Prodigal Ponderings — Creativity RSS



Why Didn't I Think of That?

Every craftsman or "maker" of products knows that customers often help define how we look at, modify and sometimes even  conceive of the things we make.  We come up with an idea or conform to traditional concepts in the quest for what the buyer will like and then watch and listen Here's an example.   A good friend suggested we include pen blocks in our product line over a year ago.   Since this particular friend is an avid pen lover and enjoys attending  Pen shows, she enlightened us about the market for a way to display favorite writing instruments for pen lovers such as herself.   Over time we added a number of original design pen blocks to our...

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Trying Something New

Once I began to hone my craft from hobbyist to woodworker, my friends began to take notice of the quality and creativity of my craftsmanship. With that came plenty of suggestions: "have you considered making.....?" Although flattered I have also become a realist who recognizes very quickly the limits of my skills or the time and effort that would be involved in trying certain things. As every woodworker advances we also become more aware of our own idiosyncrasies that we factor into any project.  I am one who gets distracted easily so simply making the same thing over and over again, no matter how good I've become at it, becomes less interesting let alone challenging. Enter new challenges worth tackling. One of...

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Sure, I Can Build That:)

Every woodworker knows that once friends and family know you have a shop and a few tools, all sorts of random requests come your way.  Everything from, "could you remodel my kitchen" to " can you repair a drawer in an old chest".  For a carpenter, every request is a bit like a challenge issued.........we hate saying "no" to any project because "sure, I can do that":). It's a blessing and a pitfall.  The blessing is that you get the pleasure of helping out a friend, solving a problem, or "fixing" a treasure.  The pitfall is that we "wood guys" can end up taking on projects that are either beyond our shop capabilities or that divert our focus.   Did I...

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Leftovers

Have you ever wondered what to do with all those leftovers?  I apologize up front to all the “foodies” out there but I’m actually referring to wood.  Whether a seasoned carpenter or a woodworking hobbier we all end up with extra pieces from various projects which usually end up collecting in the “just in case” pile, or eventually find their way to the trash.   I hate to waste things, especially interesting pieces of wood that I’ve taken the time to cut, plane, and glue after matching up contrasting colors and grain patterns.  I’ve discovered that there is another option, and after talking to a fellow woodworker this weekend, I realized I’m not alone. By taking the various leftovers from my end...

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Spring Cleaning: What's New from The Prodigal Carpenter

  For the last week or so the Carpenter has been busy “spring cleaning” and reorganizing his shop. Seems anytime we’re really busy ,even our best efforts fall short in keeping things neat and organized…….lots of sawing, planing, sanding, turning, and gluing has taken place and the evidence was all over the place:) Micah had little interest in helping.... he preferred to lay in the accumulated sawdust outside the shop. The good news is that the “mess” was a result of a number of new products added to our line………. So we thought we’d share them with you here.   We added Penblocks at the recommendation of a friend who is a pen lover. She clued us in on how true...

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