Woodworking Art

The beauty all around us comes in many forms.  While dusting the family room the other day, I was reminded of the beauty of friendship. 

In the below photo, there is a collection of wood art items given to us, usually as a birthday or Christmas gift, by a very special friend.  He lives up in Byron, Georgia.  He was a childhood friend of my husband in Moultrie, Georgia, and they have remained special friends all through the years.  He retired a couple of years ago, and is now able to devote a lot of his time to the hobby he loves.

This artwork shows how inner beauty can flow from the heart, to the hands, and into creating such beautiful items.

 

One of the first items he made,  and gave us as a gift, was this beautiful blanket trunk shown below.

I can't even imagine how anyone could make something like this at home.

As I began to think about all he has made,  it was really amazing to think of the diversity of these beautiful gifts.

The table below is called the Unsinkable Molly Brown Parlor Table.  The story goes that Molly Brown took her little table with her where ever she traveled, including her trip aboard the ill-fated Titanic in 1912.  Fortunately, Molly Brown was one of the survivors of that very tragic evening.

A quick check with Mr. Google shows the pattern for this beautiful heirloom-type parlor table still does exist.  That pattern can be found at:    http://americanwoodworker.com/blogs/projects/archive/2008/12/13/Molly-Parlor-Table.aspx

 

This table was made with Black Walnut wood.

This outdoor covered-bench was made with Cypress wood.

The below porch glider-bench was made with Black Walnut wood.

We really love and appreciate the many gifts our friend has made, and with each one I start to say, "Oh, that is my favorite." or "No, that is my favorite."  But, I really do enjoy having these special rolling pins for the kitchen.  I am told a French rolling pin, which is the one in front,  is supposed to give a pastry maker more of a "feel" for the dough.

Both of these rolling pins are made with Black Walnut, Maple, Cherry, Oak and Mahogany woods.

I can't even imagine how he made these.

 The below bowl is made with Black Walnut, Maple, Cherry, Oak, Mahogany and Poplar woods.
Again, I say, "How in the world did he do that?"

 I sometimes use this bowl as a fruit bowl. (Yes, one day I will learn how not to use flash!)

Oh My Gosh!  Can you believe this is home-made?  How in the world did he do that!  The curves of the wood add to the special beauty of each of the different woods used.  I guess you can tell that this beautiful bowl is for chips and dip.  The different woods used for this bowl are also Black Walnut, Maple, Cherry, Oak, Mahogany and Poplar.

 I love how the wood curves up on the sides - how pretty!

Cherry wood was used for this lovely vase.

Most of the wood used for these projects is downed, rescued wood from the forest.  In this particular case, during one of the summer storms that come through North Florida,  one of our Pear trees down the hill, fell over in the storm.  Our friend, being ever resourceful, cut the parts of the tree he would be able to use and made this beautiful round wooden box with the lid.  I absolutely love the fact that we have some of that beautiful old Pear tree we loved so much still with us, and turned into this beautiful wooden box.

I'm not sure what kind of wood this lovely little vase is made from.

This below candle holder is so rustic and pretty.  I love how it transitions from the bark of the tree down to the inner wood in the little pedestal and stand.  I  would have to include this piece as one of my favorites.

This particular tree was a salvaged Oak tree found in  Crawford County,  Georgia,  when it had to be taken down by their local power company.

 The below bowl is made with Poplar wood, from a downed tree, in the mountains of North Carolina.

 This covered box was made with Maple wood, also from North Carolina.

The below bowl is made from Maple wood found at Little Buffalo Creek in North Carolina.  It was a joint project by our special friend and another friend, as they worked together learning how to make wooden bowls.  It was a lovely birthday present back in 2008.

The below covered box is made with most of the same woods mentioned above in the other multi-woods used.

This toy keeps some of the grandchildren busy when they come for a visit.  They really enjoy trying to flip that ball in the wooden cone.

Ok!  Can you guess what this is in the below photo?  If you guess a "nutcracker" you are correct!

And last,  but not least, is this charming little Victorian Bird House.  I just love to look out along the front walkway at this pretty little house.

Well! I sure do hope you enjoyed seeing all of this lovely wooden artwork.  I am always amazed at what man can do!

Thank you for stopping by for a nice little visit, and I do hope you come again.   Wishing you many sweet days!