Beauty in the changing.

The whole idea to start carving cheeseboards started up north on a summer holiday. Walking through shops in Muskoka brought the inspiration to turn my brother's milled walnut tree into a few cheeseboards to sell at a local art show. I hadn't realized when I started how much I would love it. And after a year and a half of carving and sanding I still love it and find it very rewarding. The enjoyment comes in the changing. From a flat, rough plank to a soft, smooth, useful serving board. Each board involves detailed shaping with the rasp and carving knife which gives them all a unique, hand carved look.

Spoon inspiration started from finding a number of carvers online such as the Polder's family and their Old World Kitchen brand of hand carved utensils. A definite learning curve to spoons!!

The spoons from start to finish go through so much change that it feels thrilling every time I am on the final sanding! There is always the chance of a slip with my knife that can end the early life of every spoon I work on so to see one make it to the final stage makes me sigh with relief. (A moment of silence for the two that ended up in the wood stove.) Beauty comes in the changes.

Back to boards.

Taking a little spoon break after finishing the two little maple guys and back to round boards. There is something I love about the wood after the sanding is finished and before the oil. The bottom board is ready for oil and the top board is all finished. 

Shined up and ready.

Some 'all finished up' pictures of these two new bird's eye maple spoons. :)

Spoon carving from start to finish.

One little piece of bird's eye maple given to me as a 'scrap' from the Haliburton Wood-Shop has turned into one of my favourite spoons. It is such incredibly hard wood to carve but when oiled, feels almost like soap stone. Hard and soft with delicate grain markings that resemble a bird's eye. 

The technique I use for spoon carving follows from left to right. I use a bandsaw to make the rough cut after the bowl is gouged but the rest is done with simple hand tools. A slow, enjoyable, rewarding, arm breaking process! 

Bird's Eye

Bird's eye maple sugar/spice spoons in the works. The hardest wood to carve but there is such soft, delicate details in the grain. A work out for my knife! And arms!

Spoons...

Wooden spoon love :)

Long handled walnut serving spoon

A new serving spoon all shined up. :)

The hunt is over...

Finally. We have been looking and looking for a band saw and, at long last, found one yesterday. I dread using the jigsaw to cut out the boards so hopefully this bandsaw will do the trick. With a bit of practice, I'm also hoping to use it to rough cut out the spoons. Up until now I have been using a scroll saw which doesn't work all that well on the hardwoods. This saw is a tank...old and solid!

Walnut Measuring Scoop

Being able to make functional, useful wooden pieces for everyday living is the goal I'm working towards with every piece of wood I come across. Carving, whittling, rasping and sanding feel more worth it to me when something comes out of it that can be put to good use. I wasn't sure how challenging it would be to make a measuring scoop and I wish could say that this scoop is precisely a 1/4 cup due to skill and great accuracy but it was actually more of a pleasant surprise. :) More measuring scoops and spoons to follow!

Sanded walnut before oil....

Favorite find....

The two walnut boards cut out of the slab found at my brother-in-laws turned out amazing. These boards are a bit thicker then the rest that I have made. They feel so solid and the grain patterns uncovered from the sandings are beautiful.

Monday afternoon carving.

Treated myself to a new camera over the weekend and can't stop taking pictures. Finished working with the kids and started a new walnut scoop this afternoon. Also had a little photo shoot with a new round walnut board. 

Cherry Scoop

All shined up and ready to work. :)

Cherry Dust

Finding cherry to be so pure and smooth in this new scoop. It will be ready for oil soon but I wanted to take a few pictures before it was all shined up.

Beautiful pile of cherry curls gouged out to make the bowl.

Sanding and then sanding and then sanding....

Winter Walnut Whittling

Wood hunter husband was able to find a very thick piece of walnut out of our brother-in-laws shed a while back and I have been demolishing my arms over the past few days working on it. This wood is so solid and dark...almost purple. I hope some of these boards turn into family heirlooms, lasting so long that they can be used for years and years. A couple more days and they will be smooth and polished!

Can't help adding this fresh little pot of hyacinths. Picked some up in the depths of last winter while starving for green and noticed these little troupers poking their heads up a few days ago. Now that they are back inside they grow almost before our eyes!