The Tale of Three Boxes

When I was teaching a class of first and second graders how to use computer software, MicroSoft Word and iPhoto, I realized after the first class that their attention span would be, at best, about 20 minutes. So, I bought from Oriental Traders several items that I could use to entertain them after my 20 minutes were up.

One of the things I bought, just in case, was a wooden cube with a bent wire that could be used as a card holder. However, the train whistles proved to be a much better toy before I began to let them write what they wanted. I never dreamed they could have so much to say! I ended up with 12 wooden boxes with a curlicue wire that at best was a card holder.

Stumbling on them the other day I thought, hey, this is the perfect interim product to "create" and put in my store. My "Last Chance" series was taking much longer than I anticipated so... as you can see, with along with a bag of wooden whatnots, I created several "card" holders.

Again, the cubes were a blank slate, no different than a blank canvas. After I rediscovered a bag of little whatnots I began to play with the possibilities. I think they are pretty nifty considering that the box itself is plain and offers nothing and yet everything in the way of possibilities.

One box used a sample of everything...circles, squares, stars and hearts, the other a variety of stars painted in gold and silver. Using a nail pen, I was able to create a kind of heaven not all that different from a starry night! What fun. If anything, its an example of what to do with, well, a blank slate, canvas, cube or anything else.

The hardest thing to do, and yet the most original for an artist IS to think out of the box. Why accept what has been? Think about what has NOT been. Take it from there.

I have no idea of whether they were sell or not but I haven't found anyone else being so adventuresome. There are about 8 more to go! Oh, the possibilities!