Reflections in the Wood

So it is New Year's Eve and what else does anyone do but reflect on the past year. I can barely remember yesterday so a full year is certainly a challenge. Maybe this just calls for leaves.

• Opened up The WoodArt Studio facebook page. Don't forget to stop by there from time to time, give us a like, become a fan and stay up to the moment on some of our daily turns.
• Began The WoodArt Studio website/blog here in February. Our goal was to post on a weekly basis and I think that we did pretty well and only missed maybe one or two weeks. Our future will hold more exciting news from the studio, inside and out along with some of the happenings in and around the A-frame and possibly a guest blogger or two. We cherish your input on what you would like to see crop up here so please comment and email us. In addition we want our following to grow here so please share with your friends our blog site.
• We attended 99 out of 102 scheduled Farmers Markets in downtown Harrisonburg and organized the first ever unofficial Bonus Christmas Eve Market held in the Turner Pavilion. In my opinion and those of several of my fellow vendors that participated with us it seemed to have been a success and one that will hopefully continue in the future.
• We continue to show at OASIS Fine Art & Craft gallery and expand the gallery market by adding our pieces to C'Ville Arts in downtown historic Charlottesville. We hope to grow with a couple more galleries in Virginia so if you know of a gallery that might be interested in Steve's work please dash us an email with their information.
• We started, after much hesitation (actually several years but that is a whole other blog post), our own store front on Etsy.com. Yes I call it a store front because isn't that just what it is. Inventory needs to be dusted, re-described, prettied up as one might say. We feel that it is very bare walled and that our shelves are light at the moment but it is one of our 2012 goals to fill those blanks with much of the pieces that emerge from the studio.
• The other part of living was spent painting the living room and kitchen, cutting and hauling wood for the woodstoves, mowing the grass, tending the garden, visiting with family and friends, hiking in the forest and overall enjoying life in Virginia.
  
  

  Happy New Year until next we meet ...

  
  
  
  

Gift Giving Season

So this is the week that most everyone has been waiting for. Let the gift giving season commence.

Shopping, buying, wrapping all with the anticipation of giving that special gift that you handpicked just for the one that you care so much about. Your boss, your best friend, your Mom or Dad, roomie or brother it really doesn't matter, we have choices in both exotic and local Virginia wood. Uh oh...you said you forgot about the secretary, girlfriend's mom, sister and the hostess gift for next week's get together, your feathered friends who live outside all year? Well here we are to save the day for you. After all it is only the 3rd day of Hanukkah, Christmas isn't for another 2 days and the neighborhood party is next week. Something for everyone on that list can be found in our inventory starting at $2.00 with our little Cedar Sachet bags and spinning up from there.

We will be at the BONUS Christmas Eve Market at the Turner Pavilion in downtown Harrisonburg on Saturday, December 24th from 9am - noon. We are even going to make our best effort to get there by 8:30am as we know some of you may be traveling that day and need to shop and then drive to your destination. All our usual inventory that we display, plus a couple of new pieces that Steve has been working on will be on the tables. No rest for him and no little elves to help him along sad to say. In fact he hopes to make a showing, if he can get out of the studio, at the BONUS Market.

During your venture downtown remember to stop into OASIS Art & Craft Gallery on Main St. where you can find more of our ornaments, bowls, platters and unusual art pieces. We are right there on display as you walk in the door. If you live or are visiting the Charlottesville area you can find a wonderful selection of pieces in C'Ville Arts in the historic downtown area mall.

If all of these choices are too overwhelming for you call or email us and lets chat about how The WoodArt Studio can fill that gift need for you.

#509 Locust Birdhouse
Sold

Until next we meet Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas...

Wooden Spoon Recommendation

#493 Cherry Stirring Spoon
SOLD

So  you have searched and searched up and down for the gift that will make them shout that is just what I needed, not what I wanted but what I needed! What is it? It is the perfect hand carved wooden spoon, just for you and you have found it here at The WoodArt Studio. It is always a pleasure when you can find something that you are searching for.    

