A BEAUTIFUL DAY

Here is the glamour shot of the latest bowl from 1/2 a log of Magnolia.  I've already started a different kind of bowl 

from the other half!

The doily is also a new one just off the blocking pad!

I only have this much of the quilt to finish and it WILL happen this morning!  I keep getting distracted by the lathe!  

And the grand- fur-baby is also here for a few days 

while our son is away for business!

And I leave you with this pretty photo of a Roselle bloom!  The stalk is 8 feet high--I had to zoom in to be able to see it!  

 

AND THUNDER STORMS!

I woke up to both butds blooming!  Such a pretty sight in my bedroom window!

I got right to work and finished off the second table runner in no time.  Lena is watching the sky-there is thunder rumbling out there!

Sadly, the design wall and the frame are empty!  I need to get piecing and to shop for some backing fabrics for the tops already made.

I did go out and play with the newest bowl on the lathe.  I learned this new way for getting the bowls thinner by leaving the weight remaining in the center of the piece--using it to stablize the bowl.  Letting centrifugal force work for me!  

 This mess is just from the inside of the bowl!  I cleaned up from the work turning the back!

When the storms hit, I went inside, of course, and the power promptly went out.  I sat listening to a book while knitting on a sock--I'm glad I got the 'machine' work done early!

HEAT WAVE!

This is where Lena goes to escape a house full of kids

 I invited for a swim! lol

I played on the lathe until I couldln't stand the heat any longer!

I put some binding on the table runner; 

 the other one is on the frame!

 

CHIRPING!

We have baby birds again--

the nest is in one of my hanging baskets; 

 so far, the parents have been doing fine feeding these guys!

The plant has died--I can't water it and drown the babies! lol

The mega vase is finished! 

 The wood has a wonderfully smooth feel 

and lots of texture also! 

(more on the yarn tomorrow!)

It is 15" tall and has lots of visual interest!

I filled dthe cracks so they look like a healed scars!

 And the indents have bumps which would show up 

as bird's eyes in woodwhop lingo (think bird's eye maple). 

 I really had to think about this feature; 

 would I make the vase super thin to make the vase completely round with the little spots in the grain

 OR

 I could leave the indented sides with the bumps

 which is what I did! 

 I have more of this wood so I can't wait to see

 what it under the bark of the other pieces! 

 It's been too hot to work in the garage at the lathe

 but I have enjoyed sanding, polishing and rubbing this indoors.

Solace

I worked for hours, squaring up the panel, cutting it into four pieces and sewing the 'window frame' strips into place.  Next, I pieced all of the bottom blocks and then I got sidetracked by the siren call of the lathe!

While outside when I walked about the flowers-I saw how much this pineapple has grown since Marsel and family visited!  It is about 8' tall now!  Another 4 weeks and we might be biting  into its sweetness!

When I made it to the lathe finally, I made a little saucer out of the other side of the piece of Oak.

It is the other half of the hunk of wood so they are very good mates!  A very satisfying 2 hours.

I could see the moon for most of the day--it was nice when it was dark enough for it to look like it belonged up there at last!

Wooed by Wood

Japanese Maple crotch piece is shaping up for a bowl.

I turned it around so it is now ready to be hollowed out.  The wood on this is lighter than I expected and it was a very dense wood which was also a surprise. This is still relatively green wood (as in freshly cut) but it is a slow growing tree so that must be why it is dense.  Since it is a first for me, I am enjoying figuring it out.  I really need to keep a journal.

Now this was the oak from my daughter's yard;  it  has been dried a long time but oak is a hardwood and so was an interesting cut. I started with a piece of split wood like the one the bowl is sitting on, rounded it and then hollowed it.  Pretty straight forward.

 The wood has a ton of  spalting and is incredibly beautiful; 

 like a zebra!  

The log and therefore the bowl are small; 

it finished at 3 1/2" by 1 1/2" and very light weight-what a surprise!  It has been good to work with wood at the lathe again...

Magnolia Vase II

The second Magnolia vase is turned, drilled and sanded;  now I add a coat of shellac and when dried, it gets sanded once more so that it is BFS-this is the term my 6th grade wood shop teacher used for his standard of sanding which means baby fanny smooth!  I achieved this standard!

I thought you would like to see the size of the branch I started with for the vase.  The branch is 4-5" wide and 8" long.  The pile of wood chips is 24" long and 12" wide and about 3" deep!

Look at this shine!  I wish you could feel how smooth it is, too.  

I think this is part of my love of wooden creations-the colors, the warmth of wood and the tactile smoothness...do you know what I mean?

I glued the glass test tube inside the vase.

And just like that, the vase is ready to use!  

(and no termites on this one! lol)

Good news on the eyes--the doctor had done some homework and asked me about being treated for Rosacea in the past and I have been.  Well, who of you have heard of Ocular Rosacea?!  It is what he is treating me for now-I see him again in three weeks and should have incredible relief in just a few days!  What a gift to have a doctor who goes the extra mile!

 

Cracked is Out

After tackling all of the jobs I do around the house, I was ready to relax at the lathe.  Even though it was freezing in the morning, by afternoon, the sun was shining and warm.  

I had to quit on this one....from experience, I have learned that...

a crack is not my friend.  It is such a pleasing shape but the crack goes right through the block of wood from one side to the other!  I took it off , knowing it would be too risky.

So what did I do?  Loaded another piece of wood-this time  the other side of Maple log I used to make my Dad's bowl.  (see the new shirt I have for working on the lathe?  Now I can shake off all of the wood chips from my front and not leave a trail like Greta!  I embroidered my name the way I burn it onto the bottom of the bowls.)

This one, I made round-ish, keeping the natural edge of the outer log.

It has high and low sides and a nice scooped interior.

There is also a flat side, some spalting and just an overall pleasing shape.

This bowl is 6"wide and  4" deep.

And this one, too, has worm holes and one even goes all the way through the sidewall.  Nice to have success with this one!

On the knitting front, I have placed the sleeve stitches on holders and will now work 5" of the body before the lace begins!  It's been a very good knit!  (Hyacinth Cardigan)

    

 

A Garden Dibber!

Yes, a garden dibber-check out the link for more details but it is a stick for planting seeds or bulbs!  And because you were the only one with a right answer, Jessica, I am sending it to you! I even tried out my new birthday present--a woodburner tool!

Yes, today is my 65th birthday!

While in the garage workshop, 

I put the finishing touches on the latest snowman!  

He's a table one at 6";  made from a camphor branch. 

 (no splits in this one!)

I whipped this off--an interesting knit

 but my carried yarn shows through too much for my taste! 

 I got it out of my system anyway! lol

Now this I enjoy and I have another pair on the needles

 because I can't stand the pain cold weather gives me in my hands especially!  In black, they look like real biker's gloves which the pattern is modeled after!  ( Tough and Toasty)

 

Mystery Tool

 I sat by the fire and knit for a  long time today.  Then after the usual chores, I went and played on the lathe--I have some finishing to do on several so I will show you soon but in the meantime, here is a mystery tool.  Anyone know what it is?  It will have some modifications on the next one but not bad for a prototype!  I am adding some details with the wood burner , if I can!

Building a Snowman

Isn't this incredible?! 

 This plant was started from my Grandmother's so many years ago! 

 She is really shining in her old age!

I built this snowman yesterday--no cracks in this one!  

6" tall.  Face to follow.

 And I even painted one--he's waiting to deliver a hug!