At the moment, the real thrust of what I'm thinking about are the large number of projects needing to be accomplished in the shop. I will try to capture all of them here.
* Jaye's teardrop trailer - I have virtually all of the interior work done on the trailer now. All that remains (I make myself laugh) is to complete the outside work. I'm going to cover the outside with birdseye maple veneer and several coats of marine varnish. Then I will finish the doors and the aluminum trim.
* Sara's kitchen - After finally coming to agreement on what the new kitchen should look like, it's now time to build. I am quite excited about it, but there are in excess of 800 parts that need to be roughed out, cut to final size, assembled and finished. Honestly, in order to even think about finishing the kitchen cabinets, I need to get the trailer out the door.
* Barrister's book case #1 - Made from quartered white oak. This is for the guest room and will match the rest of the furniture I've built. This is a Christmas gift for Sara, so don't tell her about it.
* Barristers's book case #2 - Made from white maple. This is for my office at work because it seems ridiculous that I have an office with Sauder particleboard furniture in it. It was imperative that I correct this and since I was making one set, the second is pretty easy.
* Several cutting boards - Typically during the holiday season, I have situations come up where people that I know and love need gifts quickly either for gifting, or in some cases as "door prizes" for various organizations. I try to be ready to help.
* Etsy - This isn't woodworking, but it is something that I need to return to. I need to show the world some of the things I am working on, and see if it sparks interest. You never know when one project will lead to an idea in someone else. These times that we live in, Etsy and Pinterest are great places for this kind of iterative thinking. Take an idea, tweak it a little, you have a whole new thing.
* Top secret - At Thanksgiving I was asked to be involved in a woodworking project that is quite exciting, but I can't tell you about yet. More to come on this one.
Those are the things I have going at the moment, along with all of the activities that come as a part of the holidays. I know that the things that come out of the shop are well thought of and are often items that will remain in families for years. This makes me smile and makes me very proud of what I do.
I would love to know what you are doing around the Christmas season. Are you working on projects that will make another smile? Send me pictures or comments if you have a chance. The amount of talent that exists in the crafting/building community is amazing.
One last thing. I want to say a special Hello to a woodworker in Dade County, Florida. I don't know who you are, but I know that in the last while you were in a class taught by my cousin Jan. Yes, in fact, she is my cousin. We grew up together riding bikes and laughing through our summers, and I miss her. I was informed through the family grapevine that you and she had met in a class in Florida and that you had been skeptical that I was actually Jan's cousin. Track me down and say Hi. I would love to know more about your woodworking.
By the way, have I mentioned to you how incredibly small the world can be? Reach out and find a new friend or another woodworker.