#435 Pierced Cherry Spoon
SOLD

Well not too long ago I had the same issue I wanted to find out if there were many cooks out there in the big world who did use wooden utensils on a regular basis when they cooked. So on to Google and what came up was a superb article; Wooden Spoons – Why Chefs Recommend Cooking With Them. I thought what a fantastic post I need to get in touch with “The Reluctant Gourmet” and get his permission to add this article to our own blog. So here we are, permission granted and we couldn’t have been happier. What distinct shapes and sizes and well used spoons he does have in his collection. Take the time to read some of his articles and you will discover that he is a definite fan of the wooden spoon.

#500 Pearwood Stirring Spoon SOLD
#501 Pearwood Stirring Spoon SOLD

We at The WoodArt Studio would like you to also become a fan of the wooden spoon. Steve started carving spoons several years ago and actually the first ones were small collectable ones. You know like people collect silver ones with different state names on them. Well the ones that came out of the studio at that time were mostly of exotic woods and detailed in various shapes, even down to some that resembled snakes. As time marched on the spoons got longer and simpler. Stirring spoons began followed by flippers, spatulas, spurtles, salad utensil sets, pie lifters and scoops to name a few. Most were of a simple design but every so often one would slip in with a tiny touch of detail. Functional art as we sometime say.

So now that we have you hooked on cooking with wooden utensils we look forward to helping you start your very own collection with one of the hand carved spoons or other utensils that have emerged from the studio. All our utensils are on display when we vend at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market. There will be one more Holiday Market this Saturday, December 17^th and a Bonus Market on Christmas Eve morning from 9am to noon.   

#461 Small Scoop
SOLD

Until next we meet....

Produced from the Heart Gift Basket

#493 Stirring Spoon
Sold

Burr it is cold so get out your long johns, wool socks, heavy sweaters, overcoats and a set of hand warmers wouldn’t hurt. Are we going skiing? No way but we are heading to the Farmers Market tomorrow. You did realize that it is open year round, not just in the summer? We just dress a little differently. Certainly not for show, just to stay warm.

Tomorrow is the second of our Holiday Markets which means officially there is only one left BUT unofficially there is one more dubbed the BONUS Market on Christmas Eve, same hours, same location. We know that many of you are in the full swing of the shopping mode but we also know that there are many of you who will leave things for the day before Christmas. Call it a family tradition or the just I-forgot-one-more-person syndrome whatever you choose to call it we will be there along with about 20 other vendors for your last minute purchases. Breads, Hot Sauces, Cookies, Cakes, Pies, Jewelry, Soaps, WoodArt (yes that’s us), Pottery, Veggies, Plants, Eggs, Dream Catchers, Honey, Lip Balms, Tie Dyed Clothes, Pet Accessories, Paper Bookmarks, Fresh Ground Coffee, Meats and Jams to name a few.

How about creating a wonderful potpourri gift basket dubbed Produced from the Heart? It could be real easy to do. Set yourself a dollar goal. $25.00, $50.00, $100.00, whatever your pocket will feel. Then stroll from one producer only spot to the next picking and choosing the pieces for your basket. You can even take it a step further and make it a theme basket if you want. Breakfast: Produced from the Heart. A dozen eggs, Hot Sauce, Fresh Roasted Coffee, Fresh Baked Bread, Meat, Butter, Jam and a WoodArt Spoon to stir it all up with. Tie it all up with a pretty bow and a hand crafted card from one of the vendors and you have the gift that they will be talking about holiday after holiday. 

So on that note we will see you all tomorrow at the market. We will be at #25 with so many of our beautiful and yet functional art pieces. Don’t forget that now is the time to purchase the piece that you like so much because once it is sold it is gone. There is only one Steve to create these pieces.

