Five days to make a spoon that scoops chili sounds like a fair trade for one sliced thumb, all things considered. Basswood is pretty forgiving for a beginner, but if you want something that won't dent every time it hits the bowl, give birch or maple a shot once you're feeling brave. Just keep cutting away from your fingers, since the knife already got its one taste of blood.

Wait, a dimmer is not the same as swapping a light source. You didn't change the bulb or the fixture, you just added a little knob that lets you turn the brightness down. That's a real difference. Swapping a light source means going from a harsh white bulb to a warm one, or trading a ceiling light for a floor lamp in the corner. What you did is still great, don't get me wrong, and cheap too. But if you want the bigger change, try a bulb with a lower color temp next. That combo with the dimmer might blow your mind.