It is that time if you have not already started or planned what you will make for Christmas now is the time to start. I have been working on a commission and getting stock ready for two Christmas shows. Plus I have designed and tested my Christmas gift for this year. Today started putting final touches on snowman ornaments, mushrooms and seam rippers. So what do you have going on?

 

I can show this because "they" are not watching. This years present.

 

Sweet turning, @Gerald!  Did you use dyes to color it?

 

 I usually have my Christmas stuff started by now but Mimi has just had a knee replaced so I have been on nurse and house maid duties.
 

I don’t even have any ideas what to turn. Every one has a rolling pin, salt/pepper items, bowls, bottle stoppers and honey dippers. Not to mention cutting boards, trays, trivets and garlic crushers. 

I'm making gnome ornaments and coin bank boxes.  I painted the hats with Amsterdam ink fro the Hobby Lobby.  It is truly the best wood coloring I have ever used.  In stock at the store and comes in many colors.  I did 36 gnome hats from one of these jars and I hardly put a dent in the amount on the jar.  Still need to do the beards. for the gnomes.

 

            

 

 

Edited November 23, 20214 yr by HandyDan

For the turning group I belong to we have to bring something we made. I am going to make a carrier that will hold two bottles of wine and put two bottles of my homemade wine in it.

On 11/22/2021 at 9:54 PM, lew said:

Sweet turning, @Gerald!  Did you use dyes to color it?

 

Lew the larger areas are Chestnut Stains and the small stripes are Welborn Gourd Farms Metallic Gourd Ink. Just stared using the ink last year and have been happy with it for small areas.

@HandyDan & @Gerald - great projects and the colors are very vibrant.  Do you mix these inks/dyes or use them full strength?

 

@RustyFN- we sure want to see a pic of this before it goes off!

1 hour ago, Cal said:

Do you mix these inks/dyes or use them full strength?

 

I use the brand of ink shown and use it full strength.  It isn't cheap.  It's value is in ease of use and water clean up.  Great for the small projects I do.

I use Chestnut Stains out of the bottle full strength. The Metallic Inks are more like a paint.

Missed this post somehow.

@Gerald...cool handbell. Love the festive, brilliant colors. Sounds like the elves are working extra shifts in your shop

@lew...prayers for a rapid, complete and pain free recovery for Mimi. Hope you can keep up with her once she's fully recovered.

@HandyDan...you always come up with such unique and creative gifts for family & friends at Christmas. These will be a big hit. Thanks for the color tip with the ink.

@RustyFN...great gift idea for the turning club. Couldn't be more hand-crafted. Hard to guess which of the two will be the bigger hit.

 

Great thread...thanks for sharing and all the ideas.

@Grandpadave52 Thanks! I'm still still safe as we get to do this all over again with the other knee!

1 minute ago, lew said:

@Grandpadave52 Thanks! I'm still still safe as we get to do this all over again with the other knee!

Prayers in advance Lew. While any surgery has it's risks, the advancements for knee replacement and associated therapies has advanced so much recent years.

Guess this gives you a little extra time to to up your training regiment.

VOE...you can tell when they start feeling better when they begin finding extra things for you to do

3 minutes ago, Grandpadave52 said:

VOE...you can tell when they start feeling better when they begin finding extra things for you to do

Well, then, Mimi must be completely healed 

I have made 5 more Kissmas trees, my version. Actually delivered the last 3 today.