It’s December

It’s December and we all know what that means. Chillier weather, shopping, extra eating, more company and the list goes go on. This past Wed. we started the holiday season off with a Bazaar at JMU, that’s James Madison University, for all of you non Virginians. To be in a 103 year old institution with approximately 17000 students was an awesome experience and we will look forward to participating in the Bazaar again next year.   

Today was wood cutting day for the woodstoves. Even in the mildest of winters you cannot have enough wood, especially when you are working with two stoves, studio and home. Cutting also gives us both the chance to clear away some of the trees that have fallen from the past on the property.

Friday is the day that we always prepare for the market and we are looking ahead to this Saturday’s market as it will be the first of the Holiday Market with its shortened hours. 9am to noon. Three markets with three shopping hours each. BUT… we have something else for you. A BONUS market on Christmas eve. Same place, same time so no excuses for not finding the time or us as we will be in the same spot, #25.

Steve has added a few more pieces since last we met. An ornament or two, a key ring cross charm, spoons and a natural edge pear bowl. As we start this holiday season let us thank you for all of your support, comments and purchases.

Until next we meet…

                                                                               

The Inbetween

Good morning to you in the haphazardness of the season. With so much of the pre holiday season to prepare for I did forget to physically sit and type my Thanksgiving wishes to you all. You were all in our hearts and minds and are truly blessed for having you read, admire, touch and purchase so many pieces from The WoodArt Studio. Without you we would not have gotten as far as we have so a huge THANK YOU! 

Remember to keep your stress levels down this time of year and enjoy all that is given to you and do forgive me if I miss a post or two. We are here to fill your holiday needs with many gifts of wood. You can find us daily at OASIS Art & Craft Gallery, C’Ville Arts, Etsy.com and via our site here. We will also be at the following:

November 30: 2^nd Annual JMU Artisans Holiday Bazaar in Warren Hall between 11am and 5pm.     

December 3: Harrisonburg Farmers Market 9am – 12pm.

December 4: C’Ville Arts Artist Steve on the floor.

December 10: Harrisonburg Farmers Market 9am – 12pm.

December 17: Harrisonburg Farmers Market 9am – 12pm.

December 24: Bonus Harrisonburg Farmers Market 9am – 12pm.

Wishing you at this time an enjoyable, stress free season.

Until next we meet…

Life Busy

I quite often find it interesting to see the cycles of life. From the large picture or one’s entire life down to the smallest of day to day issues. Yes I could go smaller down to the minute but we need to keep the blog short and sweet. After all who wants to hear about our minute by minute daily ups and downs? That is one of the reasons we don’t use twitter. Who can guarantee a signal when one is out in the woods or would I really want to disturb the serenity of the moment anyway?

The early part of this week was so absolutely beautiful weather wise that we just had to get outside and cut and haul some wood. While Steve does the large chunks I deal with the kindling type pieces. It gets hard this time of year because we are hauling wood in to burn so that the studio stays nice and warm with the VT casting stove but what do we do when we find that wonderful log that Steve knows he can get a nice bowl from. Well the answer is simple enough. The bowl or bud vase, new turned ornament or great cooking utensil will win out every time. Most often we will be able to find enough wood to burn but oh the precious pieces that just call out to be turned can sometimes be rare. Beauty is in the eye of the wood not just the beholder.

#463 Walnut & Osage
Orange Ornament Sold

Now later on in the week it is turning a bit chillier along with some light rain. So first we are happy that we cut and hauled and second we are now even happier to be doing inside work. Steve is in the studio and I have been busy adding to the Etsy site. We now have a total of 15 pieces up and showing, most of which are the holiday ornaments. Some you may never have seen via our blog so be sure to drop in there as the door is open 24/7.

Ornaments are how Steve got started with woodturning and I am pleased to be the proud owner of one of his firsts. It is a simple spiral from a piece of padouk, very similar to our Spiral Canary Wood one. I chose the spiral design because it had reminded me of the crystal icicles that use to hang on the tree when I was younger. Now any size, shape, design and wood type will emerge from the studio and hopefully, without much deciding difficulty, into your home where it too will become a cherished heirloom. We currently have 29 unique, one of a kind ornaments that you can find with us at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market, at C’Ville Arts Gallery, OASIS Art & Craft Gallery, The WoodArt Studio on Etsy, or via this blog.

