Friday, February 27, 2009

A goblet


This is camphor laurel - and you will have noticed by now how much I like this timber. It's 13cm high and 4cm across. Not really big enough to hold much drink! But a pretty think to have on the cupboard anyway!

I got some of the NICEST beads today! I can't wait to make hair sticks for them!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Rejoined the eBay crowd

As much as I didn't want to, I had to rejoin eBay - it still holds the market share of the buyers. Depressing, isn't it?

But within 1/2 hour of having 3 of my hair sticks listed there, I got a bid! Naturally, as it's an auction, prices are low to start with (I'm starting everything at 9.99) but I'm hoping that people will like them and there will be more then one bid.

Here is the link to my store.

http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/elizas_art

I probably won't be turning anything interesting the next few days - tomorrow I have choir and doctor, Saturday I have framing and getting ready and on Sunday we hang for the art show at the Metro in Brisbane. Let me know if you want to come and I'll send you an invite!

Monday, February 23, 2009



I made a pot out of a Banksia pod. I'm not sure this would go overseas and get through customs, so it's only for sale in Australia.

It's 18cm high and about 7cm across the bottom. It's certainly and interesting piece!

You can put a pen in it, or a hairstick or a small bunch of dried flowers.

It's $45 AU + $5 postage.




Saturday, February 21, 2009

EEEKKKK!!!! What a mess!

Robyn on BrisStyle suggested that we drop everything and take a photo of our workspace - no cheating cleaning up first!

So I did. I'd just finished turning my last spinning top of the night, all the shavings from the days slaving over the hot lathe are everywhere.

Hope you get a laugh at my workspace (corner of the verandah!)




I made a Nostepinne today too. I think I got the size right. I'm checking on the timber type before I list it on Etsy - I'm not sure what it is. It's pretty though.


The Nipple Bowl!

This one came to me while I was sleeping. I had gone through the bottom of a bowl the day before. I thought "why not go through on purpose and make a stand that comes through the bottom of the bowl???"

It wasn't until I was turning the stand, as I was cutting the top bit off I realised that if I rounded it, instead of cutting completely through, it would look like a nipple!

So I did...



Then I made the bowl bit.



Put together it looks like this...





I'll put it up for sale on etsy - maybe. Or keep it and put nuts in it when people come over! :)

Friday, February 20, 2009

2 pots, 4 keyrings



Heon pine, King Billy pine and Camphor Laurel keyrings



The fat pot is blackwood, I'm not sure what the other is!

I made some beads for hairsticks too, but didn't photograph them before I lost the light.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Oh dear...

Headache today, so no successful woodturning! Tried to make a bowl - but broke through the bottom. Should have known better then to try to turn with head in this condition.

On the bright side - I now have a new learning project. How to put a false bottom on an otherwise really pretty bowl!!! :)

And I found out what the other wood in the keyrings is - it's MANGO!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

A round thing for hair toys!



It's a hair toy holder! Holds 8 hair sticks, and you can put bobby pins, scrunchies etc in the middle. This is the prototype - I'll make them larger I think.




6 more keyrings. I adore keyrings! They are a great size to hold and are so smooth and shiny. timber is - the white, Huon pine which is amazing. The other is really pretty - and I'm finding out what it is, I'll have to get back to you about that.



Two little pots. Red Cedar and Blackwood (which isn't black) The blackwood has flat sides. Kinky :)

Keyrings in Camphor Laurel

Camphor Laurel is one of my favourite woods. But then, I have so many timbers that I love!

Today I taught myself how to make keyrings, and made two in Camphor Laurel.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Back to the wood pile!

After a 20 year break from turning wood, I've returned to it again!

This time I have a little mini Jet lathe, tucked away in the corner at the back of my house, where the house meets the tiny shed we have. I'm ready to turn little things like hair sticks and little pots and bowls!

I just wish we didn't have bull ants...

http://www.faunanet.gov.au/wos/factfile.cfm?Fact_ID=251

I could really have done without being bitten today.

I did get some lovely wood today! I got a gift pack from a friend on the Woodturners forum! And some burls - I'm going to make "caps" for the hair sticks from those.

I have to get another chuck. Once I got the pin jaws on the one I realised that taking them on and off all the time was not going to be an option.

I'm realising that a lathe really is something that spins away money!

But I hope that people like my hair sticks enough to buy them. Otherwise I'm going to end up with cupboards full of hair sticks!

I can only wear one at a time. Well, two maybe. Three at most. Four is right out there...