(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
11-20-10 Saturday
82 degrees, mostly sunny with patches of clouds everywhere. They thickened as the day went on. Light breeze mixed things up. We are getting evening temps in the mid 60s, makes for nice sleeping. This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department of Tourism.
THURSDAY:
We had a wood turning club meeting. The club demonstration was on sharpening tools. I picked up a few tips from it. I had left a shell ornament at My mom's house and picked that up when I went to the club. It ended up looking a lot better than I expected. I showed off my snow people, the plate and cup and the shell ornament.
Since it was in the same plaza as the club meeting, I picked up some cotton yarn to make some wash cloths as Christmas presents. I got more than I should have, but I liked the colors and plan to make many projects after the holidays.
Before the club meeting, I was talking to one of the store people and he was suggesting ideas for ornaments. It turned out that I have done most of his suggestions. The swaddled baby might be a later possibility.
Looking through some carving magazines, I got some other ideas.
Me at the turning club meeting
FRIDAY:
I have had starting problems with my truck, and had been a while since I had an oil change. I took a new ball of yarn with me. I had to wait for the work to be done with the truck. The starting problem ended up being too expensive. I now know what the problem is. After I got my truck back, I then did laundry. IN both places, I crocheted and I've nearly finishing a wash cloth. I made a mistake and made it smaller than it should be, so I am doing decorative edging to bring it to size.
Saturday:
At a yard sale, I found a present for my grand nephew. I am happy. I also found a pair of ornaments that might be possibly made next year -- cherubs with their legs in conical swaddling or something, not sure what it is. The wings are added later, which I can do easily. I got them to remind me next year as to possible projects.
Ornaments to possibly copy next year
Trike for My grand newphew.
After getting my equipment out and bothering the backyard beast, I got to work. I cut some wood for the lathe to try out a couple of projects I had seen. I knew mine would not be as good as the ones in the magazine as I am using only a knife and they used a chisel. I could be that good but don't take the time.
I turned some light bulbs and some thread spools. I carved faces into the first couple, then realized they should be painted, so I painted them, and carved off most of the paint off the faces. I have to remove a bit more because I have some "feathers" of wood sticking out in a few paces. The rest of my blanks are painted and will carve the faces through the paint. I am doing sort of a Santa figure, at least a mustache on all of them and obvious beards on the light bulbs.
These seem to be quick and easy so I should have them done by the start of the month.
Tomorrow, I need to make a bunch more blanks to carve, I have nearly enough of the new ornaments, but need to make a bunch of Christmas tree blanks. I will gather together my carving kit and get that into the car along with all the blanks I need to carve.
I need to touch up the faces I carved today. They have a few little things that are not quite right. I might carve hair all the way around the bulb. I will discuss that with Mom tomorrow.
My usual practice is to sit outside under the oak tree on Thanksgiving and carve. My brother's house is full of people and it is dark. It is easier to stay out of the way this way. I get some stuff done while I am at it.
During the week, I will finish up the new ornaments I made, adding white for hair.
I will see what I actually do tomorrow.
year 10, Week 45, Day Two (week 567)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
11-21-10 Sunday
83 degrees, widely separated clouds closed in as the day wore on, nice breeze, dry, but there was showers to the south of us. Nice day to be outside. This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism.
After bothering the beast of the back yard, not as much as he wanted, I got my stuff out.
I started by making more light bulbs to carve faces on. I now have 13 of them, carved and blanks. I then made some spools to carve, and now have thirteen of them too.
I finally decided to make some Christmas tree blanks. this did not go well. three different times, I was reminded why I wear the face shield when turning wood. the pieces broke and slapped me in the face. Each time, I did get a completed tree but I did not get to make several at a time like I had hoped. I finally gave up, having four blanks that I will hand carve, and one that I just have to paint and decorate.
I touched up the bulb and spool faces I had carved yesterday, and carved a couple more. I started on one bulb and popped off a piece of wood I needed to keep, so I glued it back in place. I never finished that one.
With the ones I fixed, I put a hat on them, running around the bulb. After I made all the carving changes, I painted them all over again. If I do these again, I would not paint them first. I would hand paint them after I was done. I have some touch up to them before I can call them done, and will give them a good varnish coating.
Bulb ornaments
Spool Ornaments.
I added a little filler into the shell ornament to fix a little thing that bothered me. I will sand the filler slightly, clean up some over spread, and then varnish it again. I have another of the shells so I will make another shell ornament next weekend.
I showed my brother my swords. He said they were pretty good. He said that stainless steel is brittle. These are better than practice swords but not as good as real swords.
I gathered together my carving basket and blanks so now when I go to my brother's house for our thanksgiving dinner, I will be able to sit outside and kill time, carving, out of the way of everybody and out of the dark house.
Christmas tree blanks.
One just needs to be decorated,
the others have to be carved and then decorated.
bulb and spool blanks to be carved
I have some more clean up on the trike I picked up yesterday. the previous owners had raised the handle bars and they were not steady. We dropped the handle bars back down and bolted it in place. As soon as I get it really clean, it will be ready to be wrapped for Christmas.
For next week. I will be carving on Thanksgiving. I need to get all these ornaments finished, or at least a good number of them. I do have one more weekend to get everything done, but I have decorating work to do after the carving is done.
I will see what I actually do next week.
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