Welcome to GMWoodStock: Every ring tells a story

Every ring tells a story. Some begin in the heart of a forest, others in the propeller of a fighter plane, or within a magician's deck of cards. At GMWoodStock, my mission is to uncover those stories, craft them into rings, and share them with you and the rest of the world.

I design and create bentwood rings that aren’t just accessories, they're pieces of history and reflections of personality. Each design is inspired by something meaningful: an era, an object, a passion of mine or a cherished memory of the wearer.

Who Am I?

So for those that don't know, my name is Glen, I am the founder, designer and maker of GMWoodStock Rings, now to be known as inGrained Rings.

I am 34 years old and from Bournemouth on the South coast of England. I live here with my wife Kim and my two children Kiefer and Tahlia.

We live in a 1930s bungalow that needs a lot of renovation, love to spend time in our garden and have been lucky enough to have the space to build a log cabin workshop right here at home, this is where my designs are thought out and brought to life.

Myself, my wife Kim and our children

Why from GMWoodStock to inGrained Rings?

GMWoodStock has in the last 7 years or so designed, made and sent over 1800 rings all over the world, in that time we have received (almost exclusively, other than a few issues with delivery companies) 5 star feedback and become known amongst the ever increasing number of bentwood ring makers in the world as one of the very best.

So why change our name? This was a personal decision really, GMWoodStock was thought up and begun as a small extra incentive to keep my hobby of making bentwood rings going, it was never planned to be a long term business.

Our Bubinga, Birdseye Maple and Copper Ring

As with most creatives, I often lack confidence in my own creations, I see every tiny detail, every tiny blemish that a natural material may have and quite honestly I just didn't anticipate its success or popularity. I have come to learn that it is these tiny natural blemishes in the woods we use that give each ring character and make each ring unique. I have come to understand that these rings are in some cases a way for each customer to tell a small part of their own story.

So with all that in mind and my intentions to continue the growth of this business, to continue telling stories through crafting new and unique rings, to actually make a proper effort with the marketing side of things and to take it all that little bit more seriously I wanted a new name to represent this new era of our company.

I chose inGrained as within the unique patterns, the knotts, the twists and turns of grain the history of that wood is carried and each unique story is told.

inGrained in each of our rings is my dedication, my passion and my skill that comes from years of experimentation, practice and refinement of techniques.

inGrained in the ring are representations wearer's own experiences, whether it celebrates a passion, honours a memory or preserves a piece of their own history.

What You’ll Find Here

This blog is where I hope to take you behind the scenes:

The stories behind my designs, from WWII aircraft to iconic playing cards, I’ll explore the history and give you more information on the inspiration that led me to design and handcraft each ring.

Hand planed willow wood for a custom ring

Custom creations, many of my favourite projects have been collaborations with customers. I’ll share some of the personal stories that led to unique, one-of-a-kind pieces. We will explore why these customers wanted to use particular items as materials for their rings and the meaning of those special items to them.

I'll walk you through how a bentwood ring comes to life, from selecting the wood and materials to the intricate bending, shaping, and finishing that makes each one unique.

Why I Do This

As already highlighted above for me, making rings isn’t just about craftsmanship it’s about connection. Whether the ring celebrates a passion, honours a memory, or preserves a piece of history, it becomes part of someone’s life story. That’s what keeps me creating, and that’s what I want to share with you.

I enjoy making rings, otherwise I would not be doing it, but in the selling of these rings my enjoyment comes from knowing that I have created something totally unique each time and that it will become a cherished part of someone's life.

So welcome to GMWoodStock's new blog, I hope you enjoy what you find here, explore the stories and maybe even find a little inspiration for your own ring.