Sunday, December 27, 2009

Endeavor to Create

I've been feeling rather uninspired at work these past months; actually the downturn in the economy as trickled down to the company I work for and I'm downright scared.

So, to help relax my anxiety and fertilize my creative garden, I endeavored to create Christmas gifts this year. Here are a few items that miraculously got finished and Santa helped deliver under trees.

First up is a simple plate stand. This is zebra wood (I also made one of black walnut)

The plate is one that Lady Suzanne made for our girls.

Those of you familiar with the movie A Christmas Story might recognize this packaging.


I built the crate -- complete with a Western Union Cable tag. Sir Hook then helped me by calling Christmas morning and playing the role of a Western Union Delivery dispatcher who told Lady Suzanne that a package had been delivered earlier that morning in the dark and left near the front door (which I had placed earlier).

Inside is a perpetual calendar roughly based on one we had seen in a German beer hall here in town (designed to be decorated for the season).

And finally, Sir Hook and Sir Dayvd both received Nine Men's Morris game boards with inlay. Nine Men's Morris is a game that we kept seeing referenced in our travels across southern England. So, I decided to give the game boards a whirl. Having never before done any inlay work, it was a challenge (one I may never do again). Anyway, here is Sir D's comments yesterday:

Hey Re the Pope.... I thought you just had to touch his garment to be blessed ....??? LOL...
Its called Boxing Day here in the UK.... wanna fight??? LOL
Hope you all had a great time...Mine was a doozzyyyy

Bowie Cheers for the 24 man Morris Board (Bowie's note: I provided extra game pieces)...it got a good workout... here I am getting a pasting by my nieces husband Paul...who soon worked out that he who gets the corners gets the game...lol... excelllent
I blame the Brakespears Triple beer 7.2 % lol....
Sir D

- - -

I hope you all enjoy playing with your new toys.
Happy New Year,

Sir Bowie "now, what to do with all that scrap wood I cut too short, or too narrow" of Greenbriar

3 comments:

Lady Suzanne of Greenbriar said...

Phone ringing on Christmas morning is usually my brother if he's not coming into town for Christmas...this year it was a great hoax...though the more I thought afer I opened the Fragile crate...sounded like Hook...hmmmm...a great gift all the way around!
(our son-in-law made the comment to Amy that he sure hopes she doesn't expect gifts like that from him!)

I love pulling into the driveway from work and seeing David in the Manshop with a pipe in his mouth, football on the little t.v. and sanding or gluing or cutting away on a wood project...jobs may come and go, but certain loves continue...finding a hobby or two is a great way to balance out the "have-to parts" of our lives.

And the scrap woods can be made into something...or thrown on the bonfire...nah - they'll be kept, just in case they're needed for...
something someday!

Lady Suz,
we've been too busy with the family/friends get togethers to play our own nine-man, maybe tonight? though probably not, since the Redskins are playing...

Anonymous said...

Yeah it is Nine Man Morris ...i accidently named it after the 24 positions.

Anyway.. Knights and Ladies out there who read this Blog... Sir Bowie's Marquetry inlaid wood designs on this board game, are a true wonder to behold... and i know him well enough to know he is going..."awww shucks"..on reading that.... but believe me it is very fine and very beautiful work. I can well understand that he is unsure whether to do anymore...as i know from doing beautiful artistic presents for other people myself that the Christmas deadline, focusses and sharpens the creative urge to a fine point....and forces you into zones of skill and patience that are difficult to achieve again.. if you don't have that subtle pressure on top of you...

So thankyou Sir Bowie...it is a magnificent treasure... and we will repay you by getting really good at the game and coming over and whooping your Indiana Asses at it :))

PS. don't worry about work... no matter what happens..Good generous people like yourself always survive and make it through.

Sir D ( the moveable feast ) of O

dkWells said...

Next up...Table Skittles! Come on Sir Bowie...keep climbing that mountain! LOL!

The 9 Man Morris holds a place of honor at the Hook Castle! Now, I must get busy and finish editing those videos from England!

Cheers!
Sir Hook the 12th Man of Warrick