Until next we meet....

Holiday Rush

So let’s talk about the holiday rush. To rush or not to rush that is the question. How early is too early to be pushing the holiday. Walking through Wal-Mart the other day I was surprised and a bit dismayed to hear holiday music blasting from the invisible speakers. Now don’t get me wrong, after all we were in the music industry for many, many years. From Thanksgiving (and sometimes before) out of the lesson studios we could all hear the interesting arrangements of “Jingle Bells”. Thank goodness Steve would not dig out his holiday CD’s until Christmas week.

#444 - #446 Mini Tree Assortment
ALL SOLD

So it is not okay to be hearing the music but is it ok to see the decorations? Or how about the shopping. I say hold off until Thanksgiving for the decorations. Starting your shopping now can have its benefits.   

• Frees up time to spend with family and friends.
• Eases up the one huge money crunch in to smaller sizable bites.
• You will be able to have that one of a kind, hand crafted piece now and not regret passing it by later.
• Gives you more time for holiday baking.
• Reduces stress levels.
• Allows you to really just sit down and enjoy the holiday music.

So with that all in mind know that I have warned you. I want you to start your shopping (or at least start to make the list) and we are here to help you. I am starting small with our Mini Tree Ornaments. Most are about 2” tall. Great for the tree or tie one onto a package. There is even one with white ribbon for the new bride. If you are really bold you can remove the tie ribbon and put your own cord through and use it as a necklace. It’s all up to you.



#453 Mini Tree
SOLD

Until next we meet…Jingle, Jingle

Last Minute Book Report

I feel like the kid who left the book report to the last minute. Not that I meant to as I believe that I am past that stage in life. Or at least I thought so with most things but with the computer giving us daily attitude it managers to put us behind a bit.

Whenever Steve leaves the studio with a piece or two I set about to become instant photographer so that we have a log photo of every piece. I know many say why bother but maybe it is the genealogist in me that needs to record all of these daily adventures in The WoodArt Studio.  Yes I am a genealogist but that could be a whole other blog. And as I said the computer has been not cooperating to say the least. Glad we spent all that money to get it fixed.

#462 Birdhouse Ornament
SOLD

So today was catch up day for one and all. Steve has been very busy out there creating many new and old pieces for everyone’s holiday giving. He has also been working hard on a huge bowl that came from the General Stonewall Jackson Prayer Tree which fell this past spring. He will hope to bring it to his next woodturners meeting this month, which also reminds me that I need to photograph that also. We had the unusual Halloween snow as most of the Eastern seaboard had so that caused us to shovel a bit but today it was like springtime. It was perfect weather to take some time and go for a nice walk and trim some of the bushes for the winter.

Dinner and a shower then reminded me that I needed to write and post the blog that you all eagerly wait to read?? With that in mind here I sit contemplating the last minute book report routine, cramming and hoping that it will get a passing grade. I am so beside myself that I think I am going to post it now, the day before. So it is up to you… Did I pass or did I fail? I’m waiting to hear from you all.

Until next we meet…

A Great Centerpiece

Autumn has arrived down here in the Valley. Reds, Yellows, Browns all the colors that put us into the season of color. Leaves that may be up in the trees this morning can very casually drift down to the ground by afternoon. Yes we could rake most of them up today and place them in the compost pile but I would rather have some fun and just enjoy traveling through them, hearing them crunch under my boots as we travel out to the studio.

#326 Catalpa Leaf II
SOLD

Fall in America also brings more people inside sharing conversations and good food. It doesn’t matter whether it is a table for two or twenty a splendid centerpiece surround by your food dishes will sure to make the table more inviting to your guests to sit and stay awhile. Isn’t that what you want them to do anyway?

