Christmas Garden Ornaments

A few weeks ago my son and I went to the Home Depot for a monthly kids workshop.
The first Saturday of each month the Home Depot host these kids workshops free to the public.  They're fantastic'  Each child gets an apron, a certificate of completion, a badge and all of the materials to make a set project.
What a great way to spend a few meaningful hours with your son or grandchild.  It's valuable time well worth spent.  The kids have a great time and walk away with an awesome project compliments of the Home Depot.  My son and I have made race cars together, birdhouses, games, boats and airplanes at these workshops.  A couple of weeks ago we made simple Christmas Garden ornaments.  My son was proud to display them in our flower beds.   It's nice to see the Moms, Dads and Grandparents making the simple effort of just getting up early and driving to one of the stores to participate.  It really doesn't take much effort to make an impact, you just have to want to do it and get rid of the excuses.
My son is growing up so fast.  Soon he'll want to hang around his buddies more than his parents, so I treasure these few hours spent each month with him. All it cost is a little time.

  

This weekend my wife and son and I watched the Uxbridge Santa Claus Parade. This is always a nice event, it kick starts our holiday season. We then bought  our tree from the local boy scout troop.
After the parade all the kids rush to the fire hall where they visit with Santa.
After their visit with Santa his helpers give the kids a goody bag. Well - this years goody bag happen to be the toy chest I just finished building for the latest episode. I donated the chest to the committee. They did a great job painting it. It looked great alongside Santa.

As always - Thank you for  following. 

 Best

Steve

Yestermorrow

A couple of years ago I was invited to teach a week long cabinet making course at the Yestermorrow Design Build School in Vermont.

Yestermorrow Design/Build School in Warren, Vermont offers over 150 hands-on courses per year in design, construction, woodworking, and architectural craft including a variety of courses concentrating in sustainable design and green building. Operating as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization since 1980, Yestermorrow is one of the only design/build schools in the country, teaching both design and construction skills. Their 1-day to 3-week hands-on courses are taught by top architects, builders, and craftspeople from across the country.

Yestermorrow's courses are specifically designed to demystify the designing and building processes using hands-on, experiential learning to teach students the art and wisdom of good design and the skill and savvy of enduring craftsmanship as a single, integrated process.

This creative process offers students unique insight into the oftentimes disparate worlds of the architect and the builder. Architects are routinely trained without any building experience that might inform their designs, and builders are trained to execute without a sense of the overarching purpose or design of the project.

Combining design and building offers numerous advantages and promotes the creation of intentional and inspired buildings and communities that enhance our world. From the professional design/builder to the do-it-yourself design/build homeowner, every designer should know how to build and every builder should know how to design. This philosophy sets Yestermorrow apart from other educational institutions.

They also have a great kitchen cooking up some fantastic food. They grow their own food, raise their own chickens and are practically off the grid, generating their own electricity. The grounds at yestermorrow have many small out buildings on the property that stand as fine examples of the course projects. The general public can stay in these buildings if they so desire. My favorite is the tree house'
Visit www.yestermorrow.org to learn more about Yestermorrow and the Mad River Valley area of Vermont.

As always - Thanks for following
Best
Steve

You never know'

I love building custom furniture for people. The maker and client relationship is exciting. You become part of the person's or family's history. Your work will get passed down for generations and hopefully always appreciated. It's very rewarding to see your work used and admire. Some clients are easy to work for and others are a little more difficult to deal with.

When I built a pair of Adirondack chairs a few years ago I thought I was building them for myself. It turns out I made them for a very discerning family with a different purpose in mind. You just never know how your work will be appreciated.

As always - thanks for following.
Best
Steve