Christina

That turned out great Merlin..........I love this puzzle! Thanks for a great pattern Frieke. Thanks for sharing your work with us Merlin. Christina

Thanks Paul and Wood-n-things....always glad to help. I thought this would come in handy for a lot of things......but especially for those interested in making the inlaid rings. Christina

I have to disagree with you Greasemonkey. Your work is excellent and as good as any that I've ever seen! We are our own worst critics when it comes to things we do.......like woodworking. I love seeing your projects and have really learned alot from them. I appreciate your sharing your work with us. Christina

You're quite welcome Keith, glad you like it and can use it. Christina

Crushed Stone Inlay by: Christina Ellenburg 2007 ***NOTE: These projects could also be made from Silver, Nickle, Brass, Copper...and even plexiglass. Supplies: Small rock rough….such as used for rock tumblers…soft stones such as turquoise crush better. Hammer Anvil….or another hard surface (I use the bottom of an old cast iron skillet) 5 Minute Epoxy Glue…the kind that you mix together two parts (glue and hardener) Tooth picks Colorant such as acrylic paint or powder made from finely grating pastels Dremel tool with various bits Sandpaper…various grits Finish….such as water-based polyurethane Various paint brushes Small paper cups Instructions: 1. Decide what shape and size you are going to cut your inlay holes and transfer, or mark it on your piece. 2. Choose your rock and place it on your anvil. Using your hammer, carefully crush your rock into tiny pieces….don’t worry about what turns to dust add it to your rock in a small paper cup. 3. Using your Dremel tool and the cutting bit of your choice, cut shallow holes in the desired shape…following your markings. 4. Sand your wood well. 5. In a small paper cup, mix small amounts of epoxy glue together following manufacturers instructions. 6. Stir in tiny amounts of acrylic paint using a toothpick…..or a very small amount of finely grated pastel chalk and mix well into your epoxy. 7. Add your crushed rock a little at a time until your epoxy is full but not so full that all the glue seems gone. 8. Using a toothpick, carefully add your crushed rock epoxy mix into the shallow holes you have created in your wood….making sure to fill it all the way(if you use it to fill holes, put a piece of tape on the back of your work to keep the stone glue in place.). You will have it over flow onto your surrounding wood a little….that’s okay. Just make sure the hole is filled completely. Set aside to dry completely. 9. When your piece has thoroughly dried….use your Dremel tool again and start cutting away the epoxy mix…..making it flush with the surface of your wood. 10. When your inlay is flush with your wood, sand very smooth using your sandpaper. 11. After you have finished sanding your inlay and everything is just how you wanted it……coat with several light coats of clear finish….sanding in between coats if desired. You have now created an inlayed piece of wood. VARIATIONS: I have also used this method but substituted tiny pieces of shell or coral….pretty glass, even tiny little plastic beads. You can use the epoxy, by itself, that you color also, to simulate coral or turquoise, etc…. **************************************************** This is a clock I did using my inlay method. It is a woodburned End of Trail silhoette. I had to remove the clock works to be able to scan it....sorry, I don't have a camera...lol. The lightening is colored using colored pencils. The inlay is at 12, 6,3 and 9. **************************************************** Here's a project with a pattern for you to try. Just print the pattern to whatever size you desire and follow the instructions. Wooden Letter Opener With Inlay Instructions **Note: I use very thin, solid wood....probably 1/8" thick....too thick would take forever to shape your blade. I have used maples, cherry, walnut and oak in the past to make these. 1. Stack cut 3 of these. 2. Cut out the black design on two and reserve the third piece to be used in the center as a backer for the other two (sandwich). 3. Sand well…..you want a nice smooth surface on both sides. 4. Glue all three together creating a sandwich….design cut, plain, design cut. Allow to dry thoroughly. 5. Following the above tutorial and finish your inlay. 6. Bevel the blade portion thin on the edges and thicker and rounded in the center of the blade….like a knife…..both sides. 7. Stain as desired and add final finish. **************************************************** Decorative Hair Combs INSTRUCTIONS: ***Use only 1/4" Solid wood....not plywood. 1. Print pattern to desired size. 2. Cut comb shape first. 3. Carefully cut teeth. 4. Sand very smooth....you especially want the teeth to be smooth and rounded well....so that they don't snag in hair. 5. Transfer design onto combs. 6. Cut designs out following instructions for letter opener above. 7. Follow instructions above for inlay and finishing.

