a staff for Santa

A guy in Ohio who plays Santa contacted me about making him a staff similar to one I did a few years back. This one is taller and I added the teddy bear. And I think the elf is cuter than the last one! The carved portion is 22" and the shaft portion is 48" making it 5' 10" tall. The Santa and packages and stuff are all stacked on a metal rod that is attached to the shaft. I used a threaded insert on the shaft and then ran a metal pin thru it and the wood. I expoxied that end. Then I used wood glue between the other pieces and tightened it all up with a nut on top of the top package, which made it very sturdy, despite the length of the rod. The Santa was then glued on top with epoxy. Here's a few pictures; thanks for looking!

Some Christmas Bling

Here is a necklace I just finished. I had the idea a year ago to add some festive cord and bells to some of the Santa ornaments I carve, to make necklaces and sell quite a few. But I decided to make one that was a little more elaborate with the carved elves, and presents and such. This just doesn't catch your eye, it kind reaches out and grabs you! The beads are handcarved and handpainted from basswood. Thanks for looking!

More Santas

Lots of carving and painting this time of year! I've given away and sold most of my things, so I've had to try and restock a bit. These three are already gone, but I've got a batch that I hope to finish painting tonight. I've got to admit that I've did a few fun carvings for my self, like the Moravian stars from the latest WCI, and a little ball in a cage, along with all the other holiday stuff. Tis the season! Thank's for looking and hope Santa brings you all joy and happiness! Merry Christmas!

Ozark Flossing!

Harold Enlow has inspired a lot of carvers with his humor and his carvings. I have several of his books and this design has always been a favorite of mine, so here is my version of it. I like the look of bliss on this old feller's face as he carefully flosses, just like his dentist advised! I smile whenever I see him. I decided not to paint this one as I wanted the carving to show through and it seemed to go with the rustic nature of the piece. Thanks for looking!

5 Minute Gnomes

I've been working on a lot of Santas for the holidays and  I wanted to have something I could carve on, as a demonstration or a small give-away for kids. I started looking at the 5 minute wizards, but decided to change it up a bit. These could be either gnomes or elves, but they're really just a wizard with feet and a little carving on the back for arms and clothes and such. I still haven't gotten as quick as 5 minutes, but I'm working on it! Thanks for looking!