Time To Raise The Bar

Well, it is a new year and time for us all to raise the bar on what we are going to accomplish with God's help.  For Norma and I, we are starting off the year again by rejoining Team In Training to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  These funds help to fight Blood Cancers.  You know, the ugly killers of children and adults; Leukemia, Lymphoma, Hodgkins Lymphoma, Mylioma, etc.  We have a lofty goal, not only participating in endurance events, but also mentoring other participants.  We can't wait to get started.  In the meantime, we are raising funds already.  We have a lofty goat to exceed $10,000 for our contribution and I am participating in two 1/2 Marathons, and one full Marathon.  But the real heroes are those friends and family of ours that are battling these cancers.  Please help.  You can donate by following this link:  http://pages.teamintraining.org/sj/anchor11/ashuey

Thanks in advance for your support.  Now back to the WOOD!
Blessings for the new year,
ASH

Christmas is almost here

While making some fun items to sell in my shop this week, I was reminded that no matter what sells or doesn't sell, isn't the point.  God has loaned me a gift of being able to create with wood.  I love it and enjoy it.  Creating the different useful things of wood gives me pleasure, especially when the item is going to become someone's gift to give another.  You see, it is the giving that is the point.  During this time, we should remember that the greatest gift of all was given to us by our God.  He gave us Jesus, who came into the world humbly and quietly, but his purpose was great.  God gave us Jesus.  Jesus gave us His life so that we might live.  Jesus gave us an example of the loving relationship that He wants to have with us.  Everyday and always!  There is no gift in the world that compares.  So, whether I sell another cutting board, or bowl, or pepper mill, is in His hands.  Hopefully if someone buys something it will be used to nurture a relationship.

This last week, I had the pleasure of completing a custom made music box.  It wasn't the box that I made that mattered.  It was being made by a groom, for his bride to celebrate their 1st wedding anniversary!  He asked for some specific things, including a special song.  It was her song...their song.  We were able to accomplish his wish, and though I am humbled that he liked the box, I am grateful that I was able to participate in this small way in helping to nurture their relationship with one another.  This wasn't for Christmas, but it is in this season.  The season in life where relationships are really all that matter anyway.

So, this Christmas, enjoy your family.  Get toghether.  Sing, laugh, play, be.  Life on earth is short.  Make the most of every moment that you have with each other.  Everything else is just........stuff.
Blessings,
ASH

Tineo (Weinmannia trichosperma)

I have come across a new (to me) exotic hardwood called Tineo.  It is absolutely beautiful.  I have purchased a few bowl blanks and will also be making a few pens from them.  Tineo is native to South American with lumber coming to the US from both Chile and Brazil.  It has colors from red to dark brown and the grain is very stripey.  The color variations are beautiful.  It has been used in hardwood flooring and furniture veneers.  You have probably seen it and not known it.  I know that I have.  I am looking forward to turning these pieces and will show what they look like.  Below is a photo of the blank wood.
Better get busy in the shop.

Come by the woodshop and have a look around.  There may be something of interest to you.

ASH Woodshops.  Making everyday life beautiful through wood.
Woodgrain is our palette.

Blessings.

Sleepy Sunday in the Shop

So today after church, spent a little time in the shop experimenting with some walnut on the lathe.  I was trying to make something usefull out of a piece of 4" diameter, 4" long Claro Walnut Burlwood.  I only had the one piece, and I didn't want to just throw it into the firewood pile, so I stuck it on the lathe.  (yes, I know, what else is there!)  This piece had such beautiful grain. Dark and swirly, my favorite!

I wound up making a "ring saver" for my wife.  She is always taking her rings off of her hands when washing dishes or washing her hands in our bath.  She has never lost anything down the drain, but, I thought that this might be nice.  In fact, I made two of them.  I thought that I might list one of them on Etsy, but... sorry, she has kept them both.  Although she did say that one of them looked a little "penile", so even if she didn't keep it, I probably would have put it back on the lathe and reworked it. 

Well, more tomorrow.  I will post some pictures, as well as the bowls that I turned today out of "Ambrosia Maple".  Absolutely beautiful!!

Nothing about Wood!

Ok, so I haven't been writing about anything to do with wood for the last couple of weeks.  I have been working on another project that is much more important.  Children and their guidance towards knowledge of God, and understanding that God Loves them and that Jesus is their savior.  I had the privilege last week of working during the Shoreline Community Church's Vacation Bible School.  But even before last week, I had the privilege of working side by side with some amazing volunteers that were dedicate to making VBS happen @ Shoreline Church.  We converted a large 3000 square foot room into a Ship for the "High Seas Expidition".  The kids loved it, and related to it.  Walking into the room through the "gang plank", they just knew that once they entered, something was different.  This was a different, magical place!  Building the set was rewarding, but more so, was watching the 175 children that spent last week on the "ship" with us.  I took on the roll of "sailor Jack" and our fearless skipper was "captain crunch".  We had a great time, but the children had an even better time.

It was really great serving.  I thought to myself as the week built up, that God was using me to change the lives of these children, but in reality, God used these children to change me too.  I truly believe that we all were blessed by each other.

God is good, All the time!

Back to the woodshop next week.
Blessings,
ASH

New and Improved, but Vintage

I am not sure whether nostalgia takes over, but I have really begun to enjoy making useful kitchen items that are vintage styling.  Pepper Grinders, Ice Cream Scoops for example are fun to look at and are a reminder of my Grandma's kitchen.  I used to cook with her with I was young and I learned a lot from her about making treats, especially for the holidays.  Something that I enjoy still today.  The style of these old fashioned tools take us back to those bygone days but help remind us of the very important people that we had in our lives.  Some really good projects for the woodshop.  Here are a couple of pictures:

Also, check out the Women Love Tools Too Blog

Happy Thursday!

Vacation Bible School is almost here

ASH isn't spending much time in the Woodshops these days.  I am volunteering at our local "Shoreline Community Church" in preparation of the Sets for Vacation Bible School.  Lots of things to be done here, so not much happening in the world of woodworking from the artistic point of view.  That is, not creating much "useful art" over the last couple of weeks.

I did however, begin to experiment early this month making some bangle bracelets from wood.  This is a great use for some of the cut off scraps and you can once again, continue to make useful art out of them.  Bangle Bracelets first.  We will try something else soon. Here is an example of one of the bracelets.  Another original from ASH Woodshops.  You can purchase this at http://www.ashwoodshops.etsy.com/:

More next time on this really special tropical hardwood called Cocobolo!

That's all for now!

Blessings....