Thanks Paul and Keith. Personally I would use a good wood glue to do layer glue ups.........the glue is strong, it takes longer to dry but I think in the long run it would make your rings stronger. I don't know for sure since I've only made the 2 rings and they were out of mahogany and way too thin I might add. I'll find my crushed stone tutorial and post it for anyone who wishes to use it. It's basically the same way you do crushed stone inlays for jewelry. It can be used for lots in scrolling. I used it on a clock I woodburned. Christina

Wonderful cuttings Frieke.........you did a great job on them. Thanks so much for sharing them with us. Christina

This is an adorable puzzle Frieke! You did a great job on it. Thanks so much for sharing it with us. Christina

I know just what you mean Vector. I feel the same way alot of the time. I think if it weren't for my hobbies, the groups and my animals that's exactly what I'd do.......stay in bed. And that is not a good thing! It takes a real effort to move most of the time! I believe my husband has the same MS. When he was in a really bad wreck a few years ago he sustained a severe head injury and they found lesions on his brain and suggested he had MS instead of the head injury. Of course we proved he had the injury too.........he couldn't work or even function for almost 2 years. But we haven't been able to get him to a neurologist that specializes in MS yet..........it costs about $250 for an office visit here.......never mind any xrays or tests! He seems to have more and more problems as the years go on. He's only 39 too. He still has problems with his memory and had some pretty dramatic personality changes after the wreck too...........not related to the MS though. We've got him signed up with the MS foundation though and so we may be able to get some help through them. $40 is a very reasonable price for afghans! I can see why they sold like hotcakes!!! I'm delivering the hat and purse on Thursday when the PA is back in the office. I still have to take pictures but I'll share them when I do. Christina

Roflmbo! That is just too too funny Travis. I'm with Sue..........that has to be Rosemary's baby lololol. I played it at full blast and my dog ran to the computer barking furiously lolololol. I had to play it a couple times because of it. Thanks for the giggles!!! Christina

LOL, that's kinda what I was thinking Vector. But just think, you can use scraps from other projects and make some just as pretty as those high priced ones. You just never know. They might sell really well at everyone's shows. At the very least you can make some very unique and beautiful gifts for family and friends. I've always thought that wood is as beautiful as a lot of the stones people put in jewelry........why not use the wood! I really don't think you need too much in the way of carving skills to do some amazing work either. My crushed stone tutorial..........don't know if I shared it here or not.......if not I can. But it's similiar to what you would do in regular jewelry..........it could be done in wooden rings too quite easily. I would use my dremel to carve a channel in the ring before cutting the inside to size........then sand the whole thing really well and do the crushed stone inlay in the channel. You have a beautiful finished ring. Or, you could cut a circle or oval channel in the ring with a dremel and then glue in a cabachon stone for another look. Or, you could braid wire (I would use sterling silver wire) and insert it into a channel in the ring for a celtic look. There are just so many things you could do! And what a special keepsake it would be for anyone. On the one site posted above, they take wood from things and make remembrance rings............such an awesome idea there too. Some of the rings, in the links above, are cut on an angle so that the top of the ring is thicker than the bottom band.......kinda cool. And if you pieced your wood just right it not only would be stronger (because of the overlapping wood grain and the glue), but some really beautiful effects could be obtained. I don't have alot of different wood species right now but I think I'm going to give ring making another go. Especially after seeing yours Vector........I love that wood! I wish I could get my hands on a few pieces. Where did you find it at? Christina

Wow Greasemonkey that turned out way cool! Your dad is going to be thrilled with it. Thanks so much for sharing it with us. Christina

Beautiful vase Ron...........you did a fantastic job on it! Thanks so much for sharing it with us. I really enjoyed seeing it. Christina

Absolutely gorgeous work Sue! I love this. I hope you do take pics of your Bobcat project..........I'd love to see how you do this. Thanks so much for sharing it with us. You did a great job on it. Christina

Wow Frieke, you did an excellent job on both pattern and cutting! Thanks so much for sharing them with us. I really enjoyed seeing them. Christina

