I had a fun little job the other day where I carved a tiny little rosette to match a rosette for an antique chair. It was about the size of a quarter. I got out my micro-tools, and it’s amazing after carving a huge thing like the shell niche, and then go down to something this […]
Grinding away the shell niche

Here is a photo of me grinding away the inside of the shell to shape the surface before carving the flutes. Soon I should be at a point where I can start to carve the scroll and acanthus detail in the center. That very fine basswood dust sticks to everything! I like hand carving – […]
Starting Another Shell Niche

I am working on one of three shell niches that I am carving for a historical home in Louisville, KY. These are quite a bit larger than the previous shell niches I did. These are 32″ wide x 16″ tall x 12″ deep. My husband figured out the measurements and band-sawed out much of the basswood before […]
Back from Berea, KY

What an absolutely beautiful area of the country! Berea is about 30 miles south of Lexingon – real horse country. And not just country hobby horse farms – these are multi-million dollar horse racing farms. Berea itself is a lovely little artist community. There is an artisan center just off the interstate that sells high-end […]
Teaching in Berea, KY
I’m off to teach a beginning class at Kelly Mehler’s School of Woodworking in Berea, KY. It’s my first time teaching at this school, and I have heard great things about it. I have driven through Berea, and it is a wonderful little artist community just south of Lexington, KY. I have been working on […]
Fixing a Pressed Acanthus Leaf

Sometimes I get some very interesting work. A client has brought a 4-post bed in that has a pressed acanthus design. I am not really sure how they did this, because it is very deeply pressed. Maybe this wood allows it. He wants me to touch it up to look hand carved. I never turn down […]