My two year old nephew needed a boost to wash his hands so I went to work building a three step folding step stool. We actually measured by holding him up to the sink and discovered he required at least 20 inches in height to comfortably scrub off the grime. This brought up a concern for the tiny toddler’s safety so the solution was to make a stool with sides. He loves penguins so I sketched a penguin shape and enlarged it to 34 inches tall. Three steps at a 7 inch rise left plenty of room for the neck and head of the penguin to serve as protective sidewalls. Several peeps thought it was a duck so I decided to clear-coat it. That way, it is whatever they think it is.

One of my most ambitious, and slightly insane, projects was this glass display case made from oak and purple heart. I wanted something unique to display props and various items I managed to snag from Amber Benson’s independent film, “Lovers, Liars and Lunatics”. Due to the limited “flat space” it didn’t hold as much as I’d have preferred but all in all it turned out pretty cool.

Every once in a while I play with things that didn’t sprout from earth and grow to 30+ feet tall. My nephew loves to pretend his stuffed animals talk –what child doesn’t, eh? With the new Muppet Movie hitting the big screen I decided to try my hand at creating an actual puppet for the creative tyke. These are “professional style” puppets and relatively easy to make.

Years ago, Rapala, Rebel and other fishing lure companies made giant lures normally used for store displays available to the general public. I landed a couple nice ones but the prices started shooting through the roof. Some of the lures are going for well over 200 bucks –crazy! Next thing I know.. I’ve got a big sheet of polystyrene and I’m whittling away. I heard many folks say Rabble Rousers are the ugliest lures ever made. Hmmm.. beauty is in the eye.. as they say. Speaking of.. my giant Topwater’s equally giant eye channels the Mona Lisa as it seems to look at you no matter where you’re standing. Using a fisherman’s scale, this whooper is about 56 inches long which means it’s roughly 12 ½ inches.

A few years ago I created a PEZ themed word search puzzle. Richie Belyski of PEZ Collector’s News published it in the Oct/Nov 2009 issue. (Richie also runs the” Pez In The Sun” Convention in Myrtle Beach, SC and hosts www.myspaceforpezheads.com) One unique thing about this puzzle: every single letter is used to spell the name of a PEZ!! After circling all the names listed, unscramble the remaining letters to discover the five character names of a well-known set of PEZ. It’s not as easy as it looks. Here’s a hint: One Pez name can be found twice, another is in the puzzle multiple times. The trick is in figuring out which one not to circle!

My niece-in-law is a pre-school teacher and had an unpleasant dilemma: when the kids have naptime, they drool, sneeze and hack up all manner of nasty fluids getting the mats slimy and sticky. Then, when the mats are stored, they touch each other and spread all kinds of germs! What to do?? Number one: wipe them down first. Number two: build a sectioned cabinet to store the mats. The first one is her job, the second became mine. A popular book for preschoolers is Goodnight Moon so I toyed with that and decided a cow cabinet would be fun for the kids. Bessie’s head is attached with a metal lazy-susan so the kids can mooooove her head from side to side. I intentionally put the udders on the front since the backside wouldn’t have been visible up against the wall. Umm.. really… I meant to do that.

This is a cool little box originally designed by artisan Tony Lydgate. I took it a step further by cutting a slight angle midway to the base on all sides. The possibilities for creating unique boxes are endless. It’s also a great way to use tiny scraps of exotic woods. This box is made from pecan with paduak ears, trim and slip-feathers

Rockler.com has a plan and bar kit for this interesting little pull and play critter. Made of poplar and walnut, this cricket xylophone is a fun way to encourage kids to learn a musical instrument. When it’s in tow, the back legs bobble up and down! One issue I have with the plan is the placement of the legs. The body could be lengthened by a few inches to provide ample room to strike the notes.