Monday, August 17, 2009

Vacation "Whittlins!"

Just returned from cabins at Salt Fork in Ohio. Nice big State resort and park. 54 cabins and lots of rooms plus a huge lake 1000/s of acres woods, golf course, swimming pools, boating, etc. And what did I do ......Whittle! This bunch of Santa's, owls, penguins, and cup cakes are all that is left of lots that I was able to whittle. All the others were given away at the pool and at the lodge. While daughters baked in the sun and grand daughters swam, ol' papa whittled under a big market umbrella. Every hour, the life guard would blow the whistle for a pool emptying 10 minute break. That's when kids would come around. If they took any interest at all they got a little "carving". Needless to say, several moms, dads, and grand parents also were interested and received a little token. If I was not able to complete these little pieces in a reasonable time, I would not have been able to experience the joy of giving.....Lots of fun. And who knows maybe a seed was planted for a future carver....

13 comments:

JimB said...

Real nice carvings Tom! Bet you had a lot of fun, especially with the kids watching. I really like some of those Santas!
JimB

Marcia said...

Whoa... thats alot of chips you musta left under the umbrella. :D These are so darling.. I want to learn to do the santa with the hat coming over his face.. he's cute.

Do you hand them out unpainted?

No fishing at all Tom? none?

Now you have alot of painting to do.. ugh....


Marcia.

Buckboard WoodWorks said...

Love 'em all Tom!!

hwallen48 said...

Tom
where did the cupcake idea come from? They just need the icing painted , they look good enough to eat.
Hal in Seatle

Tom H said...

Cupcake idea from a lady at the Evart Michigan Roundup. She got it from Carving magazine. As to all the painting I now have to do. I have that solved. I send most to a guild of retired decorative artists in Canada to paint. They sell them for $10 each and donate $7 of the $10 to a charity. I do paint some, but I am now experimenting with dipping them into various stains and finishes. And no, there is little mess to clean up when you whittle small. I let the chips fall onto a paper plate.

sccarnes55 said...

fom.
couldn't have picked a better spot, that area was the best deer hunting area, all my family would get at least one a season, me, you know you don't take a deaf guy into the woods with a gun, duuu,
been working on the penguins, got the time down to one day per bird,
still a little iffy for travel, but hope soon,
sam

Fitz said...

Thats what its all about Tom.... Sit'n in the shade doing what you enjoy and lighting up the eyes of a kid with a little piece of wood that plants a bit of imagination and wonderment. What more could you ask for on a vacation?

Dan

Tom H said...

Dan, you couldn't be more right!

Robert Cahill said...

Tom,
Sound like you had the ideal vacation, making a lot of friends and I bet a couple of new carvers. plus no phones wow.

Robert Cahill said...

Tom,
Sound like you had the ideal vacation, making a lot of friends and I bet a couple of new carvers. plus no phones wow.

Gene said...

Tom .. What wonderful simple projects ... They are great looking .. just to sit and whittle cannot be more fun and relaxing .. you are the tops when it comes to those .. Thank you so much for making carving fun to all of us ..

Gene

Anonymous said...

Tom H, what size are the little Santa's with the "stands"? How about a better close up picture of one of them.
Great job on all of them, I love little carvings!

Deb.

Tom H said...

Deb, First off, that moniker "anonymous" don't really count!! Those Santas are anywhere from 3/4 inch tall to 2 inches tall. I'll do a slide show of the one being carved soon.