The Shack Squared

This kind of just happened, there was no plan to offer the items up for sale. I was merely fulfilling a request from my baby sister. In January 2016, my sister, Rachael asked me to make Jewelry displays and risers for our 10th Annual Illuminating Autism FUNraiser silent auction. Her requirements were for the displays to draw attention to the jewelry (in the past the jewelry items donated were merely laid on the clip board where bids were written) and that the risers did not have to be hidden. I said, “No problem’, and went to work.

My wood working skills are very limited, but I had been ‘playing’ in the shop daily since my son moved out and needed furniture. I remembered hearing one day, "If one man can do it, then so can you." I don't know who said it or where I heard it, it has just been one of things that has stuck with me as an adult. That translated into, "people build tables, so I can build a table".

I decided to start out easy, a small side table out of a wooden coke crate; too many hours later, a dozen trips to Lowe's for 2x2 legs, and multiple tear downs and try agains I ended up with a table that is level and stands on all four.

Then I went big! If I can make a small table, I can certainly make a large one and started building my sons dining room table as a Christmas gift. There were only 2 simple objectives (1) it had to be large enough for 6 people (my son, his 2 buddies, and their girlfriends) and (2) it had to be sturdy enough to dance on. The finished table is 4.5 feet by 5 feet and sits all six of them comfortably and I've heard rumors there has been some dancing and I haven’t been asked to come over and fix the table. It was completed by Christmas present and I hope he keeps it long enough for my great grand children to enjoy a meal at this table.

Finally I got to be creative. That’s a joke in my family. I am the least creative and most rigid member so this creativity thing has caught us all by surprise.

So, I asked, "What does every house need?"and the answer was, an entry way table where you throw the content of pockets, a table for your television, and a place to hang your coats. So I built those too.

Those works are what gave my sister the idea of asking me to build the displays and risers for the silent Auction. I have completely enjoyed the creative process, or problem solving as I like to call it .... getting the wood to do what I need it to… to make it look like what I see in my head. But, what I have found absolutely incredible is the evolution of the work, the development of skills, and the beauty of the right tools.

I am still learning about dimensions and their repercussions, the true significance of an 1/8th of an inch and my learning curve is consistently biting me on the ***.