Santa Maria, California, may be known for its wine country, but for Jose De Leija, it's home to his growing woodworking business, JD Woodcraft Designs. What started as a simple Christmas gift idea turned into a full-fledged career—one that now fills his two-car garage shop with sawdust, resin, and creativity.

A Charcuterie Board That Changed Everything

Back in December 2019, Jose asked his sister what she wanted for Christmas. Her answer? A charcuterie board. “At the time, I had no idea what that was,” he says. After looking them up online, he found they were often made from black walnut. He tracked down a local woodworker, bought two small slabs, and made his first board. It wasn’t perfect, but his sister loved it.

That one project sparked interest from others. Jose posted the board on Facebook, and before he knew it, he was getting requests from people all over the country. What started as a side project quickly turned into a busy business, expanding from charcuterie boards to tables, coasters, urn boxes, and custom builds.

"What I like most about working with epoxy resin is the unlimited amount of project that can be made, from smaller items like coaster, to large dining tables that require 30 gallons of epoxy! If you have the right environment to work with epoxy, everything will turn out OK"

Jose’s first experience with epoxy was minimal—just filling cracks and voids with industrial resin and black pigment. It wasn’t until a coworker, who was making resin jewelry, encouraged him to experiment with it that he really started diving in.

“She kept bringing it up, and one day she just handed me a half-used 2-gallon kit of tabletop epoxy and told me to try it,” Jose recalls. It took some trial and error, but he found that working with ProMarine (now Promise) Epoxy was easier than other brands he had tested. Five years later, epoxy has become an essential part of his work, whether he’s making coasters or pouring 30 gallons of resin into a dining table.

Half of Jose’s projects start with client ideas, but the other half? That comes straight from the wood itself. He works a lot with claro walnut, a type of wood known for its deep, natural color variations. “Most times, the material ‘talks’ to me and guides me toward my next project,” he says. Instead of over-designing, Jose prefers to let the wood’s natural patterns shine, using epoxy to enhance rather than overshadow its beauty.

For Jose, Promise Epoxy isn’t just about the product—it’s about the people. “What sets Promise apart is the community of makers,” he says. “It’s not a competition. Everyone is willing to share knowledge and help each other improve.” Jose’s top epoxy pick? Promise Table Top Epoxy. “It’s easy to use, and the curing time between layers gives me the flexibility I need,” he says. Deep Pour and UV-Art Epoxy also rank high on his list, expanding what he can create.

As for what’s next, Jose plans to keep refining his craft and pushing his designs further. Whether it’s a sentimental keepsake or a statement piece, he’s always looking for new ways to combine wood and resin in fresh, exciting ways.

Check out his work on TikTok!