Girl Scouts!

When I was a Girl Scout I went to Mall Madness. It was a lock-in at the local mall. All the area Girl Scouts took over, shops stayed open late, nail polish flowed and I ate too many pop rocks. That's what we did.

And I mean, at the time I thought it was the shit. I bought a shirt I knew my mom would hate (she did) and painted my nails sparkly royal blue.

But I'll be honest, looking back I wish they affirmed a less stereotypical activity. Something empowering, challenging and something I had less exposure to.

Enter an older and wiser me. I was asked to help a friends Girl Scout troop earn their woodworking badge. I jumped at the opportunity! This is exactly what I wished someone had shown me when I was younger!

The one troop has turned to many and I have loved every troop that has come into my shop. They enter my sawdust-covered haven, immediately find themselves smudged though we've not yet begun. I greet them with my signature lipstick, wearing my cute apron as I pass out safety goggles. We tie hair back and get to work cutting, drilling and sanding the wood. I teach them to use drill presses, show them how to operate the band saw.

As we work on our projects we talk about getting out of our comfort zones, caring a little less what others think of us, learning new skills. We don't have to be one dimension, we can be complex. We can wear the lipstick and the safety goggles.

It's a lesson that my troops missed. Complex, interesting and well rounded was not the theme of Mall Madness. I think my young self would have loved the thrill of handling power tools.

If you're interested in bringing your troop to my shop to earn their woodworking, I'd love to have you. Click on the pictures to learn more about what I offer.

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