Its fishing time!

Its 3 down and 1 more to go.

Cornhole!

The ever popular "Cornhole".

My Dad came up to me and asked me to come up with some designs and paint them on the cornhole boards. The kids really enjoy going over to the lake house and playing this great, simply game. My nephews also enjoy the game as well. So, the idea was to come up with 4 designs.. one for each of the grandkids. Two days later I had a sketch. A week later Dad had gone to the lumber mill and bought the wood. He cut it out, put a hole in the top, and sanded down the face. This is what I came up with for each grandkid.

1. Zoe: Michael Jackson and sheet music with a flashy star background.
2. Ethan: Big ass bass fish flipping up in the air with some fishing lures,
bobbers, and a blue camo theme water background.
3. Abigale: A horse with flower border and sky like background.
4. Eli: Monster truck with flag border.

So far I have completed Eli's board. Right now I am working on Abigales board. I think this Christmas is going to be special. Handmade gifts that are unique always come from the heart.

If you have an idea and want me to help you out for that special gift, email me :D Breekemp1@gmail.com

A Family Frame

I received a photo from my stepmom, Candy, a few weeks back. It was such a nice picture that I just had to make a frame myself for it instead of going out and buying one.

I used some of the bulk wood my Dad cut for me and used a pecan stain with some black paint for the border.

This is was pretty easy idea but the process made me go crazy. I wasnt sure exactly how to put the picture in the frame. Originally I was going to cut the middle out but after carving most of the middle out, it just looked to nice to scrap all together. So then I decided to try to carve an inside edge for the photo to slip into with my Dremel. That worked partially but I was having problems with the edges so I just went ahead and cut the middle out. I kept it, however, and used it to keep my photo in place.

I mounted it up on the wall next to what I call my "Ade Place".

Steeler's Football

Someone actually asked me to make them something! So here it is. This is the first project I have used the scroll saw on. It handles much like a sowing machine and sounds like one too. This surprised me lol. Oh well, I got through it and it turned out great. I used the dremel to do sanding on the edge.

I will say though that the star thingies in the middle were absolutely horrible! It was so hard to keep from shaving the star tips off with the gouge. I went in and used the carving knife for easier control around those edges. It was still hard no matter how I did it.

I will update this as I put more stain on it and paint it.

Yes, I did put the scroll saw on the kitchen table. No, I didnt mount it there yet. My dad put wheels on the bottom of my 1/2 stack when I was a teen, I wonder if I can mount a scroll saw to the top :O

Hell To The YEAH!!!!

So this turned out so much better than I could have even hoped for. The idea came from some friends of mine that play on Horde characters in World of Warcraft.

I started out with a simple design, headed off to the hobby store to find some stain, and carved this sweet piece out.

The wood was delicate in taking the small details and it made it very hard to keep the gouge from pulling to much wood out or even shaving a part of the design off.

After I got it cut out and carved, I used a very dark red mahogany stain with two coats to give it a deep rich base. After that I used red paint on a dry brush with light strokes to highlight the texture of the gouged out middle background. I then painted the center detail, bottom and top flag lining, as well as the sides black for a uniform look. I followed up the detail in a white edge that took some time with a steady hand.

The only thing I have left to do is put a clear coat on it and it will be done.

Mama Got A Brand New..... DREMEL!

Oh yea!

So I bought this lil guy with a few add-ons..

Dremel 4000-3/34 120-Volt Variable Speed Rotary Tool Kit
Dremel 689-01 11-Piece Rotary Tool Carving and Engraving Kit
Dremel 225-01 Flex Shaft Attachment

Through Amazon, I saved $150.00 and had free shipping!

The idea behind getting one of these: power carving.

How is that going so far? Well, I have put a sanding attachment on and I sanded the edges of that football I posted. It went well. The tool was smooth and didn't have have kickback and saw dust went everywhere! Yes, I was sanding in my recliner and yes I made a mess. I also put on a small carving tool and practiced my handy work on some scrap wood. Not the best at free hand script but I will work on it.

I am wanting to be able to write on the back on my items:

Hand carved for you by B. Ade
date

I've also thought that maybe down the road I could use an electric wood burner to stamp that on the back. I used one of those way back in the day in my dad's garage when he was making something. I don't even remember what I was making but I remember it was fun to watch the wood smoke.

Go Colts!

Neal told me I need to make projects that he could take to work and hang up in his cubicle so people would see them, question, and perhaps wish to own one. With the football seasons right around the corner, I thought I would show some team spirit with a lil whittling. (This design would have to be gifted).

So far I have come up with a design, carved it out, and put two coats of stain on it.

What's next: outline black, white laces and stripes, blue horseshoe, and white horseshoe detail.

I always come up with these designs with a perfect picture in my head and this one, just as the last, is shaping up just nicely.

I am hoping to have this done by tomorrow so that Neal has something new to hang in his cubicle.

This is the size of an actual football and is 1/4" thick.

I must give props up to my Dad for coming home from work with a headache and cutting almost 20lbs of basswood into 1/4" and 1/2" strips for me.

Update: Finished product up on top.