The American Sycamore Woodworker's Retreat (ASWR) truly reflects its name by embodying a great place for woodworkers to withdraw from the pressures and stress of life to simply focus on creating with wood. While attending the Pencil Post Bed Workshop last May, Dana Van Pelt (co-owner of ASWR with her husband Mike) and I built our own traditional Shaker style beds. The relaxed environment and beautiful surroundings ASWR contribute to an experience most women woodworkers will appreciate.

ASWR's building feels very comfortable, with handmade furniture and artwork everywhere. A typical day begins as I wake up in my spacious bedroom, with a private bathroom, and walk downstairs to have breakfast and my morning cocoa, then right into the shop. Greeted by the friendly smiles of ASWR staff, we discuss our plans for the day. All morning, Dana and I work hard in the top-of-the-line shop and break for lunch provided by ASWR. After lunch, we might take a quick nap, or maybe we jump right back into our projects. We work enthusiastically into the night, when we remember we forgot to eat dinner. We eat, we chat, we continue woodworking, and we hang out for a while. Now I am very tired from a long, fun day of making a bed; I need to go climb in one.

At American Sycamore, I learned how great it feels to push myself and work especially hard at a project. I found I get great satisfaction from using hand tools such as hand planes and scrapers: I can feel the wood underneath the blade as I push the plane with the grain, and I seriously increase my upper body strength. I learned shop tricks with bench dogs. I even found out what a Hoosier is.