Greasemonkey that turned out awesome...........a really nice piece of art for the kitchen! I wished I lived closer to you, I'd have you make me a smaller version. We only have 3 in our family and don't use many potatoes. Thanks for the tip on staining them too. I actually never gave a thought to staining the inside. But it makes sense that the taste would get in the potatoes. Thanks for sharing your work with us again.........I always enjoy seeing it! Your friend is going to absolutely love it! Christina

Since there has been some interest in rings, I thought you might all enjoy seeing some rings from all over...........nothing more than what we do, but some are really high priced. Imagine if you keep yours at a reasonable price! And these might spark some more ideas. Not to mention that some of these sites have really great information that you might be able to use for your own designs. Also, I found loads of links for handmade ring boxes too. Christina http://www.simplywoodrings.com/ring_shop/ This one is great for ideas......check out the Remembrance Rings especially. http://www.meadowranch.ca/ http://www.touchwoodrings.com/completesiteindex.html

It is a great idea. The social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are the new ways of business networking and seem to be quite effective from what I've read on AOL. It seems more and more businesses, not just crafting businesses, are using this kind of networking. Congrats and I hope you have great continueing success! Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I'm sure it will help lots of people. Christina

What a great project Greasemonkey. And a nice thing to do. I can't wait to see it finished. Thanks so much for sharing it with us. Christina

Absolutely beautiful Vector. Tigers are one of my favorite things to burn. What are they on though......bookmarks? Keychain Fobs? Whatever, they are going to be gorgeous. Thanks so much for sharing them with us. Christina

That is just about the coolest thing I've ever seen! I love it! You did a great job on it. Thanks so much for sharing it with us. Christina

Wow those turned out awesome..........you did a great job on them. And great pattern Chris........thanks for helping out! I think this is such a cool project for the kids, and a great surprise ending lol. They will love it. Thanks so much for sharing them with us. Christina

How cool is that..........wonderful resources Keith, thanks for sharing them with us. Christina

Thanks very much Frieke, and yes I know just what you mean. Thanks Wood-n-things........but this isn't a change. This is just normal for me. I was raised on moose and caribou and just don't particularly like the taste of beef. I never had beef until after I left Alaska in about 1975. I've just never developed a taste for beef.....or pork for that matter. Once in a great while I'll eat a hamburger but that's about the extent of it for me. I just much prefer chicken and fish and I've always loved veggies and fruit. I also love things like brown rice.......healthy foods but very yummy too. You're right about grapefruit but if you have a good pharmacist he will warn you, with labels on your meds, about which should not be taken with grapefruit. Grapefruit interferes with the absorption of some meds. Congrats to your wife! MS is not an easy thing to deal with........for the sufferer or their family! Thanks Travis, you're right. I personally would much rather buy handmade items over store bought anyday. I guess it's just that I've never really sold my knitting and crocheting. Well, with the exception of some sweater jackets my mom and I used to make when I was a kid. They were custom made jackets with pictures (intarsia). For example, my first one was made for my baby sister when I was 7........it was Bambi and Thumper all done in pinks, beige and white. Then I made one for my baby brother that was a rocket ship, moon and stars all done in dark blues, greys and yellows. I did one for a woman for her husband........he was a construction worker and it had a whole dirt spread and heavy equipment on it and his personal trademark of a monkey wrench and screwdriver crossed on the breast pocket and his name down both sleeves. These sweaters sold for $800-$1500 way back in the 1960's amd 70's. But they required extensive work to develop the pattern and about 6 months to knit and they were fully lined and had a zipper. And back then there was no such thing as acrylic yarn. We had to buy wool yard and couldn't buy it in Alaska........we ordered it from Canada. Mom and I had so many orders that we generally had 3 or 4 going at the same time each and back orders. They were pretty warm too. But you just don't see stuff like that anymore. Christina

It's a pretty exciting series, and I think it is very inspiring too. I'm hoping there will end up being more than just three episodes eventually. I got sooo many wonderful ideas just watching it. Makes me want to do just everything lololol. As for not much in the way of crafts in Belgium............how about wonderful chocolates and cheeses! And pottery. I'm sure there is much much more but it just hasn't been written about like in America. A bit of digging around might produce much more than you think Frieke. And if there isn't much.......maybe you should start some! Thanks for posting the PBS link Travis. I didn't think to do that.........I just went to the Craft in America site duh! LOL. Christina