Carving golf balls can be a fun way to use your woodcarving skills. The balls are easy to find and offer the artist an excellent carving material with no grain to worry about. I don't like to stray away from carving wood too often (for magazine content), but when I saw these wonderful faces by Dale, I just had to share them with our readers. Not all balls are created equal... you have to search for the correct ones with the solid core.
Donna founded the 'World Wide Wood Working Women' group for all women interested in improving their skills. They meet monthly at the Austin Woodcraft store to share their accomplishments and to learn more about wood working from local experts.
Of the attention getters in my home, I'd have to put my critters in glass houses near the top of the list. These cute little fellows spend all their time perched on the inside of a glass or cup watching all that goes on around them, well, at least in front of them anyway.
Here in central New England, willow trees are plentiful. Many were planted because they grow quickly and can dry up excess water on your property. The trouble is after 30 years or so, the roots start to chew up driveways and cause all kinds of trouble. They also seem to have a difficult time with tough storms. The happy result is that if you've got a chainsaw, there's plenty of willow available for nothing except the sweat of bucking the logs sawing the billets.
Chip carving a unique ornament is a long-standing tradition for me. Friends and family have their trees decorated with the ornaments that I've carved for them over the years. They expect a new design every year and I’m not about to disappoint them in 2013. I've provided you with two patterns to choose from. The skill level varies between the two patterns, so choose one that appeals to you and your chip carving skills.
For this ornament, I am carving on a 3/8" thick piece of basswood. Always prepare your wood surface before you begin carving your project. You can use a cabinet scraper or sandpaper to create a smooth surface. I am preparing my surface with 220-grit sandpaper.
