I just noticed your reference to welding up what you needed to get a job done. I like that attitude.
I\
I am a craftsman, not a woodworker, but one who like working with wood a lot. I have two project with top priority, in the near future. A hospital box - in case I have a sudden hospital visit, with essentials I did not have last time - extension cord and phone charger, salt substitute (the food was great, except there was absolutely no salt, so I'll fix that problem if it ever happens again), folding solitaire board, deck of cards, sketch book and pencils and pens, radio earphones. That should cover it. That will be out of cardboard, with a shoulder strip out of I don't know what yet.
The other top priority is I guess you would say is a sketch book. A couple of years ago I got about a dozen 70 page spiral notebooks, for sketch books. They were 25 cents each, at the start of the school year, never been able to nab any more, but got a fantastic deal on 5 packs of 3 ring binder paper, 150 sheets each. Don't really want to put them in a 3 ring binder, so will make a hollowed out wooden book to hold a pack at a time. This will be mostly wood, no metal at all, held with wood glue. The hinge will likely be stiff leather, possibly cloth, maybe will make some wooden hinges. Pondered long and hard about a latch, even considering a magnet, but really didn't want any metal in it. Then it hit me, velcro for the latch. Undecided if the front and back will be covered with cloth, or not; I've got an old recliner with naugahide, which will soon be tossed, might use that, certainly will beat having to hunt a naugahide down, kill it, skin it, then tan the hide. Regardless, each project will be decorative painted, subjects unknown at this time. Kind of a toss up just now for dragon, wizard, flower(s). but subject to change at any time.
A craftsman uses his/her imagination for their projects.