Last minute gifts

Last Minute Gifts
The first is a keepsake box made of mahogany and walnut. The wood came from a co-worker friend. His wife’s grandfather passed away and this wood came from his estate. Like many of us woodworkers get, I got that sort of warm and fuzzy feeling on the inside when I was given free wood. Knowing where the wood came from, I thought making a little something from it and giving it back was just the right thing to do. During the build, I wasn’t sure how the two wood species together would look in the end. But I think they do complement each other, and will be a wood combination I will do again in the future. The box is finished in satin lacquer and lined in ivory velvet.

The second is a keepsake box made of cherry and walnut. This was a gift to my mother. She had seen a box I made in the past with the angled corner keys and liked it a lot. It’s something I like a lot too and to me the angled keys give the look of the box being held together with stitches or laces. Cherry and walnut is one of those go to wood combinations I like. The box is finished in satin lacquer and is lined in red velvet.

The third is a cutting board favorite of mine, the basket weave. These are not overly complex so to me are fun to make. It is made from hard maple, cherry, and walnut. To me these three woods go together perfectly in any project. This cutting board is for my aunt, who when I talk to her always asks what I’ve been doing in the shop. The board is seasoned in food grade mineral oil.