I have harvested together for you some of nature’s shapes in wonderful colors of tan, browns, and golden yellows that together or alone would make for a well designed theme for your dining table or afternoon buffet.

#323 Cherry Bowl

#359 Mulberry Bowl
SOLD

#368 Cherry Leaf Bowl
SOLD

Until next we meet… Set your table with wood.

Food Day



#440 Cherry Spoon
SOLD

"Food Day" is the newest of holidays for people all across America to celebrate. I know that you are thinking what does Food Day, October 24th, have to do with The WoodArt Studio of all things. Or maybe you are just saying to yourself what is "Food Day"?

You can read more on their website, Food Day, but in a nut shell (no pun intended), “Food Day seeks to bring together Americans from all walks of life—parents, teachers, and students; health professionals, community organizers, and local officials; chefs, school lunch providers, and eaters of all stripes—to push for healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way.” 




#358 Pierced Cherry Flipper
SOLD



Can you imagine a better way to begin enjoying this event then to start with cooking healthy food? Of course you need some great quality wooden cooking utensils to do this in our minds. Spoons, Flippers, Scoops, Pierced Spoons are just a few of the endearing pieces that you will find we have to get you going.

Start an endearing new tradition now!                                                                                          

#461 Small Cherry Scoop
SOLD

From Oct. 21 – 24^th you can take an additional 10% off of our spoon and utensil inventory that is not in either the OASIS Art & Craft Gallery or C'Ville Arts where we also sell pieces. This is just a small sample to whet your cooking appetite.  Contact us or see us at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market this Saturday and let the folklore begin with a spoon.

Until next we meet... Celebrate Food!

#464 Olive Scoop
SOLD

Bosses Day

#370 Ailanthus Bud Vase

Ok so by now you know that I love these simple every day holiday celebrations in life. So this Sunday is National Bosses Day. We all seem to have a boss of some sort. As adults we have work bosses, children have parent bosses; students have teacher bosses and even the self employed have themselves as bosses. So keeping in mind that Sunday is the big day to celebrate we know that many of you in the work field will be giving that all important gift to your boss today BUT there is an equal amount of you who will have never realized that it is bosses day or will have forgotten to get the gift in time. Well here we are to aid you with your dilemma.

#275 Tiniest Maple Bowl

Tomorrow we will be at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market with several pieces to meet your Bosses Day gift purchasing needs and to whet your appetite here are some suggestions. Now if it just so happens that you are out of the area and need that gift, just contact us and we can get it to you. Won’t a special one of a kind piece from The WoodArt Studio gain you points with your boss this year! Oh and one more thing, because you are so thoughtful about your boss we will offer you 10% off if you tell us it is for your boss. 

#188 Myrtle Lidded Box     

SOLD

 #172 Collectable Sumac Spoon       
SOLD

#378 Mushroom

#447 Butterfly Pin
SOLD

#451 Ash Cross
SOLD

 

Until next we meet…

The Spalted Maple Leaf

Wikipedia says that the Maple Leaf is not only the  symbol that rests on the flag of Canada but can also be found in commerce, geography, music, ice hockey, baseball, football and even a soccer club. You can find them on the branches of Maple trees and now in this hand carved piece that Steve had meticulously completed last year. In the above picture it is dead center.

You can tell it apart by the wonderful spalting in the piece. Real leaves don’t have spalting. What is spalting you ask? Well to keep it simple, spalting is created when a fungus creeps up into the body of a tree. In this case it created a divine play of black, browns and grays infused in the overall light golden tan of the piece. The veins have an ever so slight bas relief affect which sad to say is hard to see in these photos. The stem is so slender that you might be afraid to touch it. 

OASIS Art Gallery currently has this on display as part of their “Nature Walk Exhibit” which extends through the end of this month. Try to make some time if you can and take a stroll through this exhibit in the rear of the gallery to check out this impressive leaf. If you are interested in having this as part of your own nature collection you can purchase it from us via our site here or stop on down to OASIS directly.



