What do I do in the winter?

Now that the sailing season is over, we move into an off-season routine. For me it's either "sailing season" or "not sailing season" and it's nice to be able to be ashore now for a while after a few intense months.

For the last several years I have participated in the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts "Open Door" session. It is the last session of their season, Columbus Day Weekend, and open to Maine residents only. Hopeful students apply and attendance is done by lottery. I have been applying since 2000 and have been fortunate enough to be selected several times and to participate in several different studios; Fiber, Clay, Writing, Blacksmithing, and Metals.

This year I was in the Metals Studio learning how to make little bronze boxes. The weather was the best I have ever experienced while there (in the 80s and I didn't even need my sleeping bag at night!) and the food, campus, people, and creativity were all as usual - outstanding!

We started by making simple rings so we could get the concept of rolling metal, making impressions on that metal, bending it into a circle and soldering it. My first ring was steel stamped with our son's name and two starfish. I decided to fill the letters of his name with solder so it would stand out against the bronze. I have worn it ever since I made it.

At the end of the weekend, each studio cleans up and presents what was created. Everyone does a walk-through to admire all the work. Here is a picture of what I displayed:

Starting in the lower right corner and going clockwise; a piece of copper with a snowflake imprint, a piece of bronze that was trimmed off a project, an oxidized bronze ring with a stamped wave design and the word "ocean" inside, the "Kai Zander Thomas" ring (not oxidized), an oxidized bronze ring imprinted with a bump pattern with the word "balance" inside, another curled trim piece, and finally the piece I really went there to make - a bronze box.

The box is roll printed with a story design starting at the solder seam. There is a sun followed by a bird followed by a two-masted schooner under full sail, followed by stars and a crescent moon, followed by the sun, a bird, a schooner, stars, and moon, followed by the sun, a bird, a schooner . . .

Inside I steel stamped the words love, dream, life, schooner, ocean, hope, and sky. Along the inside ring of the lid I stamped "Haystack Open Door 2011 BGT". And I topped the whole thing off with a bezel set beach rock that I found this summer during a lobster bake. I've always admired the bezel set and am thrilled to have finally done one!

The bottom rim of the box is steel stamped with a wave pattern that shows both on the top of the rim and on the bottom of the box. If I had it to do all over again, I would have steel stamped the edge of the lid as well but I attached the inside ring before I thought of it.

A slightly closer look at the box.

Our instructor Alan Perry wearing the apron we all signed as a "thank you".

Our teacher's assistant, Kathy Binns, excited about the tote bag we gave her as a "thank you".

The inside of my cabin. My bed was the one way in the back.

The outside of my cabin.

The nature trail started a wall's thickness away from where I laid my head each night!

The trail led to this beautiful beach where I went for a swim before heading home.
Can you imagine going for a swim in the ocean in October in Maine! It was heavenly!

Overall, I really enjoyed myself and am thrilled to have learned so much. Being taken care of so well by the staff at Haystack (the food is amazing and there was always a HUGE bowl of popcorn each night) after taking care of our guests all summer was rejuvenating. The weather couldn't have been better and I headed home ready for the off-season.