got a call late last week from a cousin who i have not seen in 30 some years.  she was born the year i graduated college, so that would make her about 33.  she's an accomplished actress, her next gig is not until Feb 2019, so she is driving east coast to west coast, seeing some sights, and will stop by wed. evening if the schedule holds.

 

well, in addition to putting her up in our guesthouse, enjoying a nice dinner and breakfast the following morning, i thought she'd like to take something beside memories with her, so off to the shop yesterday i went.  whacked off two pine blanks from an ever shortening beam i've had laying around for years, and made a pair of bowls.  i'll let  her pick which one she likes best, and then give the other to her as well to bring home to her mom and dad (my aunt and uncle) when she gets home later this week in LA.

 

hope she likes them.

THose are sweet! You just can't get a patina like that from new wood.

that beam, from which i've made about 6-8 bowls over time, had been laying outside since we moved here 8 years ago.  very well dried in the NM climate.  finish is a simple mineral oil/beeswax mix.  2 coats made them look nice.  one applied yesterday afternoon, one this morning.

As always DAB, nicely done and a great gesture on your part.

That old pine beam sure has had some interesting character and better yet, will endure for decades to come...

Anyone else might have just burned it in a fire-pit or with brush. Well done.

if you look hard enough, you can find beauty and utility almost anywhere.

 

pile of small mixed scraps?  glue them up, make something (bowl?) out of them.  or burn them.  or put them in the trash.

 

it's up to you.  the wood has no say what becomes of it, it does as it is told.

I like them Dab.  Nice to reuse old timbers.

i have found that almost everyone likes a wooden bowl.  never had anyone turn one down (oh, wrong size....).  normally  use a food safe finish, so they can hold candy, nuts, chips, keys, small children, pets, pets with children and candy.... or just display them somewhere that suits you.

 

you don't have to feed them, plug them in, worry about software updates, take them to the vet, clean their litter box - almost as good as a pet rock, but a little more useful.  and no two are ever the same, so yours will be unique, just like you are unique.

Missed these yesterday. They both look good but I like the one on the right best. Admire anyone who can make pine look good!!

 

Steve