There was a time when households had few belongings, and clutter from too much stuff was not an issue. Basics such as matches, glue powders and paint pigments, and sugar, coffee, tea, and spices needed containers. Before the age of canisters and Tupperware, Shaker craftsmen made and marketed their oval boxes to meet this purpose. Explore the traditions of the Shaker box as you learn to make a stacked set of boxes (five total), reflecting on both the traditional uses and production methods, as well as more decorative touches such as the use of cherry woods rather than plain maple and wood finishes suited for the coffee table rather than cupboard. The Shaker Box is a box for all occasions, utilitarian as well as decorative. Its charm and grace make a difference whatever role it plays.