The Sculpting Magic Workshop to be held in October is still four months distant but I know all too well that that isn't nearly as long as it seems. There is much to do in order to host such a gathering - especially in our style of doing things. This means we have already begun the planning in earnest as well as starting some of the preparations. Each participant will receive a name plaque at the workshop. These small dimensional signs showcase some of the things we teach at the workshop and also are a nice memento for each of our guests to take home with them. I have begun creating the 3D routing files for the plaques this week. They will be routed on our MultiCam CNC router and then hand painted by Becke and the crew. Each is unique and never to be repeated. We've created hundreds of these small signs through the years, one for every guest that has attended our workshops.
The first tour.
Peter and I spent the afternoon laying out the Hazelnut Inn on the freshly packed gravel of the worksite. This morning the surveyors had pegged the corners of the buildings accurately, making our job much easier. We laid out each room and the walls surrounding the gardens. Sidewalks and pools were planned out as well. After supper Peter escorted Hailey and Juniper on the first official tour of the little inn. While the worksite is still very flat and level That is not what Peter and Hailey imagined. As they walked each path he described when they were climbing stairs or going up sloping walkways. Peter, like me, could vividly see every feature and detail clearly, as if it was all in place. He could smell the flowers and hear the tumbling water of the brooks and waterfalls. This is going to be an incredibly magic place when we are done. Tomorrow, the carpenters arrive to start banging together forms. This is going to be very exciting!
Hot rod
I've had many interests and hobbies through the years. Some have been ambitious and taken a lot of time. One of these was a scratch built hot rod. I briefly considered building a model T Ford but after attending a car show and seeing a bunch of similar cars lined up in a row I decided something a lot more rare was in order. After some searching I found a picture of a 1904 Mitchel in one of my books. I took a few liberties as I designed the body to make room for a V-6 engine but the car was based on that teeny little picture. The frame and front axle were from a Model T. Everything else was scrounged from the wrecking yard or was hand built. Norm, my good friend did the welding of the aluminum body. The most expensive component was the custom stitched, button tufted seat. The car was financed with the pocket change I threw in a jar at the end of each day. I did get the car running and we did a night time run around the block. Pictures of the 'garage car' were even published in Street Rodder Magazine. The project lasted a number of years before life became so busy it was time to set it aside. It languished in the corner of the shop under a tarp for a long time. By that time I had even more hobby projects on the go and I had to make a choice. I decided that the grampa train around our yard was much more of a priority and so I gave the car to our neighbour. Some day it may even get finished.
