more stuff at long last

Wow, 3 months since I updated this. Matt has been busy making things but I have been slack at showing them off. Nevertheless, here are some of his latest creations.

This is a 4 drawer jewellery cabinet made from cedar, teak and red bean woods. All drawers are lined with red felt and it is finished with a gloss lacquer. The handles are made from copper wire.

This is a jewellery box made from some really old wood that Matt has sanded to reveal the lovely grain then lacquered to bring out the character. Also lined with red felt it was bought by Veronica from Fusspots Cafe.

The latest Hobbit Pot & coaster collection

These little pots are made from Australian cedar. Matt has made them from branches and followed their natural shape so that each little pot has its own unique shape. We christened them Hobbit Pots because they look like something you would find in Frodo's or Gandalf's house.

He has turned the knobs on the lids using a drill and his electric sander. One of these days we must get him a proper lathe.

He has also made drink coasters from slices of the cedar branches and has created different holders for each set of six, some of which are pictured below.

I will be having a craft stall this weekend outside the local cafe (Fusspots at Ebor) and am hopeful that these will sell well like the last lot he made.

Matt has made a couple of the coaster sets with pictures of red back spiders on them. The first lot he made like this sold in a flash at the last craft stall.

The main thing is that Matthew loves to work with wood, a new hobby he has found after we moved to Ebor. Previously he really enjoyed lawn bowls but the nearest club with a half way decent green is Armidale, an hour each way by car so he is not all that keen now. And being a retired greenkeeper, he is extremely fussy about the sort of green he plays on.

So woodwork it is and may I say I love his work.

The "Greg" Guitar

This is the "Greg" Guitar that Matt has made. It is the fourth guitar and by far the best sounding one. He has made it for his brother Greg who is a muso. I think he will like it though he doesn't know that he is getting it yet.

Matt will be making another "Greg" for his first commission. No more freebies, he needs to recoup some of the money we have outlayed on wood, glue, strings and other assorted expenses.

Fortunately the hobbit pots are popular and now that Matt has bought some seasoned red cedar logs from Ebay, he will be able to make a whole lot more of them.

Hobbit Jars

See these little jars with lids? I call them Hobbit Jars as they look like something Frodo would have lying around his home.

Matt made them from pieces of an Australian Cedar branch that was sawn into rings. He hollowed out the centres and joined them together then made lids for them. A couple of coats of gloss lacquor and they look pretty good.

They have now been sold along with the coasters in the front of the picture as I had a craft stall last weekend with Loretta outside Fusspots Cafe.

I also sold a few of my "Greetings from Ebor" souvenir cards and a few other scrapbook related products and managed to put $110.00 into the money box. Not a bad effort for a weekend.

I had the Lute/Guitar on display as well and his guitars in the car so when a lady enquired about having Matt make a guitar for her, he accepted his first commission. YAY!!

He has spent the last week in the shed making more coasters and hobbit jars in anticipation of another stall in a few weeks.

I am also selling bookmarks and cards at the post office and at the cafe so I am picking up a little pocket money each week. Nice .....

Matthew a year apart

This is a digital scrapbook layout of Matthew I made recently to show his physical changes over the space of one year.

The beard is getting progressively longer now and will no doubt keep his face warm in the coming winter.

He hopes to let the beard grow all year and maybe he can volunteer to play Santa in this year's Carols by Candlelight celebration.

Gotta love that man of mine........

My hand made greeting cards

This is a set of 6 greeting cards I have made using a music theme. I have used products from "Darkroom Door", a stamping and papercraft company owned by the wonderfully talented Photographer Rachel Greig.

They are for sale for $15.00 the set and come with envelopes and sealed in cellophane bags.

The Carving

Here is the stage coach and horses carving Matt has started. It was a solid piece of timber when he started and is working on it every now and then.

I will post a picture of the finished product some time this year.