Therapeutic Piling

This afternoon I found myself struggling with what I prefer to describe as a "mental health episode," and as I found things getting worse in spite of the efforts I was making, I turned to my "cope list" of things I can do to break the patterns and give me the resources to make things better.

Both "construction toy" and "blog" are on that list, so as much as I was tempted to shuffle around them, I realized it would be better to just grab the rabbit (Or hare?).

Of course Ankerstein are the block of choice for serious therapeutic benefit. Smell, touch, substance, visual impact.

The Heinzelmännchen set is what the first box turned out to be, and a little shuffling through the printouts tucked inside turned up this little memorial, such as might be found at a crossroads in much of Europe.

I've been re-reading The Discovery of France, which might be why a roadside cross seemed a good choice. It's a wonderful book if you enjoy geography, history, linguistics, or why rocks might have been piled where they were.

So I piled up Anchor stones as seemed appropriate, enjoying the rhythms and textures, took a couple of pictures, and here we are. Therapeutic benefits acknowledged. Blog written.

Good Block Play.

Ankerstein Starter Set

I keep an automatic change-watch on the update log of the CVA plans & info archive website, which gives me intermittent small pleasures and occasional real treats.

A recent example was the introduction (to me at least) of a new Ankerstein "Starter-Set" - which on closer examination turns out to be our old friend the Heinzelmännchen, with a new box label and plan sheet.

I'm am being cautious not to say these are new plans, because some are from William Seppeler's many Heinzelmännchen designs in his Anchor Stone Constructions blog, and others seem to be from the rudimentary sheet that came, but I have not carefully checked.

Under either name, this a very good set size for beginners, dabblers, younger children, and the budget-limited.

But please note that this is NOT the same as the "Starter Set" in my Amazon-based Block Play Store - which is actually a Set 4. My store Ankerstein listings are automatically generated by the Amazon software - while I am happy if you purchase Ankerstein & other Amazon items there & give me a small commission at no extra cost to yourself, I am just as happy if you order from The ToyHouse and mention my blog.

Whichever set, whichever source, Ankerstein is always Good Block Play.

[modified 12 Nov 2010]

Heinzelmännchen

I've built this structure before, but with the smaller Kleine Gernegroße set.

Today I just wanted to build something, anything, that would break the long drought in my Ankerstein block play.

So I grabbed my Heinzelmännchen set, glanced through the designs under the lid -- both factory supplied and internet downloads, and chose this one, which is William Seppler's h12. He and his web site are the honorees on this month's edition of the ankerstein.org web page.

I also wanted to demonstrate my method for coping with a cluttered background, since the topic came up in Don's Hobby Keep the other day. I think the second image adequately demonstrates the use of a 12"x18" piece of construction paper. See the comments for that post for more words.

Good block play.