Call Me Mabie

Call Me Mabie Justin Mabie is a professional photographer and videographer.

06/23/2026

You can learn a lot from a video but sometimes all it takes is someone standing next to you saying, “Move your hand here.” That’s the value of hands-on learning. A teacher can spot mistakes you don’t even know you’re making, helping you improve faster and build confidence at the bench. What’s something you struggled to learn until someone showed you in person?

If you’re looking to sharpen your skills, the Florida School of Woodwork (Florida School of Woodwork) offers hands-on classes where students learn directly from experienced craftspeople in a real shop environment.
•
Huge thanks to Frank Strazza
•

Here’s a reminder that photography used to be magic. These tintypes were made using a photographic process that dates ba...
06/22/2026

Here’s a reminder that photography used to be magic. These tintypes were made using a photographic process that dates back to the 1850s. They’re not prints and they’re not reproductions. Each one is a one-of-a-kind photograph made directly onto a sheet of blackened metal. The object you’re looking at is the image itself and more than 150 years later, that still feels pretty incredible. Thankful for this week, these memories, and for Cass Sass & Solder being part of them. And a huge thank you to our photographer Imperious Tintype portraits for creating something we’ll be able to hold onto for decades to come.
•

06/19/2026

Sometimes the people behind the products are the real story. I just finished this Windsor chair from a class with Greg Pennington using a little Furniture Butter from Walrus Oil. More importantly, a reminder that kindness and character never go unnoticed.

06/17/2026

The funny thing about hand tools is that they’re not always the fastest option. In a world of CNCs, automation, and instant results, slowing down can feel counterintuitive. But sometimes slowing down is exactly what teaches you how wood actually behaves, how joinery actually works, and why craftsmanship matters in the first place. Machines can make us efficient but hand tools make us intentional.

That’s one of the reasons generations of woodworkers continue to reach for a hand plane, a backsaw, or a chisel long after newer technology arrives. Not because they’re stuck in the past but because understanding the fundamentals gives you the freedom to create better work in the future.
What’s one hand tool you’ll never stop using?

If learning traditional woodworking skills from masters of the craft sounds appealing, take a look at the classes offered at the Florida School of Woodwork (Florida School of Woodwork). Every class is designed to help students build both skill and confidence at the bench.

Thanks Frank Strazza for being an incredible teacher and source of knowledge!

TraditionalWoodworking

A few years ago, I pointed a camera at two people building things in a small shop in New Jersey. That project turned int...
06/12/2026

A few years ago, I pointed a camera at two people building things in a small shop in New Jersey. That project turned into a friendship. The friendship turned into countless phone calls, visits, laughs, favors, advice, and memories. Somewhere along the way, Patrick and Carlina (Patrick & Carlina & Sawdust Gypsy) became two of the most important people in my life. They’re also a big reason I’m connected to Carhartt today. So when this round’s Friends of Carhartt Summit invitation showed up at my door, it hit a little differently... because Patrick and Carlina made it. Every wooden invitation, custom purple heart hanger, engraved name, and detail was by those two. Out of all the talented makers Carhartt could have chosen for this project, they chose two people I care deeply about. And somehow that makes this invitation feel like so much more than an invitation- it feels like a reminder of what happens when you invest in people. Carhartt has always impressed me with the products they make but what has surprised me most is the way they treat people. Since meeting them, they’ve welcomed me, supported Call Me Mabie, championed the stories I tell, and made me feel like I belong in rooms I never expected to be invited into. And now this invitation was made by friends who helped make that journey possible in the first place. It’s a small world and a meaningful one, too. I’m incredibly grateful for Patrick and Carlina, for Carhartt, and for the friendships that somehow keep opening doors I never saw coming. See you in Detroit 🤎
•
Carhartt
•

One of the best parts of carrying a camera is that it shows you things you might’ve otherwise missed.Last week, I spent ...
06/10/2026

One of the best parts of carrying a camera is that it shows you things you might’ve otherwise missed.

Last week, I spent five days at the Florida School of Woodwork () taking Frank Strazza’s () Art of Precision Joinery class. I arrived hoping to learn a little woodworking and left with a whole lot more.

