More Creations to Share

So I've made a few more things, and finally taken pictures of them and am now, at last, posting them.

We'll start small...

Last summer I bought myself a bag of basswood carving blanks to practice on and lately I've gotten on a flower carving kick. This is the most recently completed one.

It was a fun little carving and it also entertained my campers at DeBruce who liked watching me carve.

Next is a wood-spirit I made out of red cedar. I've been told it looks creepy... I've also been told it looks kinda like Jesus... *shrug* You decide :)

Now the finale :D

I started working on this box a while ago (September 09) and didn't actually completely finish until the beginning of July... 10 months... and toats worth it ^_^ I custom made it for an amazing friend. Someone sweet, kind, and caring who I decided needed an awesome Christmas present... Which later became a birthday present... Well at least I finished it :)

First, the concept art. I had to find a good picture to base it on and here it is.

10 months of many broken blades, a few new cuts, and lots of sanding later this was the final product.

The box itself is made of Osage Orange, Pooh's shirt is an inlay of Redheart, and his honey pot is an inlay of Red Cedar. Once it was cut and set, I sanded it... A lot... going from 80 grit all the way to 12000, and then sealed it with a wax finish.

So part 2 never came... but I have some other exciting news :)

Part 2 of that now months old post was supposed to be pictures of the pool cue I finally made... but I still haven't taken pictures of it... I will though, I promise.

As for my exciting news, I have a job! I will be working for the New Jersey DEP on watershed management. I got the position through Americorps, so while I'm not getting paid a whole lot it's great experience and it's a major stepping stone! I'm super excited, I'm going to be moving to NJ and I'm going to be based out of Great Swamp environmental education center. Training for the position starts September 13th and I'll be working for them until August.

More details to come soon(ish), and also pictures of some recent wood projects. :D

Newest projects, part 1: A heart for a Sweetheart

A few weeks back, late one night, I was talking to a friend of mine and showed her some of my projects. She jokingly said I should make her a heart since she is a sweetheart for my fraternity, and just a sweetheart in general. I decided that, joking or not, I was going to make her one anyway.

Here is the result:

The box was made from a 2 inch cube of readheart and was finished in record time, though my arm muscles were sore for a couple of days from sanding.

Part 2 coming as soon as I take pictures of the project.

Another irregular project update

Its been forever, here is a quick update. Some pictures of a relief carving i made from some drift wood I got in Costa Rica.

Hopefully I'll start making at least pseudo regular posts again. I do have another two projects in the works that should be done before Christmas. They better be as they are both presents.

Speaking about the past..

Remember that pool cue I was going to make?  Well as soon as I get a lathe I am going to make it because I have the wood and the fittings for it all ready to go.  

I'm also planning a few other projects.  I think I may get a block of ebony and make a puzzle box or two in the shape of a crow, and I have a stack of wood sitting in my room that I'm supposed to be making into a P-51 shaped box.  Well with only two weeks left of school, I suppose I'll actually be able to spend some time on my backlog of projects.  

I did carve a new something for someone out of some driftwood I got off one of the beaches in Costa Rica.  As with all my other projects, when it's finished I'll put pictures up :D

Consistently Inconsistent

Well my desire to post regularly seems to have failed outright so I will instead revert to posting whenever I happen to remember to or when something exciting happens.  As it is, something exciting will be happening soon I hope.  Next Friday, the 30th, I will be presenting my plans for the Pace Fencing Club to the Student Association.  I've gotten in contact with a couple of vendors to get some info about equipping the club, as well as the USFA to find out about becoming a member.  Wish me luck!  There was something else I wanted to write about but it has slipped my mind.  When I remember (likely at 2am just as I'm falling asleep) I'll post it.

Another gift given

I have another project to show.  Since it has been given I can put up pictures because it won't ruin the surprise.  Since about mid-September I've been working on my most intricate project yet.  An incense burner made of four different types of wood and with inlays of semi-precious stones and mammoth ivory.  

From left to right, Red Cedar, Satine, Purpleheart, and Redheart

I purchased the three hard woods (not the cedar) at Exotic Wood Group. They have a large selection of woods, and they are fairly close by.  I could actually go visit their warehouse as an easy day trip!

 

First I carved the catch that the incense burns over from part of a stump of red cedar I found at Hillcroft.  I thought it was neat that even after I finished the part, it still fit almost perfectly into the space I had cut it from. 

The catch

lined up

back in the stump

The next section made was the stem, carved from satine and with 6 peices of flourine inlayed around it

The most difficult and time consuming part of the project was making the rose.  Purpleheart is a much more dense wood than I expected it to be, so in addition to my chisels I made liberal use of the dremel tool.  I have some pictures of it shortly before its completion as well as some closeups of after I attached the flower to the stem. 

The strip was a scrap that I polished so I could see what the finished wood would look like

The dew drop is a moonstone

The last part was the base which I cut from a peice of Redheart.  Once it was cut, polished and branded, I put it all together.  It came out exactly as I envisioned it would and was worth every cut, burn and scar I got from making it.  

Now the only question that remains is, what should I make next?