My 12 year old is also a tinkerer. I think he has more artisitic ability than I'll ever have. This year while on our family vacation, we went west to Yellowstone and Mount Rushmore. After we visited the Crazy Horse Memorial, Matt decided he wanted to learn to carve.
I started him on the first project I ever did, a dove. He spent a weekend carving about 6 of these, so he would have "An army of doves." He has also carved a polar bear and is starting on a bird.
One of his school projects was to make 3 gifts for the nuns' bingo night at the convent. As the original dove pattern was to be on a cross, he decided that this would be his gift. I'm sure the sisters will really enjoy his handywork.