Frank was an incredible teacher. Every day brought another technique, another perspective, or another detail I never would’ve figured out on my own. His patience, knowledge, and generosity made the week what it was.

But when I got home and started sorting through photos, I realized how many of them were of Cass ( / ).

Not because today is her birthday, not because we’re friends, and not even because she spent the entire week helping me recover from my woodworking mistakes. It’s because she was impossible not to photograph.

Every time I looked over, she was completely absorbed in the work. She’d be measuring, marking, sawing, planing, learning, and solving problems. It was the kind of focus that makes you stop what you’re doing and pay attention.

I’ve known Cass for years but this was the first time I’d spent a full week working beside her. Watching her grow into woodworking has been one of my favorite things to witness. She’s endlessly curious, incredibly talented, and somehow spent five days acting as my unofficial teacher’s assistant while managing her own projects.

By the end of the week, she was recognized for successfully teaching her first saw making class, received a custom mug from the school, and was invited back to teach again. Nobody was surprised.

Happy birthday, Cass. Thank you for your friendship, patience, generosity, and for helping make one of the best weeks I’ve had in a very long time even better.

And thank you, Frank, for sharing your knowledge with all of us.

Last week was one for the books.

Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CASS 🖤⚡️🧁

•

06/09/2026

The biggest lie we tell ourselves about artists is that they’re born with something the rest of us don’t have. Talent makes for a nice story but practice makes the work.

This clip is one of my favorite moments from my documentary with .silva because it perfectly captures why I’ve always looked up to her. Not because she’s talented (though she is), but because she’s willing to fail, learn from it, and keep showing up anyway. That’s a trait I’ve seen in every great maker I’ve met and Justine embodies it as well as anyone.

Today also happens to be her birthday. So if you appreciate Justine, wish her a happy birthday. And if birthdays have ever felt a little underwhelming, as they sometimes do, I hope this year reminds her just how many people admire the work she puts into the world and the person she is behind it.

Happy birthday, Justine. Thank you for sharing your art with all of us.

If you’d like to watch the full documentary, it’s available on YouTube and on the This Old House Makers Channel on Roku.

And if you’ve ever convinced yourself that you’re “not talented enough” to make something... listen to what Justine has to say.
•

06/08/2026

I can’t remember the last time I was this happy for this long.

I came to Tampa expecting to learn a few woodworking techniques. Instead, I left with a week I’ll be thinking about for a very long time.

Frank Strazza’s () ‘Art of Precision Joinery’ class pushed me well beyond my comfort zone. As someone who still feels very much like a beginner, there were plenty of moments where I looked at a piece of wood and wondered how anyone turns it into precise joinery. Frank has a gift for making difficult concepts approachable, and I walked away full of lessons, a handful of new skills, and an even deeper appreciation for the craft. Some knowledge feels valuable... what Frank shared felt priceless.

To everyone at the Florida School of Woodwork (): thank you. The school is full of people who genuinely care about preserving, sharing, and celebrating woodworking. From the moment I arrived, I felt welcomed. It’s a special place built by people who believe knowledge is meant to be passed along.

And then there’s Cass ( / ). I’ve thanked her in person, but it deserves repeating. For five days, she answered questions, offered guidance, corrected mistakes, explained concepts I should have understood the first time, and somehow managed to do it all with patience and kindness. There were countless moments where she could have rolled her eyes and left me to figure things out on my own. Instead, she showed up for me over and over again. The thing that surprised me most wasn’t how good she is at making tools. It was seeing how naturally talented she is as a woodworker. Watching her work was inspiring and learning alongside her was a privilege.

So thank you, Frank. Thank you, Florida School of Woodwork. And thank you, Cass, for making an already incredible week feel a little magical. Some classes teach skills. The best classes leave you changed.
•


06/01/2026

⚡️NEW YOUTUBE VIDEO⚡️ Some shoots have a way of feeling less like production and more like spending a day around someone who’s genuinely excited to share what they love. This was one of those days. I had a killer time making this video with and I couldn’t be any more appreciative. The link for the film is in my profile if you’re interested in checking it out! If you’ve seen it already, let me know what you think!
•

Address

Elkridge, MD
21075

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Call Me Mabie posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Call Me Mabie:

Shortcuts

Share

Category