What a complete dork does with a day off
Someone, please save me from myself.
I had a pretty serious teaching schedule this weekend. Friday, Saturday and Sunday were all devoted to separate full-day workshops in London. When this happens I try to declare Monday as New Saturday. It is surprisingly difficult to do. Emails still come in, there is work to be done, and before long the guilt takes over and New Saturday shifts back into Monday so quietly I don’t even notice. This time, however, I was wiped out and determined that New Saturday would survive. I had big plans to lie on my tummy and eat snacks all day.
But then the complete dork that lives inside of me took over, and I spent the whole day making the box of my dreams.
Yeah, that’s right. It is a box full of boxes. But it gets worse.
It actually is a box full of box-making teaching models
showing all of the cuts that must be made for perfect corners for a variety of box forms.
Like this one, the standard box tray:
which is nestled sweetly into the clamshell box tray:
Have you noticed that I have made all of the walls of double thickness so that the cuts are easier to see? Of course you did! Both of those boxes contain the slip case model, complete with a variant covering on the other side:
And what is a slip case but a perfect place to keep a model of a partitioned box?
I swear to you it was the best New Saturday ever. But just as I adhered the inset label into the cloth covered case with a button clasp, I realized that I had (GASP) forgotten one of my go-to box forms and now, even now, I am contemplating a whole new box of boxes, which includes this other box and perhaps has each box covered in tyvek rather than ingres for added strength and durability and how big will I make it and should I include a compartment for various clasps and attachments and oh god SOMEONE COME AND TAKE ME TO THE MOVIES OR SOMETHING.
*deep breath*
I owe a big thanks to my students from this Sunday’s solander/clamshell box workshop at the London Centre for Book Arts. They listened so patiently to my description of the box of box models that I’ve always wanted to make that I just couldn’t get it out of my mind. Anyway, they were no slouch box makers themselves, look at their boxes! Thanks guys. I did it! I made it!
I’ve got a few more box courses coming up before Christmas. Check the workshops page if you want to come along and see my box of box models in person. Also I am thrilled to say that I’ll be teaching a two week box-making class at Penland School of Crafts next August. A two week box-making course! I can’t wait.
UPDATE! I made that last box and put it in the partitioned box. I just can’t be stopped.
40 comments on “What a complete dork does with a day off”
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Big Jump Press 
Go Sarah! Your are and effing box-making machine.
I love this box (and all it’s inner boxes). The Mother Box.
Thanks Kevin! I am a box addict. Left to my own devices who knows what other boxes I would make. Nothing is safe from enclosure.
Do you know the dates of the Penland class? I want to pencil them in my calendar!
Yes! August 10-22nd! I hope I see you there! It’s not online yet, but should appear soon. Boxes boxes boxes! It should be such a great two weeks.
This is so cool. Inspires me to maybe try making a box…
Go for it!
Wonderful, wonderful! Found your blog through a Penland friend, and I hope to meet you on the mountain someday!
Yes, I hope I see you there!
Not only are you an excellent box-maker, you are a pretty darn good writer, too.
Thanks so much, Judy!
You are FANTASTIC!
Your “box of dreams” is a genius tool for teaching box making;
your students are the luckiest ever!!!!!
Looking at the photographs put a smile in my face; thank you for giving me such “high” for the start of my day.
Thanks so much, Anna!
Very Nice.
Thanks, Kyle.
Ok, I’ll definitely be looking for the info on the Penland class! I want to be there 🙂
From another box addict…….THANK YOU for this wonderful post.
Thanks for reading Adele! Box addicts UNITE!
ah, this is fantastic! glad I stumbled upon your very helpful blog. yay for Penland in August!
Yeah, Sara!!! Can’t wait to get into those mountains! Penland ho!
What, no stepped joints? You can’t be that serious about boxes…;)
Oh no! Stepped joints? I better go back to book school.
I had to laugh at what you did with your New Saturday! There’s nothing more satisfying than spending a day off doing something you love to do – unless it’s doing that And having something amazing to show for your day… Which you did & have!
I hope to be among your students some time, so I may even get to look at those great little boxes!!
Well done Sarah, I think your Box of Boxes is wonderful. And if it makes you happy, then it was a day well spent.
Hi Lizzie! Thanks so much for your comment (and I am sorry for the delay in my response, I’ve been away.) I hope I see you sometime soon for some box joy!!! Best wishes to you, and I hope your Saturdays are also full of satisfaction!
GRAZIE!chiarissime fotografie!
Grazie, Antonella! I am so glad you like it.
I might be a little bit late, but I searched for a way to cover a slipcase and a partitioned box, and then I stumbled across this and … this.. is… SO AWESOME!
Even just looking at the pictures made me realize how to cover my own slipcase and boxes and I’m sure this is the greatest tool in history to teach boxmaking!
Thank you so much for sharing this!
I’m so glad you found it useful! Best wishes,
Sarah
Geez so beautiful and very neat!
That’s totally insane! I love it and must do it! Would you be willing to share tips?
Hi there! Glad you love it! Just start small and work out!
Hello Sarah, do you have any workshops planned in the UK for the rest of 2018 or in 2019? I would so love to learn some of these skills from a pro.
I want you to know that ypur box obsession combined with the skills of making them as well as how very well you told the whole story with hella good pictures makes me….welll….in lovd2 with you!😂😍❤ but no really..i have a box problem as well..i mean..im not even gonna get into that right now just trust me…anyways..i wish you were closer id take a class…[dont worry im not the stalker kind…just let me down easy and gift me a box and we be just fine 😂😂😉
I had no idea there were other box lovers out there. I thought I was some kind of weirdo. Lol.
hahahaha one of us!
I’m amazed….these are wonderful and so very detailed! I just can’t work out how to start – can you recommend a tutorial online?
Hi Judy, I do have some handouts online through my shop. I am not sure about other tutorials. Depending on where you are you may want to find a place to take a workshop (when the world opens back up again, of course.) The best way to learn is to spend some time with a person! Thanks again!
When we are ‘normal’ again, I need to find that “person”. Thank you for your reply.
Hi again! I’ve sent something to your hotmail account.
I learned a little about box making while in art school, though this single post showed me that there is so much more for me to learn.
Which is great, since I’ve been doing a lot of paper marbling lately and need to use those sheets for something 😋
I love your blog!
Thanks so much Alex! Good luck with your boxes!