#171 Spalted Maple Leaf
See Studio Gallery

Until next time… you may never look or think of a leaf in the same way. Oh and happy raking!

Falling Leaves

We certainly do not have to look at the calendar to know that autumn is upon us. While walking around the homestead I am amazed at how many leaves have already fallen to the ground and need to be raked and put into the compost pile. Leaves and nature in general can sometimes bring out the best in a piece of wood as it did in this lapel pin.

Out of the studio this week came some fine nature inspired jewelry. First butterflies hand worked from some left over burl with silver wire for antennae. Then yesterday it was a slice of Bloodwood. The most awesome shade of red that so reminded us of the fallen maple leaves that it just begged to be carved.

So with chisel in hand this maple leaf emerged. After the initial shape was made the veins were carved in on the face. The veins, along with the entire edge of the leaf, was slightly burned to give a bit more definition to this 3 ½” pin. A ¾” pin clasp is glued to the back, while a soft coat of finish was applied to give it a gentle glow and protection.

#454 Bloodwood Leaf Pin
SOLD

So dress up your fall wardrobe with a reminder of the connection you have with nature and earth this season. This as all of the work that comes from the studio is one of a kind. With that in mind and the approaching holidays if you would like to purchase it or need more information and pictures please contact us via our email address.

Other news to keep you going:

• More pieces have been posted to our WoodArt Studio on Etsy.
•  We hope to be set up at the C’Ville Arts Gallery in Charlottesville, VA in the next week or two.
• We are celebrating Oktoberfest this week at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market with 10% off our entire inventory that we bring to market. If you can’t make it down and need to have something that we do usually bring to market contact us by Sunday night and let’s see what we can do for you. Remember that we ship throughout the USA.
• Harrisonburg Farmers Market made the local news last night so if you want to see a bit of what our market looks like then click here on 1 on 1 Harrisonburg Farmers Market.
• For all of you market attendees who can’t seem to get to some of our other venues we have started the “Other Venue Book” that will contain pictures of what we do display in these other spots. If it is something that you are further interested in we can make arrangements to have you see it in person.

Until next we meet…

Mortar and Pestle, Both Beautiful and Useful

Could I be so bold as to say that I think that I may be back on track? I will tread carefully with that thought.

While many people walk into our spot at the Farmers Market we often hear the comment “they are so beautiful”, and yes I do have to say that Steve’s work is beautiful but in today’s world can we all afford beautiful and not useful? Not many of us can or would care to. This is one of the aspects that I so enjoy about Steve’s pieces. They are beautiful and useful all at the same time. Spoons are meant to be stirred with and sipped from. Bowls are made to hold trinkets, salads, fruit and much more.

#449 Ash Mortar & Pestle
Sold

We try to fulfill requests as much as we can, but not usually as quickly as we would like. One such wish that we received this past summer was for Mortar & Pestle sets. Early this month the need was filled with the supply and the first, a smooth, sleek Walnut one came from the studio and was quickly sold. A few more were turned from Ash, Oak and Sapele and are currently available from us. I have to say, and have heard from others, that one of the neat things about our Mortar & Pestle is the way that the Pestle can rest in the two top grooves of the Mortar when it is not being used. So what are you waiting for? Don’t you deserve a “beautiful and yet useful” gift of our new Mortar & Pestle sets? See you at the market soon, but if you can’t make it there remember that we ship throughout the USA.

Until next we meet…

Leaps & Challenges

So maybe I shouldn’t always type “Until next week” as a closing line. It’s not that we haven’t been busy or anything. In fact we have really grown with several leaps these past 5 weeks and have learned a few lessons along the way.

Lesson one was don’t do any county fairs. When we last blogged I told you that we were going to the Shenandoah County Fair representing The WoodArt Studio. We learned that a county fair is just not a venue where people go to purchase gifts. Not only wood gifts but any gifts as my fellow vendors did not seem to be selling anything either.

