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Hen House Blog
Thoughts on life and the creative process from a Mother Hen
Welcome Readers!
My name is Dusty Santos. I founded Home Free Hen. I make wooden decor inspired by rustic charm and homesteading.
Here I share how I make my products and juggle 4 kids. Thanks for joining me in my journey!



The Rise of the Donut Ninja: A Mom's Journey from Night Shifts to Sourdough Mastery
In the quiet hours when most of the world is asleep, kitchens come alive with the hum of mixers and the scent of rising dough. That's where you'll find Krista Tracy—better known to her online tribe as @_donutninja

Dusty Santos
2 days ago3 min read
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The Engagement Problem
After all my blogging, and making, and sharing, I was getting almost zero engagement. Out of almost 600 followers, my post were getting seen by 8 to 30 people...

Dusty Santos
6 days ago3 min read
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Meet Peggi Bosquez: The Small-Town Farmer Who’s 100% Real, 100% MAGA, and 100% Unfiltered
In a world of curated feeds and polished personas, Peggi Bosquez (@PeggiBosquez on X) stands out like a heritage hog in a factory pen—raw, rooted, and refreshingly real.

Dusty Santos
Nov 53 min read
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Transform Your Home with Rustic Charm
Wood is the heart of rustic decor. Whether it’s a reclaimed wood coffee table or simple wooden picture frames, these pieces add warmth and texture. I like to look for furniture with visible knots and grain because it feels authentic.

Dusty Santos
Oct 74 min read
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Explore the Joy of Modern Homesteading
I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of living closer to the land. There’s something magical about growing your own food, raising...

Dusty Santos
Sep 303 min read
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Creative Ideas to Spark Homesteading Inspiration
Easy ways to start, how to decorate, and tips from the community.

Dusty Santos
Sep 275 min read
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Healing and Moving on
Last post I stated that I "Hit a groove", boy oh boy did that come to a jarring stop...

Dusty Santos
Sep 252 min read
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A new day - A new Product
If I could get personal for a sec. When making a new side to my tray (to add the new magnets) I need to use the table router to add a grove that the bottom of the tray and magnets fits into. The bit in place was not what I wanted...

Dusty Santos
Sep 63 min read
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NEW BURLAP PACKAGING AND NEW POP-UP LOCATION
Social media boom! New package for Fire Starters, and new location for a Pop-Up!

Dusty Santos
Sep 23 min read
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BIRTHDAY AND FIRESTARTERS
Fire Starters added to the products and It's my birthday!

Dusty Santos
Aug 233 min read
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The Summer Squeeze
End if Summer and lots to do...

Dusty Santos
Aug 173 min read
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Welcome! Let's catch you up...
Welcome new visitors!

Dusty Santos
Aug 82 min read
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Lowell Folk FestIval
Lowell Folk Fest was amazing. Met a bunch of people and made some surprising sales. Surprising because I wasn't planning to have a particular product at the festival...

Dusty Santos
Jul 284 min read
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Jewelry Holder - One Day Build
My one day build started with a trip to the storage unit. I didn't know what I was check off this list but I was determined to finish something.
I riffled through my scraps and put a plan together. I built display stands in the past and knew it would be easy to do...

Dusty Santos
Jul 182 min read
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Let's take Inventory + Soap Holder WIP
After these cuts, I lined the curve up, and glued it together. I did this twice, once for the top of the curve and twice for the bottom.
After all this was done, I was so excited to try out my new form! I cut more wood and put it all together.
Just to feel disappointment. It didn't match up!
As I saw the unit, my brain broke.
Staring at this unit I realized a few things...

Dusty Santos
Jul 173 min read
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Collection of things - to a Home
Some of you may remember that I've been waiting for a storage unit to open. It took over a month but it finally did. I walked in, so excited that all my stuff would be a stones through away.
As I saw the unit, my brain broke.
Staring at this unit I realized a few things...

Dusty Santos
Jul 143 min read
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The Big Dream
Lately I've shifted my mindset. What if I were to create a pathway to my dream business. What would that look like? What would I need to do?

Dusty Santos
Jul 13 min read
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One thing leads to another
These thoughts crossed my mind at the Church yard sale when my event table neighbor offered an opportunity. I could sell her jewelry...

Dusty Santos
Jun 253 min read
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The church on the corner
Mistakes were made. The biggest having to do with my custom order form...

Dusty Santos
Jun 224 min read
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Just rolling with it... (Part 2)
This small shed (which the locals generously called a barn) had a bee in it. No big deal, I'll just mind my own business. I'm still very new on the farm and I didn't want to snoop.
As I kept entering I noticed that the sound of buzzing was quite strong...

Dusty Santos
Jun 134 min read
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