How to Purchase a Box
First, thank you so much for your interest in my work — I sincerely appreciate it!
Everything I make is listed for sale on the shop page once it’s finished and ready to ship. Between releases the page often sits empty, and when that happens, please know I’m out in the workshop building the next batch. The schedule at the bottom of this page will give you a general idea of when that batch will be finished, and if you’re subscribed to my newsletter, you’ll receive an email the day before new work is listed, announcing the exact date and time.
Items purchased during a release ship within three business days, and shipping is always free. Please note that I only ship within the United States at this time.
Although I no longer take pre-orders, I do welcome your input on a size, finish, or lining you’d like to see, and I take on a couple of larger orders each year for needlework groups and guilds. Both are described further down this page.
That covers the essentials. If you’re curious about how it all works behind the scenes, please read on.
One batch at a time
In the shop I like to work in batches, building a whole group of pieces together rather than one at a time. How long a batch takes depends a good deal on what’s in it.
I work this way because it makes the workshop far more efficient. Getting set up to bend the bands, for example, takes nearly as long for a whole batch as it does for one or two pieces. Milk paint is another good example: the paint I use comes as a powder that I mix fresh with water, so mixing enough for a single piece would waste a fair amount compared with mixing enough for twenty or thirty of the same color.
It does leave the shop page empty for a stretch, but when a batch is finished it all goes up on the website at once, so there’s a nice selection to choose from rather than a piece or two trickling in here and there.
Once a year I also set aside a month or two to get lumber ready for the season ahead. My logs are milled right here on the property; from there I dry the pine in my own kiln and plane and cut every board to size. It takes time, but good stock makes a real difference in the finished piece.
I work alone, so the shop page will sit empty now and then, and I appreciate your patience when it does. I’d rather send you a piece I’m proud of than one I hurried.
What release day looks like
At the announced time, every piece in the batch appears on the website. Most pieces are photographed individually, so what’s pictured is what you’ll receive. When I’ve made a few that are more or less the same, I list them as one item and set the quantity to what’s available.
One honest tip: items in your cart aren’t reserved until checkout is complete, so if there’s a piece you really want, check out with that one first and go back for any others. My shipping software combines orders going to the same address, so multiple checkouts are no trouble at all.
-
If you’re looking for something in particular
I always welcome your input. If there’s a size, finish, or lining you’d like to see, please send me a note. I read every one that comes in, and what folks ask for helps shape what I make next.
Send me a note -
Larger orders for groups
A couple of times a year I take on a larger order for a needlework group or a guild. An order like this takes a good deal of shop time, so I need to schedule it well in advance. If you have something in mind, please write as early as you can and we’ll work out a timeline that suits us both.
Write me about a group order
Workshop Schedule
Updated September 29, 2026. Here’s a general outline of what I’ll be working on over the coming months. These dates are approximate, and I’ll update this page as the work moves along.
-
The holiday batch
Late November 2026
I’m working on a batch of boxes and carriers that I’m aiming to have ready toward the end of November, in time for the holiday season. Along with the boxes lined with original 1801 newspapers, I’ll have the theater playbill pieces ready as well.
-
The winter batch
Late February 2027
Once the holiday batch is finished and shipped, I’ll get to work on the next round of boxes and carriers. I’m planning a nice selection for late February, including several unique paper-lined pieces.
-
The spring batch
Late May 2027
I’m aiming to have another batch ready toward the end of May. After that, I’ll spend June cutting lumber and preparing stock for future boxes. It’s a different part of the work, but it keeps the shop supplied for the batches ahead.
Since 1993 I’ve made these boxes the same way — by hand, in small batches, here in Embden, Maine.