Lakeside Creations Custom order

Marty Lowry's workshop · Belleville, ON · Est. 2022

Boards worth
gathering around.

One-of-a-kind cutting and charcuterie boards, milled, glued, shaped and oiled by hand, one at a time. Personalized for the people you love.

See the boards Start a custom order
No. 04 The Checkmate Walnut & hard maple

A small shop by the water

Every board starts as rough cut lumber, hardwoods like walnut, maple, cherry, oak, padauk and purple heart, and ends up at the centre of somebody's table. We mill it, glue it up, shape it, sand it smooth and oil it by hand. It takes days, not minutes. That's the point.

0hardwoods we work with
0of each design, then it's gone
$150and up ships free

Made by Marty

Lakeside Creations is Marty Lowry's workshop. He picks the lumber, mills the wood, runs the glue-ups and multiple sandings, then applies food-safe mineral oil and beeswax to every board before it leaves the shop. Order a custom piece and you're dealing with the person who makes it.

The collection

One of a kind.
When it's gone, it's gone.

    The River Series

    A little piece of the lake, poured into walnut.

    Walnut slabs separated by a river of deep blue epoxy resin. No two rivers ever run the same way.

    Ask about a river board
    Walnut serving tray with a blue resin river and black handles
    The Narrows
    Live-edge walnut paddle board with blue resin handle
    The Trent
    Walnut and cherry board with a blue pearl resin river and a round handle
    The Blue Line

    The workshop

    From rough lumber
    to your table.

    1. 01

      Pick the wood

      Common hardwoods like walnut, maple, cherry, oak and ash, plus exotics like rosewood, purple heart and padauk. Chosen board by board for grain and colour.

    2. 02

      Glue it up

      Strips are cut, arranged and clamped overnight into one solid, dead-flat slab.

    3. 03

      Cut & shape

      The outline and handle are cut to the exact profile with a template and router, and every edge gets a smooth rounded profile. Each board is "water bombed" after the first sanding to raise the grain, then re-sanded multiple times to a perfect finish.

    4. 04

      Oil & wax

      Food-safe mineral oil soaks in, beeswax seals it. That's where the grain wakes up.

    From the shop

    Straight off the bench.

    Laser-engraved border collie on a maple panel, on the workshop bench
    On the bench
    Whitetail deer and pines engraved into a maple panel
    Fresh off the laser
    Walnut, cherry and maple striped cutting board on a stand
    Stripes, glued & flattened
    Walnut and cherry board with a blue resin river, on a stand
    The Blue Line, just oiled

    Personalize it

    Make it theirs.

    Names, dates, a family recipe, a cottage address. We laser-engrave it right into the wood. Type something below and see it on a board.

    Maple cutting board with a loop handle, used for the engraving preview
    The Lowrys Est. 2026
    Lettering

    Personalizing adds $20 to a board, $10 to a coaster set.

    Order it like this

    Photos, burned into wood.

    Send us a favourite picture, the dog, the old car, the dock at sunset, and we'll laser-engrave it onto a wood panel, framed and ready to hang. From $75.

    Laser-engraved photo of a vintage drag car, framed Laser-engraved photo of a border collie on a maple panel Laser-engraved portrait of a firefighter, framed Laser-engraved photo of two bulldogs, framed Laser-engraved photo of a person and dog on a dock by the lake, framed Laser-engraved photo of a bulldog, framed
    Whitetail buck and pine trees laser-engraved into a solid wood panel

    New: scene panels

    The whole cottage, burned into maple.

    Wildlife, cottage and lake scenes burned into solid maple. Pick a design or send us an idea. From $65.

    Ask about a scene panel

    Prices

    Simple, honest pricing.

    Free shipping on orders over $150. Local pickup or delivery in Belleville and the surrounding area. Custom sizes are quoted one at a time.

    The gift guide

    Gifts that outlast the wrapping.

    Add a name or date to any board for $20. Christmas cutoff for custom work is Dec 1.

    Care & questions

    Good boards last decades.

    A little care keeps them that way. Here's what people ask us most at the markets.

    How do I care for my board?

    Hand wash with warm, soapy water and dry it standing on its edge. Never the dishwasher, and never leave it soaking in the sink. Once a month, or whenever it looks dry, rub in some food-safe mineral oil or board butter and let it sit overnight.

    Which side do I cut on?

    Cut on the plain side, serve on the pretty side. Engraved and resin faces are made for showing off, and a knife will scratch them over time. Resin boards are for serving and should not be cut on.

    Is the resin food safe?

    Fully cured resin is solid and inert. We still think of river boards as serving boards: cheese, charcuterie, bread. For everyday chopping, a plain hardwood board is the right tool.

    How long does a custom order take?

    Usually 2 to 3 weeks once we've settled the design. November and December get busy, so order early for gifts.

    Do you ship?

    Yes, anywhere in Canada. Shipping is free on orders over $150. Smaller orders get a shipping quote along with the price.

    Can I pick up locally?

    Yes. Pickup or local delivery is available in Belleville and the surrounding area. We'll set a time once your order is ready.

    Can I send my own photo to engrave?

    Please do. Clear, bright photos work best, with the subject filling most of the frame. A phone photo is fine, just send the original rather than a screenshot. If a picture won't burn well, we'll tell you before we start.

    When is the Christmas cutoff?

    Custom and personalized orders by Dec 1. Ready-made boards until Dec 15.

    Come see us in person

    Find us at the markets.

    Every fall we set up at holiday markets around the Bay of Quinte. Pick up a board, feel the weight of it, and say hi. Debit and credit welcome.

      Custom orders

      Tell us what you're picturing.

      A wedding gift, a housewarming, a board sized for the cottage counter. Send the details and we'll get back to you, usually within a day or two, with ideas and a price.

      • Pick your wood and size
      • Add a name, date or photo
      • Pickup locally or ship free over $150