We did open up The WoodArt Studio Etsy shop and we are pleased to see that there are people looking, liking and adding us as favorites. We still have yet to read a zillion pages on how it all works and how to make it grow but we are pleased that it is up and running. It has been a challenge as to which pieces to add to the shop so we have been handpicking some of the newest Spirit Houses that have come from the studio, many if not all of which have not been shown in any of our other venues. So be sure to check them out before they are gone. Any one of them would make a fine gift for you or your friends and family.

An application was submitted to C’Ville Arts in historic Charlottesville, VA mid August and we are very pleased to announce that The WoodArt Studio will also be represented there in that art co-op. There is a training period that needs to be done but we hope that all will be in place by the end of this month. Watch for future info.

The Farmers Market is still continuing along with 3 days a week. Weather has not been most cooperative and we have left early a couple of times due to the rain.

Several new spoons, ornaments, spirit houses, bowls and much more have been emerging out of the studio doors and one is prettier and more useful then the next.  I think that with the approaching Halloween Holiday I will treat you all to some of the new Spirit House Castles so check out the Studio Gallery. As always each piece is a one of a kind that once it is sold it is gone. So if you love it then contact us and buy it so that it can be yours and yours alone.

Oh the title said Leaps and Challenges. We told you the leaps. The challenges started 3 hours ago when I decided to add a few more, mind you just a few pictures to the Studio Gallery. That challenge is completed for the day. Enjoy and please let me know what you think. Suggestions to this blog are always welcome.

Until next we meet…

 

Time Gone, Catching Up

Well if that isn’t a mouthful then what is? It was 2 weeks ago today that we sat down to write the weekly blog for the Friday post. Fact is that I always hand write a copy first so technically it is done and to give you the short version of Aug. 19^th it was about going back to school and education. Thurs. night the weather is getting rainy with some thunder. I am getting ready to shut down the computer and zap comes the lightening. Internet out and also we found out that we were hit with a bad computer virus all at the same time. Friday we come to find out that our regular computer guy went out of business so now to the next guy. Due to busy weekend he gets the computer on Tues. and swears it will only take 2 or 3 days. Well I heard that before but I am in Virginia now so I should believe him. He also said he would reload everything back to the way it came from the factory. Again why wouldn’t I believe? Aug. 25^th let’s stop by on the way home and see if the computer is done. I know that it has only been 2 days but …no its not but there is only one ahead of me. Yipee! Sat. Aug 27^th, 4 days later from drop off time. Let’s see???? No not yet and he says that there are 125 more downloads to go. Ok again a weekend without. Tues, a week later and again home from the market I stop. Yes, yes, yes computer is ready. Pay the man, dash home and connect. Happiness??? Almost. All the programs that came with the computer that he promised he would put back on are not on. So that is time gone.

Catch up to today. I have reloaded almost everything and everything seems to be doing what it is suppose to do except of course for the print shop which I use every day. Not sure if all of the printer stuff is good to go either.

#343 Cherry Stirring Spoon
Sold

Until next week… create!

So when last we blogged I told you that we were doing Etsy now but I haven’t had the time to make the connection with all of the do dads that they have to offer. Sad is that is why we put off doing Etsy for over a year due to the fact that I wanted everything up and going smoothly. It is on the agenda for next week.

Today, tomorrow and Sat. Let’s see Farmers Market today officially from 4-7 but I am going to try and do the unofficial 3pm start time. Tomorrow, Friday something new for us. The Shenandoah County Fair. We will be there from 10:00 – 7:30pm in the activity tent. Stop by and check some of the new pieces that have come out of the studio these past two weeks. There will be 10% all inventory at this county fair. Great time to start the holiday shopping and find that hand made unique gift. Finally on Sat. we will again be at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market for our usual Sat. gig. All the college kids are back and they will be sure to add that extra exuberating feeling that we all get at a Sat. market.  Ah I see on my calendar that it is national Lazy Mom’s Day. Why not pick her up a hand carved spoon of local Virginia Cherry or Walnut and make some dinner for her.