Category Archives: Kids

For Narnia! A Stone Table Made from Wood

Whenever my kids start a new activity, I inevitably get sucked into it myself. This time it was a play at my local community theater. My youngest daughter landed the role of Lucy in a stage version of The Lion, … Continue reading

Posted in Kids | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Names on Tools: Past and Future Owners

Awhile back, I published a post about vintage tools with previous owners’ names on them. While it’s fun to imagine (and sometimes deduce) the character of the men who owned and used these tools before they came into my hands, … Continue reading

Posted in History, Kids | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

From Toy Box to Tool Chest

When my kids were very young, I built a few things for them–a cradle, a toddler bed, and a toy box.  But kids grow up, and if you build these things right, you eventually look around at all the kid-sized … Continue reading

Posted in Boxes, Kids, Wood and Woodwork | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Gift of Time: 8 Ways to Use Extra Time in the Shop

Time is the greatest of gifts.  None of us knows how much of it we will have over our lifetime, and once it’s gone we can never get it back.  That’s why I’m not much bothered by the prospect of … Continue reading

Posted in Kids, Musings, Sharpening, Storage, Teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

One Last Bedstead

When my youngest child–my only son, R.–finally outgrew our old toddler bed (which I had originally built for his older sister, and which had then been passed down through the siblings to him, and which I eventually gave away to … Continue reading

Posted in Build-Alongs, Kids, Wood and Woodwork | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Building A Frame-and-Panel Interior Door

If I had a backup career in woodworking, it would be making doors and windows for historic homes.  It’s not that I especially enjoy making such objects more than others.  (I’ve never even made a window sash.)  It’s that it’s … Continue reading

Posted in Build-Alongs, Home Improvement, Kids, Wood and Woodwork | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Crafting (in) the Home: Passing on Your Skills to your Children

I just returned from a conference on community building called The Urban Village: From Cloud-Castles to Blueprints, sponsored by The Servi Institute in Oklahoma City, OK, where I gave a presentation on passing on manual skills to children by letting … Continue reading

Posted in Kids, Musings, Teaching, Tutorials | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fairy Furniture You Can Make on Your Front Steps

After a big tropical storm made a mess of my daughter K’s fairy garden, she decided to do some remodeling. First on her list was new fairy furniture, so we thought up some simple designs for a table and chairs.  … Continue reading

Posted in Build-Alongs, Kids, Wood and Woodwork | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Working Wood with My Children (Mostly Pictures)

Ever since my children were old enough to hold tools, I have included them in my woodworking.  My workbench is right in our main living space–on one end of the dining room–so the kids can all see me every time … Continue reading

Posted in Kids, Wood and Woodwork | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Best Tire Swing Ever

We have a large oak tree in our front yard, and while we have attempted to put up several different kinds of tree swings for the children over the years, this tire swing has been by far the best.  The … Continue reading

Posted in Build-Alongs, Home Improvement, Kids, Wood and Woodwork | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments