Reincarnated

What was once supposed to be a laptop writing desk and a drawer for my daughter's dresser has now become a butcher-block style cutting board.

Wood Magazine had another version of a cutting board in the current issue, which got me thinking that here's another relatively quick and easy project that I can bang out and continue improving my skills with. And so far it's coming out rather nice. I've alternated strips of Black Walnut and Red Leaf Soft Maple and I'm going to coat it with Boiled Linseed Oil when it's ready.

Ornament #5

This is the fifth ornament that I've worked on. The first four had the Christmas tree center (though numbers 2, 3 & 4 had a slightly altered tree compared to the first).

As you can see, I've gone with a Snowman on this one. I saw this design somewhere out on the web, but not sure where. I wouldn't normally paint a perfectly good piece of Maple, but my wife has yet again make a good request. The "ball" portion of this ornament is Walnut.

Other than the hole on the bottom being drilled a little off center, I'm pretty happy with the looks of this one. I may have to try another tree and use some of the left-over paint from the NY Adirondacks project.

Project Update... Seriously!

I know it's said in woodworking groups that "without pictures, it didn't happen", but I am here to say that I actually did work on that Oak dresser that I started oh so long ago for Violet.

Something had to be done. A week or so ago while family and freinds were at the house, I mentioned the dresser I was working on. My wife piped up that I wasn't working on a dresser, I just had a pile of wood in the basement. Well the zing sounded better being there and I did truly find it funny.

I also saw the postings of this guy's work at the LumberJocks site. Mark is today what I would like to be as a woodworker... talented! Seriously though, Mark does have some fantastic projects that he's done and seeing those is a nice reminder that I need to get my butt in gear if I'm ever going to finish some of my own.

I appreciate the feedback on what I should enter in the LumberJocks 2006 Summer Woodworking Contest, though I still haven't made a decision on what I might like to submit. I'll make sure to post my decision here first.