Daniel Arnold has been around woodworking and crafts his entire life. Growing up, he would spend a lot of time with his mom, who made baskets, at craft shows and really enjoyed being in those creative environments. His grandfathers had woodworking shops and he was always around it. In fact, Daniel’s now father-in-law had a woodshop and when Daniel moved out on his own, he used that woodshop to make furniture to furnish his home instead of spending the money to buy something he knew he could make himself. But as much as Daniel loved working with his hands and creating, nothing could have prepared him for where that passion would take him, and the path he and his family would have to take to get them where they are today.
Daniel, his wife Lindsey and their daughter Autumn found out that they were expecting a baby girl in 2015. Excited for the chance to grow their family, the Arnolds soon came to find out that their precious baby girl had major health issues and would likely not survive after birth. “We learned early on in the pregnancy that there were complications. They saw concerns on the sonogram and we went back and were told she had a diaphragmatic hernia,” Daniel said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, a diaphragmatic hernia is a birth defect where there is a hole in the diaphragm (which is supposed to be closed) which allows the organs in the abdomen to move into a baby’s chest. When this happens, it prevents the lungs from developing correctly. “They told us the circumstances could be fatal and things continued to get worse. There was little to no expectation of her being born alive, and if she was born alive, that she would pass within minutes,” Daniel shared. But their little girl, Ellie, defied the odds if only for a short time. Ellie was born on Thanksgiving Day in 2015 and was able to spend two and half hours in the arms of her mom, dad, big sister and other family members. “We got to see her with her eyes open, calm and relaxed. We got to kiss her and hold her and take pictures for future memories,” Daniel shared through tear-filled eyes. Although Ellie’s physical time on this earth may have been measured in minutes, Daniel and Lindsey have made sure her legacy will live on for years to come.
After Ellie’s passing, Daniel decided to take a leap of faith and do what he loved. “I got an up-close look at just how fragile this life is, and I was at that point that I was ready to make that leap…if there was ever a time to do it, how about I do it in honor of my daughter’s memory and create a company around her memory to honor her legacy.” So, Daniel stepped down from his job at SAS, and Ellie Acorn Design Company was born. So where did the acorn part of the company come from?
The Arnold family has adopted the quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, “The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn,” as their family motto. The idea that from such small and humble beginnings can grow something strong and mighty. What a perfect way to honor their daughter, herself small and fragile, and yet her legacy has grown strong and mighty.
Ellie Acorn Designs has its home base right here in Holly Springs, in a work shed just steps away from Daniel and Lindsey’s home. And this truly is a family company. As Daniel describes the support and help he receives from his wife, his face beams with pride for his partner in work and in life. “She has been so incredibly supportive and helpful with collaborating ideas and communicating with customers.” Although Daniel and Lindsey were nervous at first, it didn’t take long for Ellie Acorn to catch the eye of many and take off by leaps and bounds.
The first major piece, and by far the most popular, was a double-layered coffee table in the shape of the state of North Carolina. Like most of his pieces, the table was made from reclaimed wood from old tobacco barns. “I will use whatever the customers want, but I really love working with the reclaimed wood.” Whether it is from old tobacco barns or wood from a customer that has sentimental value to them, Daniel is able to take something old and make it beautiful and new again. In fact, his “North Carolina Coffee Table” received over 20,000 shares and just under one million views on Facebook.
“This was just an idea that I had because I noticed the popularity of the state shape designs everywhere.” He also took the popularity of his very first piece of work to be confirmation that this is what he was supposed to be doing, “I took this as confirmation from God that he has his blessings on this.” How right he was. Ellie Acorn launched with that first piece and nobody could have imagined the popularity it would bring. “I was making those in my sleep after a while. I was out here every day with a jigsaw cutting out shapes of North Carolina.”
From that first coffee table came continued success, including winning third place out of hundreds of submissions in the Our State Magazine, Made In NC Awards in 2017. To praise and continued support from customers around North Carolina, Daniel and Ellie Acorn have certainly made a name for themselves. Although a one-man show right now, when talking about his company and work, Daniel, noticeably, never uses the pronoun I, he always says “we.” So, who is the other part of “we?” The likely answer is his loving and supportive wife Lindsey, who has been with him every step of the way, but perhaps there is another party to the “we.” Perhaps it is a sweet angel who is looking down on Daniel, Lindsey, big sister, Autumn and new baby brother, Abram. Perhaps it is that sweet angel, whose life was so short but so meaningful, that is guiding her daddy’s hands with every piece he creates and will forever be a part of the “we” that makes up the Arnold family. Thank you, Daniel and Lindsey, for sharing Ellie’s legacy with us through your love, dedication and beautiful works of art…she will never be forgotten.
