Making a Wooden Cross From rough to (hopefully) artful

My First Cross

As you can see my half-lap joint (I learned this term today--December 28th, 2019) is rather rough. But it's not a terrible start.

Note: I?m not against using modern tools, but I have got it into my head to only use traditional woodworking tools. So, it might be a while before I get to the point where the joints don't look like they were cut out with a dull chainsaw. The saw keeps going sideways, so I end up with crooked walls. The other side doesn't look too great either. The front it better, but still not good. Let's hope it gets better from here. Note: I should brobably use a softer wood while I hone my joinery skills.