Art Supply and Easel Boxes

I did these some time ago but just discover the photo which I don’t believe was posted. I woodburned my wrens onto boxes I bought. The small one has compartments for all kinds of art supplies and the other folds out into a table easel with a drawer for supplies.

Fraktur Easter Rabbit

I took a class at Mennonite Life, formerly the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, to create a copy of an historic folk art rabbit in a grain painted frame. Of course adding to Jolene’s rabbit collection was one motivation for taking the class. I was particularly enamored by the grain painting and can’t wait to do some to accompany projects in the print shop like the cover I made from the practice papers we did in the class for the ring notepad below..

Pine Pepper Grinder

The first project of the new year was accomplished due to unseasonably warm temperatures allowing not only work in the shop, but even outside on the picnic table. I had this pepper mill, and another for some time to turn a base for, but ran into problems with the blanks that I got for them. They were too small even though I bought them in a set to go with the grinders. Instead, I found this piece from the pine tree Ben planted as a seed in kindergarten a perfect match for the size needed.

Purslane Rainbow

via GIPHY

This is an old photo project I did some years ago from a picture I took of purslane and manipulated into 24 posterized images in that many colors. It resides on an old photo frame where it fades slowly through the colors. Here it is a gif that cycles more quickly without fading due to limitations on the converter I was using.

Monti’s First Book Published

Monti (with the help of Jolene and me) has published his first book about how he wants to go to school. Inspired by his Therapy visits to schools he wants to be a regular student and visits a friend’s classroom to prove he has what it takes.

Hardcover 8″x8″ books are available. Email jolene@randysbooks.com for details. They can be prepaid via PayPal. Books are produced through Shutterfly and we’re taking advantage of special offers to keep the price down and selling them for $20 plus postage with any amount over our cost going to benefit Spinone Health & Rescue.

You can watch a short video of the entire book below:

Pen Backlog

Bonus “thing I made” is Spinone Silhouette in the background which is awaiting a stain or varnish or both.

It’s been awhile since I turned pens, but there are loads of them in various stages of completion on my workbench. I finally found some time to complete a bunch of them. These are all a particular design meant to stand on a desk rather than fit in a pocket or bag. I still have a number of the unmade kits that will are probably next on the list to complete.

Another bonus “thing I made” even though it was made in the mid 1970’s. The bookholder on the left is modeled after one that used to be displayed at the Ephrata Cloister on a small table in Beissel’s cabin.

My Ship Has Come In

Or at least I’ve finished building it. I made this from a kit I bought at the Maine Prison Showroom in Thomaston, Maine on our last visit. All the parts are wooden and already cut and shaped. The two largest sails were already glued. It just took some painting and assembly. The hard part was the rigging. I was influenced to buy it because of the nice wooden box with a sliding lid that the kit came in.