a jumbled mess and time to simmer

This weekend I have an art class at Miami University's Craftsummer.  It's called 'Woodworking:  Thinking Outside the Box".  We are going to be learning how to use the tools in the woodworking shop to create our own shadow boxes, and then assemble all sorts of objects in the box to create our piece.  It seems like a class that should be a good fit for me - I'm all about collage and putting different things together, building layers - seeing how they can fit.  

Today I have been gathering all sorts of things so that I have an idea of how I want to build my shadow box so that the objects will fit.  I am determined not to go out and buy anything, but to use things that I have saved and have meaning to me.  One small problem, though.  Recently I got rid of sooooo much stuff - thinking that since I haven't used it so far, that I probably never would.  It felt good to purge, but now I am sort of regretting it!

Another problem is that my mind is sort of a jumbled mess right now.  I am not the type of artist that can think off the top of my head.  I need time to let ideas simmer and evolve.  So maybe this class will be a good thing for me.  I would still like to have some sort of idea and general plan, but am going to try to react to my materials and let it all unfold.