Episode Host: Charles Collins Motivational Quote: "We've been merging with tools, Since the beginning of human evolution. That's one of the things that makes us human beings." -- Franklin Fore, Craftsman, Writer  The Five Elements: Element 5 Tools for Living.  The Fifth Element of Life-as-a-Craft concerns itself with powerful instruments called tools. Tools are objects specifically designed to help us perform a particular task with a higher degree of performance ideally improving the quality of the finished work. Your life. Season 1: Episodes 101-111 - Present the framework to skillf ..read more

Episode Host: Charles Collins Motivational Quote: "In your work to make a masterpiece of your life, Take care to stop and celebrate with others, Their work to make a masterpiece of their own." -- The Anonymous Craftsman The Five Elements: Element 4 – The Human Being. As wood is to the carpenter or clay to the potter, so is the Human Being to the practice of Life-as-a-Craft. A natural, uneven material, the Human Being requires very special handling. It is both fragile and resilient under the right conditions. You are the craftsperson of your unique life.  It is up to you to Make ..read more

Episode Host: Charles Collins Motivational Quote: "Craftsmanship tells us something about the proper use of resources. The craftsman wasted not, and wanted not." -- Martin Lawrence, Writer Craftsman The Five Elements: Element 3 - Family & Personal Finance. Scholars find that personal attitudes toward money developed in our childhood, have a significant effect on the well-being of the families we manage later in life.  Families and individuals must understand this and learn to achieve incremental excellence in this critical Element providing abundance of resources for family and person ..read more

Episode Host: Charles Collins Motivational Quote: "To introduce unique character into one's household, Is not a modern idea. Subtle good works of taste, Are now, and always have been appreciated." -- Ruth Dayan, Israeli Craftswoman The Five Elements of Life-as-a-Craft: Element 2: Family Management is concerned with the smooth running of your home making it safe place for family members to live and grow. Like a Master craftsman's workshop, the 'family workshop' needs to be managed with clear guidelines if it is going to be successful.  Season 1: Episodes 101-111 - Present the framework to ..read more

Episode Host: Charles Collins Motivational Quote: "With a deep love of clay, the potter learns his craft. ... He has within his hands the ability to create, A mirror of his people." -- Ruth Dayan, Israeli Craftswoman   The Five Elements of Life-as-a-Craft: Element 1: Family Heritage covers a wide variety of topics. Who you are and who you become is greatly influenced by your connection to Family. It is the basis of who we first see ourselves to be. We begin our training here in life-as-a-craft. Season 1: Episodes 101-111 - Present the framework to skillfully practice 'life' as a stru ..read more

Episode Host: Charles Collins Motivational Quote: "Only when I was 73, had I got some sort of insight, Into the real structure of nature. At 90, I shall grasp the mystery of things." -- Hokusai, Master Painter Life-as-a-Craft - Phase 4: Mentorship. The 20 year period from ages 65-85+ in the practice of life as a craft, during which the primary objective is to review and select masterworks, knowledge and skills development exercises to make available to those who would seek it, and to form an account of one's practice of craftsmanship as a benchmark for future generations of practitioners ..read more

Episode Host: Charles Collins Motivational Quote "In the beginning, before there were hand tools, There were the storytellers. Craftsmen of the imagination." -- The Anonymous Craftsman Life-as-a-Craft - Phase 3: Masterwork. The 20 year period from ages 45-65, when the Journeyman having practiced endurance, and distinguished oneself as a skilled practitioner in a variety of subjects within the Five Elements of life-as-a-craft, crosses the threshold into the Masterwork Phase of life-as-a-craft.  The time for practicing at a higher level of craftsmanship creating masterpieces of 'though ..read more

Episode Host: Charles Collins Motivational Quote: "Sometimes it takes years, . . . before I decide what to do with a plank of wood. There is a tremendous yearning inside the wood to fulfill itself . . ." -- George Nakashima, Master Woodworker Life-as-a-Craft - Phase 2: Journeywork. The 20 year period from ages 25-45, when the skilled Journeyman having learned the foundations of life-as-a-craft as a young Apprentice, goes into the world to earn their way through their skills and the applied practice of craftsmanship. It is the time of endurance and learning to pace oneself to avoid the modern e ..read more

Episode Host: Charles Collins Motivational Quote: "Sir" asked the young apprentice, "What is the purpose of living?" "To make a masterpiece of your life", replied the Master Craftsman . . ." -- The Anonymous Craftsman Life-as-a-Craft - Phase 1: Apprenticeship. The 12 year period beginning about age 12-14, up to age 24-25 when the young Apprentice learns to comprehend the nature of the raw materials of the craft-of-life and the skillful use of the tools of the craft. It has as much to do with learning “how to learn” as it does with “what to learn”.   Season 1: Episodes 101-1 ..read more

Episode Host: Charles Collins Motivational Quote: "Which one of us dares draw a harsh line, Between art, craft and life?" -- Gilbert Grosvenor, Cabinet Maker & Book Editor Most of us don't have a system for learning life as a craft, anymore than our parents had one for teaching us growing up. Making a Masterpiece of Your Life is a framework for organizing the life-skill subjects you want to learn. An alternative to the trial and error of making it up as you go, 'flying blind by the seat of your pants'. Season 1: Episodes 101-111 - Presents the framework to skillfully practice 'life' as a s ..read more