Snake-In-The-Box

Maybe I have posted this project before, but here it is again. This is a reproduction of an old Amish Church Toy, the Snake in the box. Mother would carry some of these toys in her purse, when taking the kids to church. When the kids started getting antsy out would come the "church toys".

Pull the slide top open and a snake pops up.

Here's the pieces of the toy. I carve the snake and finish it by wood burning the snake skin patterns. It's lots of fun to make, and big boys as well as little boys like it.

BUSY! BUSY! BUSY!

Does this look like a mess to you? To me it's just a bit of the pieces that must be finished. Finished painted, eyes carved, and waxed. It seems that every year, Christmas sneaks up on me. Besides getting ready for Christmas and all the carving that it always entails, there's carving shows and carving demonstrations. I love it all, but it leaves little time for anything else.

Here's part of a Christmas Tree Ornament Exchange that I am participating in. 22 participants, means that normally there would be 22 ornaments to carve and send out. But since I carve so small, I feel I have to send multiple ornaments. Each little pile of carvings represents what will be sent to one participant.

This year I'll be at the Carving Show in Dayton, Ohio. That means a display. This is what I have so far, but will need more. At least it's my plan to have some more.

In addition to the Dayton Carving show, the following weekend I carve at a local shop, and sell ornaments....but mostly carve and give little carvings to the kids that are with their moms shopping. Then there are the four Noah's Arks and animals that must be completed by Christmas....That's why I'm a bit behind in blog posting.....

Fresh Eggs!

As a part of growing up in what a few years ago was country, the boys down the road are raising chickens. Mason (7) and Colin (5) have converted a garden shed into a chicken coop. At Easter time they got some chickens. Several weeks ago the chickens began laying eggs. The boys brought me the first eggs that their chickens laid. I later found out that they must think we're special, because at the time they gave us the first eggs, their mom was all out. Well yesterday afternoon the boys come back over and gave me 4 more. The eggs as you can see have the tan/brown shells. I asked the boys why the shells weren't white. They didn't really know, so I took it upon myself to tell them. I said, "It's because your chickens drink dirty water." My wife scolded me.

Rotary carving a Cheetah

I think that just about everybody has a Rotary Tool (Dremel). And if you have a rotary tool you'll also have one of the small (1/2") sanding drums, that go with it.

I will be posting a slide presentation on using the Rotary Tool to carve a CHEETAH. A small Cheetah. I have never timed myself when carving one of these animals, but it's probably around 3 minutes. It's very easy, and anyone can do it.

I started using the Rotary Tool to carve the pairs of animals for some of the Noah's Arks that I make, as the result of accepting a commission. Several years ago at Thanksgiving one of my customers asked if I would make five (5) Noah's Arks and animals for her to have and to give for Christmas. That's one (1) month to carve the 18 pairs of animals per ark, plus make the arks. This put me in a spot, because this was a very good customer, the wife of a very famous music celebrity. As soon as she asked, I think she realized how little time I would have. I must have hesitated, because she offered me a price and then upped it to the point where I could not refuse. That's when I learned how to do these animals in a very fast time. I got the commission done in time and everyone was very happy.

So, in about a week or two, I'll share my techniques for carving an animal in well under 5 minutes.

Note from Flower Girls to Gnomey

Gnomey's mailbox finally had a note in it today. You may recall that several weeks ago Gnomey lent the Flower Girls this little book, with instructions for Zinny to read it to her little sister. This is the first note from the girls to Gnomey since then. I got to wondering if the adventure was going to be at an end. But then it finally occurred to me that the girls are very busy. Not just these little girls but all little boys and girls seem to be too busy today. Homework every day, in the second grade! You got to be kidding me! Lessons for this, lessons for that; this group, that group, etc., etc. Seems the kids don't have time to play and make up things for themselves. Is everything too organized now a days? Anyway, you can see that Zinny wrote the note for both of the girls, and I know for a fact that she also read the book to her sister.

Maybe the Gnome adventure continues after all.

Holee's Suggestions!

Holee suggested that I try wood burning the spots and stripes instead of painting. Tisme said just stains, rather then paint. Here's an example that compares the two finishes. The animals on the right have been left natural, with the spots and stripes wood burned, then waxed. Animals on the left painted and waxed. This is a good comparison.

I am leaning (way leaning) towards natural with some wood burning as necessary, for spots, stripes, and fur. With this technique, the animals would be all tans and dark browns.

What do you think?

Noah's Ark Animals - Paint or Stain?

I posted this set up for a Noah's Art to go over a set of doors. Notice that the pairs of animals are unfinished, as well as uncarved. My original intent was to stain the animals different shades of tan and brown.

Here's another set up for the Noah's Art. With this set up, I used painted pairs of animals.

Now I am in a quandary. Should I just stain the animals or paint them. Any ideas/suggestions?