today in my wood shop...

I am at home today in my own wood shop, packing an order to ship and applying finish to boxes so they will be ready to sell in a weekend craft show. This time of year is incredibly busy for me, as I'm getting ready for the month long May Festival of the Arts, getting products sold, preparing for shows and finishing the school year.

This week our high school students are off on a week long trip to Chicago, and last week our middle school and upper elementary school students traveled around the state. Travel school is one of those special hands-on programs at Clear Spring that others could emulate if they knew the value of hands-on learning. It is, however, not a thing that can be arranged on a whim, and it takes a great deal of commitment on the part of the teaching staff to go into what is a 24/7 intensive learning situation.

Each box is unique.

Our kids, teachers and parents travel on the cheap, staying in church basements, and preparing some of their own food.
And of course everything must be planned well in advance, including what the students will study while on the road. For most, travel is a maturing experience.

The boxes I'm working on are some I started over a month ago that have texture-milk painted angular lift off lids. These also have secret compartments hidden by a lined false bottom.

Using two colors of milk paint, one over the other and then sanding though to the color beneath, creates an interesting effect.

Make, fix and create...