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.