A spirited journey through the world of collectible artisan puzzles
Pairing craft cocktails with crafty puzzles
A Man’s Got to Go!
You’ll have to excuse me for a moment. It’s rather urgent, and there’s really nothing I can do about it at this point. It’s just a fact of life, after all. I know there are plenty of you out there who will understand. Someone who I know for sure will understand is Tracy Wood Clemons, who created the “A Man’s Got To Go!” box.
Havana’s Box 4
We are going back to Cuba again here on B+B. In July, 2015, the United States and Cuba resumed diplomatic relations after over 50 years of silence. Perhaps this year we will see the long standing embargoes lifted. Time will tell, as they say, but rather than wait, let’s get puzzling.
Born Book Puzzle
This week we are featuring a beautiful wooden book created by up and coming woodworker Jesse Born from Rome, New York. His “Book” puzzle is an elegantly crafted delight to hold and explore. Made from maple, cherry and pine woods, it has additional accents of mahogany and spalted maple.
Love Box 5
Kamei created a number of “Love Box” puzzles shaped like little hearts. No. 5 is a cute little piece in dark wood, with a bright yellow wood ribbon, and a red cloth lined secret compartment.
Keeper’s Key Safe
Way back in the “days of old”, according to the story, the city’s valuables were held in safes which were duly guarded by designated “Keepers”. The Keepers were personally responsible for the security of these safes, and holding onto the key that opened them.
Geisha Secret
Japanese master Yoshio Okiyama, was a third generation secret-box maker who was taught by his father, Yoshitaro Okiyama, who in turn was taught by his father, Tatsunosuke Okiyama, one of the 3 original founders of this art form dating back to sometime after 1870.
Hawaiian Hijinks Cake
Aloha from paradise. For this week’s installment, Boxes and Booze has gone on location. It was time to discuss another one of master puzzle maker Perry McDaniel’s fine confectionery creations, the “Hawaiian Hijinks Cake”. In order to fully appreciate the puzzling nature of this finely crafted delicacy I felt compelled to seek out its inspirational source.
Borg Box (Stickman No. 5)
There is a particular puzzle box on my shelf which has been sitting there for a while, beckoning me. It’s particularly stunning to look at, composed of a tapestry of wooden shapes and types, so it’s marvelous simply as a piece of art. But that’s not why it beckons.
Soba (Buckwheat Noodle)
In many parts of Japan the New Year’s Eve celebration includes a very traditional dish of soba noodles, called “toshikoshi”, which translates as “climbing” or “jumping” from the old year to the new.
Wrapping Box
A great example of one of these annual puzzle box treats with a sense of humor is the “Wrapping Box” by Kyoko Hoshino. It was created to resemble an actual present, wrapping paper and all, complete with a ribbon and little bells. Hoshino likes to incorporate cloth and other unusual materials into her designs. In this case, the puzzle box is all wrapped up in festive cloth. You can feel the box inside, but you can’t unwrap it. How will you open it?
Rotary Box II
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a seven year old boy went to the movies with his grandparents on his birthday. He was just as thrilled as everyone else, watching what would become one of the icons of popular culture in our time.
Secret Base
Would you like to hear a secret? Who doesn’t like to be in on a good secret? Mysteries, codes, hidden treasures, all excite because in part they hold a secret which we might be able to access, if we are clever enough. The allure of the puzzle box relies on the secret, on knowing there is a hidden way in, and on finding it if we can.
The Monkey’s Palanquin
It’s hard to imagine how a simple wooden box can surprise you. Most of the time, it's just a box, with a lid that comes off, just like you would expect. But you still want to open it. The fact that it is a box implies its opening function, and something inside you is compelled by that function. So you try to open it, lift the lid, turn the latch, swing the hinges.
Brothers
Einstein first presented his theory of general relativity on November 25, 1915, in front of the Prussian Academy of Science, which makes this Thanksgiving season one with some serious gravity. General relativity upped the ante from “special relativity”, which he introduced 10 years earlier, by adding acceleration to the mix.
Ambidextrous Hexduos
Get ready to exercise both sides of your brain for this installment. You’ll need the logical left side and the artistic right side to fully appreciate this particular puzzle pair pairing and potion pair pairing, and puzzle and potion pairing.
Writer's Block
At the risk of becoming boxed in, I present a box which turns things inside out for me, as I find myself inside of it. The creative woodworker Tracy Woods Clemons, from Rochester, New York, has been making her designs in wood for many years.
AHA Box
For many designers, the small box may be an aside, an experiment, or a “small” addition to their portfolio. For puzzle crafter Allan Boardman, the small size defines his entire style. His professional education was in aeronautical engineering, and he enjoyed a long career in the aerospace industry. As a hobby, he also had a passion for woodworking and puzzling.
Always Empty Box
On this All Hallows Eve, I present a puzzle box which is “all hollow”, or as its maker, Phil Tomlinson describes it, “always empty”. Phil Tomlinson is a fine cabinet and puzzle box maker from Cincinnati Ohio, who created the “Always Empty” box out of Black Walnut, Curly Maple, Bloodwood, Rock Maple and Pawlownia woods.
Cocobolo Maze Burr
A beautiful hybrid puzzle, created by Kagen Sound (a man whose very name is a lovely hybrid), is the Cocobolo Maze Burr. This stunning piece of puzzle art is made with cocobolo, ebony and holly woods, and is an evolved version of his award winning "Maze Burr" puzzle, which was the “puzzle of the year”, winning both the people’s choice and jury grand prize awards in the 2006 NobYoshigahara Puzzle Design Competition.