Doll Case

I made a doll case for Mariana's Christmas present.

Some Recent Small Projects

Shaker Tape Bench

I made a bench. It is ash, with fabric webbing.

Folding Bookstand

I finished my book stand. It is a single board. Chisel an alternating hinge pattern into each face, then saw the top and bottom pieces apart. It is cherry leftover from the bed I built for for my daughter.

Largest Shaker Box Yet

Shaker Clock

My parents recently celebrated their 40th anniversary. My brothers and I gave them a clock that I made.

It is styled after some of the Shaker clocks from the 1800s. The dial is paper, with the year of their marriage. It made of cherry (mostly) and has a modern mechanism. 

Now I want to build another one for us to keep.

Giant Ruler

I made a growth chart that looks like a giant ruler. There are many examples of these online. 

It is a single piece of pine. I burned the numbers and lines.

Nesting Box

Mariana and I are both very pleased with the nesting box we made. We'll paint the outside and hang it in a tree soon.

Doll Cradle

I made this doll cradle for Mariana. This will be one of her Christmas presents. Pine and milk paint.

Jewelry Box for Mariana

I made a Shaker box for Mariana to hold all her jewelry. The box has several cosmetic flaws, but she doesn't know that. After a few years of knocking around her room, I'll call it antique. 

Pool, Cake, Boxes

Cherry Bed

I made a bed for Mariana. We converted her toddler bed back into a crib for Kevin. This bed is made of cherry with pine for the slats. 

Carved Cherry Hole Spoon

I carved a funky spoon out of a scrap of cherry. As I was making it, I thinned out the bowl too much and made a hole. So, rather than throw it away, I drilled a hole. It is a strainer spoon now.

Sundries

Mariana's new haircut.

A maple spoon I carved.

Two O'clock Bayou in Atchafalaya Basin. This is what it looks like in February - kind of gray.

A size 5 shaker box. You can't tell from the picture, but this is the biggest one I have ever made.

Stepback Cupboard

Here is the finished stepback cupboard. It is made of pine. It is painted bard red on the outside and mustard on the inside.

I used hand tools for every step. This was the first time I have made frame and panel doors. Also, this was the first time I have ever made moulding using hand tools. 

It is nice to have another large furniture piece complete. It is also nice to have room to move around again in my small woodshop.

Stepback Cupboard - In Progress

I am almost done building a stepback cupboard out of pine. I already made the mouldings, but I still need to add them. Then put on the back and a finish. This will be painted, which is a good thing, with all the mismatched grain on this thing.

Mariana's Woodshop

Here are a few photos from our woodshop time this past week. Above, Mariana is learning to use her new saw. Below, she is excited about the model tarantula we are putting together.

Birthday Tool

I gave Mariana a little kid-sized saw for her birthday.

She will keep it out in the woodshop, in the toolbox we made. She will only use it while I am supervising. In fact, she has used my saws already, so I'm not really worried.

But apparently Mom is worried. I like these photos and the expressions on both of their faces.

Also, years from now, Mariana will be able to look at these pictures and realize how weird it is that her dad gave her a saw for her fourth birthday. Right now, she has no idea.

Wood Star Ornament

I made a star ornament out of maple and walnut. It is finicky to hand cut the angles and fit them together with no gaps, but you get the hang of it. I did it once before.