Art in the Park

I have to admit, I was not at all positive about Art in the Park this year as I woke up to pouring rain. Maybe it was because the art show I was in earlier this year ended up being a weather disaster and I still had images of holding on to the display for dear life as a huge thunderstorm barrelled down the street we were set up on.

In the big scheme of things, art show weather is not up there on the important scale but I couldn't wrap my head around sitting under my little, light canopy during a day of wind and rain. 

For me, it was a real blessing that the rain stopped during set up and held off until we were packed up. And when people stop in to talk to you and spend their money on things you've made, you feel really honoured. 

I was happy to have Emily with me selling her whimsical sea glass cards. She has a beautiful imagination and has a very impressive sea glass collection. 

Love making things!

Salad Servers

I was trying to come up with a new piece to make which would not take as much time as a spoon but still be useful and artistic. 

Simple Salad Servers!

(Walnut and cherry)

(Curly, spalted maple)

Each server is hand rasped along the edges to make them smooth, and, just like the spoons and boards, I like to use my carving knife to widen the drilled hole for hanging.
  
Then they are sanded, sanded, sanded.....

The shimmery, striped, curly maple servers are from a maple tree about 20 minutes from my house. It is the most interesting wood I have worked with and is both curly and spalted. 

Curly maple is not a type of maple but a grain pattern that is found in some maples. The effect is a wave pattern that looks to be three dimensional and 'moves' as the wood is turned. 

It's possible that this is my favourite wood so far. Reminds me of something else I love...

Summer carving

Away from the blog for a bit as I have been posting away on my Instagram account. It's amazing to connect with other carves, woodworkers, potters etc. from around the world!

Summer seems to be shorter then when I was a kid and right now it feels like sand in an hour glass slipping away very quickly. I think I will look back on these summers with my kids all at home and still a bit young for summer jobs, as the greatest. 

Carving photos and summer photos all mixed together...which is how they occur!

~ Enjoy your summer! ~

Photo update

A busy few weeks working at my new Etsy Shop as well as learning the ropes on Instagram . Here are a few shots of some work on the go!!

Good weather for ducks.

A rainy Saturday to stay inside. Finished 'swallowing the green frog' and now it's time to work on the stack of wood waiting for me. :) 

Join me over at Instagram where I hope to post daily work in progress! 

Beech family

Picture day for the beech family members. One fellow sporting a hand chiseled bow-tie to secure a crack running up the handle. This beech wood is very beautiful but splattered with knots, splits and cracks. All adding to the rustic look of these boards!

The beech wood that we found was the perfect width for cheeseboards and had great natural edges which have been kept on both sides. Unique pieces!

It's next to impossible for me not to take pictures of the ducks. It might be that the edges of their beaks curve up into a grin. Or that they follow the kids around like obedient little children following their mother!

~ Happy Mother's Day ~

Beech, bandaids and blisters

~ Beech scoop ~

So happy with how this scoop turned out but this wood wrecked my hands! 

Enjoyed sunshine and shadows this Saturday morning and quiet breakfast with little four year old. 

Soft, sanded beech before oiling....

...and silky, smooth scoop with beeswax/mineral oil finish.

Fresh board butter with new jar labels getting ready for Sarnia Artwalk June 4 and 5.

(So distracting when their little beaks knock on the door!)

April

April has been so full of variety....snow, ice, wind, rain, sun, clouds, warmth, heat. 

 Blessed to have days filled with so much variety... 

carving, sanding, rasping,

teaching, cooking, cleaning,

ducks, chickens, kittens and gardens. 

And little store open over at Etsy !