Wood Working Magazines get a Good Home

   Last spring my Uncle away and I inherited years of "Wood" magazine. A pile over a foot thick. As well in the last ten years I have also had a couple of magazine subscriptions and I can never bring myself to throw a wood working magazine out.  You can never tell when you will need to read up on a technique or look up a plan.  The Internet now provides plans and lots of ideas but I still buy a few magazines when I am out and about.  It is nice to sit on the back deck and read a magazine, a lap top on my knee is just not the same.
 
   Since we have been working on our basement family room the heaps and piles of magazines now desirve  to be organized and featured.  We had some card board file boxes to store papers and magazines but I decided that it was time for wood working stuff to be stored properly, in wood.

    I am using left over 2 1/2 in poplar and pieces of wood panelling.  I plan to make about 2 dozen little magazine boxes.  This one is finished with a quick coat of Homestead House walnut wood stain. (water based, fast drying and easy clean up).  The front and back butt joints are held on with Pocket Holes.  They will stand on the shelf and keep the magazines from getting all twisted and wrinkled.

  I am planning to finish the boxes all differently and then note the result on the bottom of the box.  When I am looking to stain or dye a piece of wood I will be able to look at the boxes and remind myself of the results and then have to do fewer test pieces. ( I hope)
 

Cactus and Cake

"The environment in which a person works has a huge impact on the quality of the work produced".

   I don't remember which wise old dude said that but it is true.  We do better work when we like our job.  We also put extra effort into a project when it is for someone special.  Most of all it is nice to have encouragement from someone whose opinion we respect.  
   I have the luxury of doing my woodwork in a nearly perfect environment.  It is a hobby so I can pick and choose what I do.  My shop is just down stairs so I can work in my PJs and house coat if I choose, and my wife has opinions that I respect.
   Respect is something that a person earns.  Eva doesn't do much wood work any longer though she did build some furniture in the past.  She is a baker.

Our Grandson's birthday cake, the barrel is filled with chocolate pudding.

 And a gardener.

 Cactus growing in our rock garden behind our house.

It is worth remembering that we live in Hamilton, Ontario.  Not everyone can create a place in their garden for a perennial cactus in our climate.  Unless you are a pretty keen gardener you don't even know that it is possible.

  Someone that does cool stuff in their kitchen and their garden understands about trying to do cool things in a workshop.