Friday 30 January 2015

A week Of Firsts

There is always so much to inspire on the internet and it is sometimes easy to get lost in the scroll of blog posts. I dont know about you but when I see something i love I mark it as a favourite...I will go back to visit the post sometime later but rarely do I do anything more. But sometimes you just get a hankering that you have to do something.
I have been most desirous for many, many moons to do two things and generally I have stopped myself from doing these things always finding  reason - not the right equipment, not enough skill , not enough time...your get the idea.
One of things I have wanted to do is carve my own wooden spoons. Ever since seeing Ariel's lovely and insanely good makes on her blog Brooklyn to West found here I have coveted the wooden spoon. I have asked my dad in the past if he would help me but we never seemed to get around to it.
I have been further inspired by Kates Husband , farmer Bren on Foxs Lane found here. I've been watching him whittle and produce the most aesthetically pleasing spoons for his lovely wife and watching the whole family get involved.Well if a couple of girls can sit down and do this then I am up for the challenge.
(have a look at his work and the lovely flowers he made for Kate. If you go a little further forward or backwards in blog post you will also see the lovely spoons)

The internet comes in handy for instruction and I watched a couple of simple youtube uploads on how to make spoons. I took note of what type of tools were used and then googled them and a location to purchase some. So I have tools in hand as of this morning (and am slightly poorer) but I figure I will make some to sell and can always use them at a later date for other carving projects.

I plucked up a couple of off cut limbs from somebody's trees that are sitting in a bucket up the back of the yard and traipsed over to dad to get him to cut them down to plank thickness so I could make up a spoon blank and get started.
Now nothing is ever that easy with dad... he is the type of man whom can sometimes be overly helpful. Meaning he has a tendency to take over, not that I mind because usually this makes my life a whole lot easier. Anyway he kindly reduced my mini logs to slabs of wood. I marked them and he showed me how to use the jigsaw to cut a basic blank. (I am now glad to have done this as my hands are not so strong for gouging and whittling). We also utilised machinery to reduce the handle to a more manageable size. At the time I was feeling a little disgruntled as the purpose of this exercise was to produce a me made spoon - kinks and all - but you know thank you dad for taking over, because my hands and fingers are sore just from the little whittling I did do.
Any hoo I have the basic shape under way and will take up carving again tomorrow
Progress thus far. The spoon will be quite deep when it is finished and hopefully leaner~!








9 comments:

  1. So now you're 'whittling' wood, Monique, I am impressed!

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  2. I agree, I'm impressed! I think when we set our mind to do stuff, we can do anything, and you've just proved it.

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    1. thanks Karen..when you set your mind to it and with a little help (from dad) anything is possible

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  3. And the third one here: I M P R E S S E D!
    It looks like art to me.
    The simple naivety really touches me.
    Great stuff!
    This is quite an achievement!

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    1. Thanks Brigitte - now that I've made one (see next post) I will definately be making another. I have a whole mini pile of wood to get through!

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  4. Great work, well done you! That is something I 'd love to try too Monique, I have seen some beautiful hand carved relief wood blocks that I want to try my hand at, if only there were a few more hours in the day! Julie xx

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    1. Dont beat yourself up julie- what you produce is absolutely stunning and show true talent ... if you felt inclined I know you would excell at anything you set your mind to

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  5. Whittling has interested me for some time. It's amazing the things that can be created from a simple piece of timber.
    Your spoon is beautiful. When you start selling your whittled wares do let me know. x

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