do too.

There are lots of examples of women breaking out into new spaces, showing their ability to work just as hard and tough as anyone else.

Woodland Mills encourages anyone with the drive to create to get out there and give it a try. Engaging in these projects can positively impact their lives, providing a sense of accomplishment and community. See what women builders and creators are doing and use that as inspiration for your own projects.

Whether you’re planning an adventurous off-grid homestead, cleaning up your property so you can enjoy it to its fullest or want to show off all the great things you’ve made, there’s so much to discover out in the woodland.

For this International Women’s Day, be sure to share what you’re working on in the Woodland Mills Product Owners and Community Facebook group too, so more people can become involved and join a growing community of sawyers and Woodlanders.