D&D Adventuring Party: treasure chest

Between show prep and carving other projects, I have yet to finish the third figure in the Adventuring Party project (the cleric.) in the meantime, here's a gilded treasure chest complete with an iron padlock. A nice prop for the adventurers! 

Hand carved Dala horses in basswood

Though I'm American and not Swedish, I have a great respect for Swedish craft, especially the Dalahast. Known to English-speakers as the Dala horse, with its classic, sturdy, yet beautiful design, it's always a pleasure to carve.

These horses are my version of the traditional Dalahast, left unpainted. I carved lines to highlight the horses' manes and tails, but the rest is up to the imagination. 

Cthulhu idol in black and gold

In between carving sessions on my Adventurers project, I've been making a few of these Cthulhu idols. This one is finished in black acrylic paint and dry brushed with gold.

Unplugged Shop

A reminder for those who know, and an invitation to those who might not: Unpluggedshop.com is a great collection of woodworking blogs. From carving to cabinetry, luthiers to lumbermen, tools and materials, there's dozens of excellent blogs that regularly update.

Check it out, and add a few blogs to your RSS feed!

A simple heart w/a tiny shamrock

It's always fun to make something quickly. Clear out the cobwebs, and take a break from larger projects. This heart was carved from a small bit of scrap basswood, too small for much else. 

D&D Adventuring Party- The Thief (completed!)

The Thief is done! With a gold coin in hand, and a sly look in his eye, The Thief is the newest member of the group.  Where The Fighter uses force, a thief relies on stealth, cunning, and skill. 

These two will compliment each other well, but the party is not yet compete. Magic users, both arcane and divine, will form the support element of this successful group of adventurers.

Next in the Adventuring Party: The Cleric

D&D Adventuring Party- The Thief

The Thief figure is just about carved! The figure features the grinning Thief, gold coin in one hand, hidden dagger in the other. His belt holds two pouches, an empty knife scabbard, and a coiled rope. 

Next I'll carve the facial features, then give it some color with acrylic paint.

D&D Adventuring party-progress

The first figure in my group of dungeon-delving heroes is done! The Fighter is the core member of any adventuring party. He's the front line, the sword and shield protecting the less martial characters. 

This fighter wears grey armor under "bachelor button blue" robes, and a crimson cape to better find him on the battlefield. His shield device is a diving swallow, inspired by the neck label on a bottle of Powers Irish whiskey. 

All figures in this project will wear matching gold cloak clasps w/emerald gems. The Fighter wears his on his left breast. 

Up next: The Thief!

Mini-Mage with knife, all carved and painted!

This little carving is all done! A tiny wizard, his ritual knife in hand, ready to cast out evil or carve a baked ham. 

Cinco de Mayo plaque

Here's this year's Cinco de Mayo gift for our friends at John's Tex Mex Eatery, in Rochester. I started with a craft store plaque, with the idea of a coat-of-arms. I think it came out pretty well.

Dungeon Delving Dudes

This little wizard has me thinking about a little carving project: The Adventuring Party. In classic tabletop Dungeons & Dragons form, I think I'll start with a group of four. Wizard, Fighter, Cleric, and Thief (aka rogue, for the "newer editions)

Cthulu mini-idol, hand carved in basswood

H.P. Lovecraft is second only to Poe as America's greatest writer of horror. In his story The Call of Cthulu, mankind faces a maddening truth of ultimate destruction in the form of nightmare beings from beyond time and space. The herald of these beings is the dread Cthulu.

In this and other stories, HPL describes the appearance of idols to Cthulu, found among doomsday cultists or clutched in the hands of the dead. I carved this with these stories in mind.

Mustache Mixing Spoons

Some mustache mixing spoons. Perfect for any mustache recipie!

Candlestick Wizards, carved into old textile spools

Here's some of my latest whittlins, a pair of wizards carved into old industrial textile spools.

The spools are hollow, so I carved the wizards in very low relief to prevent breaking through. The candlesticks are finished with a coat of clear shellac.

Beer tap handles for the Olde Brick House brewery

Tap handles should be comfortable, sturdy, and attractive to look at. They should also represent something, be it a specific beer, a brewery, a bar or restaraunt, or a private homebrewer's label. I think I've accomplished those goals with these two custom-made tap handles.

These were made as a Christmas gift. The recipient is a homebrewer, and names his label "Olde Brick House Brewery" after the colonial red brick building he calls home. That set the theme for both taps, and I sketched out some ideas on my notepad.

One handle would be reminescent of brick, with a flat circle on top showing a large hop bud carved in relief.

The second tap handle has a little brick house, carved in the round, and painted red with a green door. Both handles are fixed with a brass ferrule in order to attach them to the tap system.

This was a great project, and one that I'm proud to have completed.