photos of things I've made or are in progress

[kareina]

Many years ago my beloved Step-father, who was a fantastic wood turner, made me a set of beautiful Sassafras salt and pepper mills.




Alas, due to an ill-timed sudden gust of gravity, one of them broke. Not being one to waste perfectly good wood, I set it aside for use in potential projects. A couple of years ago I converted one quadrant of it into a wooden spoon with Pictish style carving decorating the handle.





Some months back I started another spoon out of another quadrant, but, alas, during the coarse of the initial shaping I managed to break the bowl of the spoon off of the handle. Rather than throwing out the broken bits, I set them aside, convinced that they would yet be useful.

Yesterday I noticed that my tall apprentice had left his belt sander set up under the carport.

Today, when trying to smooth out the wax in the wax tablet I keep by the computer upon which to jot down notes that I wish accessible when the computer is off (or, when the computer is off, jot down notes of things I wish to remember to enter into the computer when next it is on) I realized that I need a proper stylus for the tablet. When I made this tablet, sometime last year or so, I didn't bother making a stylus for it, since the pen I use with my computer drawing tablet is perfectly functional for scribing in wax. However, it doesn't have a flat end with which to smooth out the wax--the rounded bit on the end will smudge out the old writing, but leaves grooves behind. Suddenly I remembered the broken bit of spoon handle, upon which I hadn't started carving any sort of establishment. Thirty minutes later, the belt sander turned off (I want one of those things!), and a final fine sanding and oiling later I now have a tool with which it is *easy* to smooth out the wax in the tablet, and with which I can also write on the tablet. The carving on the back of the tablet is patterned after a panel on a Carolingian chest we found photos of.







And, finally, photos of an odd project in progress. Rather than letting our hair get washed down the drain, when we take a shower we gather up the shed bits and roll them into a ball. Eventually, over the course of a number of months, the ball becomes large enough that it is difficult to keep adding hair and getting it to stick. When this happens it gets set aside and a new one started. I had thought about covering the balls with wool felt to make balls, but am busy enough that the thought hasn't gone anywhere. But the other day I was hit with some inspiration, and thought I'd try nalbinding a cover for them. The thought is to cover them with the knots/stitches, and then wash them again in hot soapy water and let the yarn shrink that bit tighter around the balls. I suspect they will be too light for juggling balls, but might make good cat toys. Just for amusement, I thought I'd share the photo of it barely started, with a second one undone. When/if I finish this project, I'll share the "after" photo, and ask if anyone has a cat that needs a toy...

Comments

[duchessletitia.livejournal.com]

Wow, I like your stylus.

[corvideye.livejournal.com]

Love the stylus!

Uh...is it stupid to ask WHY you are building hairballs? Cuz I can't quite figure that one out.

[kareina.livejournal.com]

Initially it was just to keep the hair from going down the drain. But then when they got larger, the looked... useful, so, since we've got them, might as well use them. I think they will make very good cat toys--light weight, but springy.

[dream-wind.livejournal.com]

Hairballs apparently make great nesting material for birds. I throw mine out on the front lawn for that reason.

[racaire1.livejournal.com]

Thank you for sharing :)