About
Hi, I’m Katherine – the owner of House of Tierney.
I’m a woodworker based on the NSW Central Coast, Australia. I build everything by hand using recycled timber and materials I’ve saved from landfill. Sustainability is at the core of my work – I believe in giving old materials new life and reducing waste wherever possible.
Alongside my woodworking, I run hands-on workshops for preschoolers where I teach kids about sustainability and basic woodworking. These 2-hour sessions are held at preschools and childcare centres and give children the chance to create their own timber project using reclaimed materials. It’s a practical, creative way to introduce them to the value of reusing and making things themselves.
House of Tierney is about thoughtful craftsmanship, keeping materials out of landfill, and encouraging others – especially kids – to think differently about waste.
Thanks for visiting.
Single session workshops
- Introduction to Sustainability. We have a focused discussion all about timber, it's origin, types, how to know how old it is, differences, the feel and examples are shown.
We talk about the cycle of this material and how we go from linear (where it ends at landfill) to loop (where it can be repurposed) in order to live sustainably.
- Children get to each create their own project made from recycled timber and materials. Children move through workshop stations where they will use real tools to create their project.
- Children will learn basic woodworking skills: using a hammer, screwdriver, drill, sanding, measuring and glueing.
- Each child will get to decorate and take their project home the same day.
- Each child receives a letter showing where the materials used in the workshop came from.
4 Week Woodworking Program
Week 1: Introduction to Sustainability and Woodworking.
-Discussion about timber it's origin, types, how to know how old it is, differences, the feel and examples are shown. We discuss the red bin, where does that rubbish actually go. Reducing our rubbish and the 3 R's of Sustainability. Create a pen holder from recycled timber
Week 2: Recycling.
- What happens to our recycling? What can be recycled. How much is actually recycled and what we can do with our recycling instead. Create a wind chime from recycled timber and recycled keys
Week 3: The Green bin and composting.
- Learn about the cycle of large and small scale composting. Discuss examples of how composting creates a sustainable loop. Create a bird feeder from recycled timber. Children also are provided with seed so they can see their project in action.
Week 4: Empathy.
- Why is empathy important to ourselves and our environment. Create a toy car made from recycled timber and recycled lids.