Help with Holiday Gift Projects

While walking around Pasadena after the Woodworking in America event last Sunday it was hot out – almost 90 degrees. But sure enough, some store windows I passed were already hinting at the coming holiday season. That hint became more a reality when I got to the office on Tuesday and found the Lee Valley “Early Christmas Gift Catalog” in my inbox. Some nice things in there, by the way, many not woodworking related so you don’t see them from Lee Valley regularly.

So here’s a heads-up. It really isn’t too soon to start planning and making those shop-built holiday gift projects many a woodworker likes to give. And it’s double heads-up for a procrastinator like myself. My holiday project gift making usually focuses on smaller items, either turned on the lathe or some kind of small box. And because they’re small, I’ll often do something special, like inlay or a bit of carving to make them extra nice. I’ll even use gold or silver leaf on some turnings.

So, it’s time to gear up for those shop projects. If you are looking for ideas and plans for a wide assortment projects that will make terrific gifts, check out the special Value Pack that’s now available in the magazine’s online ShopWoodworking.com store. The Value Pack is a nice collection of books, DVDs and downloads with all the information you need to build projects ranging from small boxes to toy boxes and blanket chests. You’ll have enough box plans to last you well through this holiday season.

There are DVDs on making Shaker oval boxes and puzzle boxes, decorated boxes using the scroll saw, a foundation book called “The Box Builders Handbook”, and many others. The warehouse has assembled only 100 of these box making collections of 16 different items. Get on it now, pay less than half of what these would normally cost individually and head to the shop to start making those gift projects. You’ll even have time to let the finish dry before you have to wrap them.

– Steve Shanesy