Habits

Habits

by | Jan 21, 2019 | General, Process

Back in November I mentioned in this blog about starting Emmet van Driesche’s Virtual Apprenticeship Challenge.  The first challenge was to carve every day;  so I carved every day.  At the time it was indeed a bit of a challenge;  I had to plan each day, and...
Letting it go…

Letting it go…

by | Dec 17, 2018 | General, Process, Spoon carving

I often read posts by other makers, commenting on how it feels a bit sad to say goodbye to their spoons or other makings.  I’ve never really understood that.  Most of my sales up until now have been face-to-face at market, and I’m very ready to send the...
Self-reliance

Self-reliance

by | Dec 10, 2018 | General, Process

I’ve had 36 hours with a non-functioning website.  It felt awful.  Six months ago I wouldn’t have noticed any such hiccup.  But at this moment I’m so excited by the thought that my business is growing; having the site down felt like I had one hand tied behind my...
Zeroing in on shapes

Zeroing in on shapes

by | Dec 3, 2018 | General, Process

Up to now with my carving, my design process has mostly been led by the wood.  When I have longer blanks, I make cooking spoons.  If I have a thicker blank, I aim for a scoop.  With shorter, scrappier blanks, I carve eating spoons, or spoons for children. Similarly,...
Supply and Demand

Supply and Demand

by | Nov 26, 2018 | General, Greenwood Craft, Process

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about supply and demand.  Not of the spoons and stock (though that is definitely something that merits a lot of thought), but of the raw material – the greenwood. I live in a town.  I don’t have a garden.  The backyard...
Motivation

Motivation

by | Nov 19, 2018 | General, Process

I originally intended to talk about motivation in this post.  I have a theory that if you have to do something, then you might as well make it into something you enjoy.  I’m an incurable “Pollyanna” personality;  I’m probably irritatingly...
Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship

by | Nov 12, 2018 | General, Greenwood Craft, Process

Greenwood Certificate Course, and beyond At the end of the Greenwood Certificate course, Maurice (www.woodsmithexperience.co.uk) wanted to know what each of us planned to do next.  My thoughts were basically just more of the same:  Carving spoons, trying different...
Day 23: Almost there

Day 23: Almost there

by | Apr 22, 2018 | General, Greenwood Craft, Process

I finished off two projects today, so I came away with a bowl bench and fittings, as well as my cleft ash gate. Having made the legs last week, and marked out the top, today I drilled the holes for the legs.  Angle these in towards each other at 45 degrees, and then...