A Stirring of Spoons.

I've just had to decide which single spoon to choose from this pile for the first International Secret Spoon Swap.

The names have been randomly drawn and I now know who to send it to. It is all ready packed to go as soon as the post office opens again after the bank holiday. It is a secret so we will have to wait until the person receiving the spoon shows it on facebook. No idea who is sending me one so will just have to wait. It could be anyone from a pro carver to a first timer so it may be expertly finished or bathed in blood! Either way a lot of effort and care will have gone into the making of it so a special spoon is guaranteed.
The title 'a stirring of spoons' is my contribution to the ongoing debate about what should be the collective noun for spoons.

A few new spoons. Some individual photos on the gallery page.

Still Buzzing!

A few weeks have now passed since Spoonfest and I'm still buzzing with ideas inspired by the great people I met there. A few new spoons have been added to the gallery page, with lots more developing but not enough hours in the day and too many other pressing projects getting in the way. Cycle trips to the States and Sweden are formulating in my mind, purely for research of course, no hint of a holiday at all! Need to set about selling more spoons and bowls to pay for them.
Had a little play with colouring and now most of the stock of pixie spoons are sporting a new look.

Had Fred Livesay from Minnesota come and stay for a few days after Spoonfest, and he explored some of the wood that has been lying around for a few months/years. I was surprised to see how much it had changed from when used fresh, and that a lot was still split free and workable. Some of the 'dry' firewood has been converted to spoons already with lots more being kept to one side just in case I get more time to experiment.

Fordhall Summer Fair

I shall be demonstrating next Sunday 24th June at Fordhall Farm summer fair. This is a special place and my association with it goes back 25 years. For people who do not know about it you can find out why on their website.
Yesterday I made a small tarp/shelter which will have enough space to work but not too large a footprint. The design seemed OK on paper but I'm glad no one was around to watch me trying to put it up on my own! Wobbly didn't come into it! Finally worked out after a strong coffee that the first upright needs to be secured with three guys so that it stands firm and everything else can be attached to it. The third guy can be removed when the whole structure is together. Of course, someone holding it would work, but I can't rely on that most times so had to be able to do it on my own. If it doesn't fall down this week I'll post a picture of it at the show.
This is a charity event which I want to support so I'm not charging anything. Hopefully there will be some publicity and the chance to sell a few items. The Pixie spoon will be a good one to make on the day as it is quick to carve.

I'll have some 'Blue Peter' ones in a basket for anyone who can't wait for one to be finished. I hadn't carved any spoons for three weeks and the first one made today was rubbish. Years ago my dad told me not to employ a plasterer who had just got back from holiday as it takes a few days for them to get their hand in. I suppose it's like any skill and needs regular practice to keep it up to scratch.

Pixie Spoons

Most people would know these as Gypsy spoons. When my 4 year old grandson was helping me get the shelter ready for the last spoon carving course he found a pointed stick and asked what it was for. It was left over from making some Gypsy flowers so I made him one. He gave it to his mum and said it was a pixie flower. I don't know if he miss-heard me or liked the name better but the name stuck and the spoons have bowls shaped like a pixie ear!

They are made quickly using Aspen which is a fairly soft wood and left as cut without any fine finishing. This gives a different aesthetic to the finer hard wood style used in Scandinavian carving yet still makes a practical spoon.

The right hand one was made without using an axe. I'm trying to reduce weight when traveling by bike so used a survival knife and lump of wood to cut across the grain for the shoulder, then split from the end of the handle. Worked well but needs working on the technique as you need three hands!