In 'another life', before I began painting, I was a woodworker. I had always wanted to work with wood, but grew up at a time when girls were not allowed to take shop. Boys took shop. Girls took 'home economics.' Looking back, I have probably used the skills I learned in home ec more than most of the courses I took anywhere, but I always regretted not having the opportunity to take shop.
So, several yeas ago, when I received a flyer from a local community college offering 'Basic Woodworking - Hand and and Power Tools', I signed up! I ended up taking four semesters of night classes and loved it. I learned how to use all sorts of power tools. I made a workbench, tables, bookshelves, cabinets with panel doors, toys and puzzles for grandchildren.
I got involved with Habitat for Humanity and built lots of houses...until I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease and could no longer hold the lumber without my hands cramping. The disease crippled me for several years and I had to give up sawing, hammering...and the intoxicating smell of freshly sawn wood.
Then I discovered watercolor painting... and found a new creative outlet which has led me to drawing, pastels, acrylics... and the abstract painting and pouring that I have been doing recently.
So, on to today's project...I woke up this morning with a new idea.
I have loved the colors and shapes of the acrylic pours and was trying to think of ways to make some kind of base for the votive candles. Maybe I could combine that with some wood. I had been reluctant to get rid of my woodworking 'toys/tools'...and still had a lot of milled lumber from a cherry tree that we had to cut down years ago.
I picked up a piece of the cherry wood, found the right size bit for my drill press, and began. I drilled holes for the glass votives and then began to randomly cut the pieces apart. One thing led to another and I had begun to make a puzzle!
All these pieces could be used individually as candle holders, or they could be fit together in different groupings.!
