contact us

We love hearing from friends! Please feel free to drop us an email! 

Name *

Denver, CO
United States

The Tentmakers is a life-style apparel & handmade crafts shop that helps missionaries serve the Lord all across the world.



We are the Shorts... and these are our Short Stories.


Filtering by Tag: Collection

"In the beginning God created..."

Larissa Short

I never really saw myself as a very creative person. I mean, I had never painted a breathtaking painting. I have taken a few stabs at songwriting, never to actually see one come to completion and I've never taken outstanding photos with a snazzy camera. Sure, I enjoy baking and whipping out my iPhone camera to capture beautiful mountain scenery, but never could these things be classified as "creative". 


Look around you, what do the things before your eyes have in common?

Most likely they were created, constructed, invented, made, fashioned, built, crafted.

There is something at the core of us humans that finds satisfaction in being creative, whether that is building a car, writing a novel, growing a garden, baking a cake, or making a Lego creation unlike anyone else's. Our minds and our hands were made to function this way. We are in fact the workmanship of a Devine Creator. This Creator surveyed all that He had made and recognized that it was very good.

He created because it was good.

Created in the image and likeness of this Mighty Creator, it's no wonder we too find joy, satisfaction, and excitement in brainstorming, tinkering, and making something out of nothing. This Creator made many something's out of nothing's, not so it could be hidden or kept away from others, out of reach. He placed it right before us to breath in, enjoy, and explore. Why? Because it is good.


When Matt came to me over a month ago with the idea of starting some sort of t-shirt/apparel brand, I never would have guessed that we would be designing our first three shirts two weeks later. Why had this idea grown so quickly into a desire? Why did this desire take so easily to pen and page? Because it's part of who we are. ---- Well, we think it's a part of who we are. We believe we are creative, and yet question it so easily. Like every child with a 48 pack of crayons, we've been told what's creative and what's not. What colors we're allowed to use and which aren't true to reality. Trees can't be purple apparently. You tie your shoes like everyone else = you're not creative. You built that lego set JUST AS THE INSTRUCTIONS SAID. You're not creative. Your name doesn't have an "X" in it. You're not creative. 

So when we had this idea, we thought, "Heck, why not!?! What could we lose? Our creative status? HA!" We've taken on this venture TOGETHER, and that is key for us. No good adventure ever happens alone! Plain and simple. In fact, we are constantly looking for others to join us in this adventure! Because it's more fun that way! So would you consider joining us? "Creative" or not...

We create because we have each been given certain giftings and skills, some we have yet to discover. We create because it is good. Your creative expression adds unmeasurable beauty and diversity to this world, and THAT is much needed. So, Keep baking, keep building new Lego creations, keep painting, keep singing, keep writing, keep exploring! This world would not be so bright, brilliant and good without you sharing your craft, skill and heart.