The Castle

Several months ago while immersing myself in all things Waldorf and Montessori in the blogosphere I discovered this.  I fell instantly (and deeply) in love.  I knew deep down that my children needed a toy like this…and that I needed them to have it…and that (somehow) we would need to make it. I realized that it was no ordinary toy to undertake making.  But…in true Hannah style I never stopped to think about whether or not I was capable of making it.  I never stopped to consider if I even knew how to make it…the first step?…the second?…?!!  I brainstormed my vision with my father (he’s my woodworking mentor!!…and tool source!), “created” for days all within my mind…dug through some wood…figured out the first step, and went from there.  I won’t say that there weren’t any moments of total bewilderment of how to proceed, but the process, though long, skill-stretching, and very sawdusty was a joy!  

And so…over the period of several months a pile of wood salvaged from an orchard took shape and became a childhood treasure…an open-ended toy ready for hours of adventure…a toy to be passed down from momma to son…from son to babe…again and again. 

As I worked on this project evening after evening discovering Hannah-the-woodworker, I learned something about myself.  Indeed it was something I should have already known…but perhaps I know it a bit better now.  Underneath the many roles that I play each day…I am an artist. It is who I am.  Just as much as I am a mother…a wife…a daughter…!  I am an artist.  It’s about time I started acting like one!!             For those of you who would like details (my brothers…!) this first set of the castle includes one front gate (approximately 12” tall and 18” wide), 9 wall pieces (each approximately 6 1/2” tall and 8” wide) two of which have gates…ten soldiers and four horses.  A center tower is in construction, but I’ll admit that it has me beaten at the moment!