It's the middle of June already. A lot's been going on: i've attended my first woodturners meeting. (a bunch of retired dudes, and me...it was cool though). spring and summer gardening, some more wood projects (see below, or above, whatever the case ends up being), helping my buddy get his '71 Duster running. i live an extraordinary life, as you can see. on to my newest projects:

-a Zircote picture frame for Marc and his newly acquired wife. it's about time he settled down.

-a Boxelder bowl. i recently went to some family land and cut up about 500 lbs of boxelder. this bowl is from some stuff i had that was already well dried. salad bowl finish and waxed.

-i finished Kaylen's quiltrack, she totally liked it. i did too. cherry with a couple coats of tung oil.

time keeps on slippin'

it's the end of march already. dang. i feel like i haven't been that productive...though i know looking back through the last couple of posts, and my own life events in general, will prove that theory wrong. lately i made kaylen a ...i dont know what the hell to call it, a candle holder? a wall? basically she has a stove that sticks up above her countertop facing the dining room and wanted a way of hiding the back of the stove....a dollar for the most creative name for this device...name it and win a dollar...here we go.

i've also been working on a quilt rack for her, which you can't see, just in case she actually comes here to check on my work...it'll be done soon, above is part of it, my first ever lapped dovetail joint...crude, but sturdy, i assure you.

i've started another imbuia wood platter that will rival kaylen's original, though i think her's will always be my favorite. imbuia wood smells like cinnamon, sort of, musty. i would wear imbuia wood oil if i could find it...a google search will ensue shortly.

two more bubinga platters are on their way. i love bubinga, and these two are from the same piece of stock, they'd be perfect for a fancy cheese and wine party...which my grubby ass would never be invited to.

i'm no good at html or laying out this silly blog in general...so i just hope anyone viewing this can follow along...thanks for viewing my little corner of the wood..errr, world.

y

ing

friggin' cold.

it is the dead of winter. negative zero temps and nothing to do but cut up pieces of wood in my HEATED garage. i made a bowl of spalted maple, finished with "salad bowl finish" and beeswax; as well as a couple of picture frames. one for sherry, for her birthday/christmas, made of birdseye maple (that stuff chips out so bad i cant even stand it...but it turned out okay in the end), and another that i think will look pretty kickass with a good black and white photo in it, on MY wall, of bubinga with tung oil. i am not having much luck with these frames...either they're chipping out or the boards are flying off the table saw at my head. it's a perilous hobby...but art shouldn't be safe. what's the point if you're not putting your life, or at least fingers, on the line?

take a deep breath

the holidaze is over. thank god. here are some photos of all the ornaments and whatnot i made for friends and family; i love you all, but im glad i don't have to cram to make christmas ornaments for you all anymore.

the bowl is sycamore. and tiffany, if you use it as an ashtray, we are going to have problems. the ornaments, mostly, are cherry wood with various finishes. one is spalted maple with an african blackwood finial, for a dear friend of mine who keeps his woodworking tools at my shop...thank you.

also shown is a cherry sushi platter that i started this summer and finally finished a couple weeks ago. we know a fella with a sawmill who sold me a large chunk of cherry with the bark still attached. i've made two platters from this piece and have three or four more blanks from it yet. i saved that piece from ending its existence in a firepit.