Attn. Crafters and Handy Persons

[China Cat Sunflower]

Hi,

O.K., who's crafting? Remodeling? Let's hear from you handy homeowners...what are you workin' on?

My wife is a big-time scrapbooker. I'm a finish carpenter and cabinet builder. My specialty is rescueing cabinets on water damage insurance claims. I remove the face frames and doors, build new boxes, and make new toe kick and end panel skins stain matched to the existing cabinetry. I do it all onsite, so my work truck is like a mobile cabinet shop. I do a lot of other stuff too.

I thought it would be fun to see what you all are working on. Maybe we could trade tips and information.

Chris

[wil]

That is one amazing niche China. I used to build custom homes with an old geezer, I'll be his age soon. After we built the house we'd haul in the table saw and the shaper and build the cabinets in the garage...

Today I don't do anything crafty...I am trying to put the scroll work back together on an mid 19th century german piano...slow going.

[Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine]

Um, I'm not sure if you'd call me "crafty" but I do ceramics, straw weaving and floral design (nothing real fancy, but I have done several projects using wheat straw, some marquetry using rye and a soda bird using the rye straw, plus I have a silk floral arrangement I did for the floral design class.)

Alas, because I'm not a homeowner, I can't hang most of my weavings (a prohibition on unnecessary nails, which I can understand.)

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine

[path_of_one]

Originally Posted by China Cat Sunflower

Hi,
My wife is a big-time scrapbooker. I'm a finish carpenter and cabinet builder. Chris

Sounds like me and my husband.

I really love calligraphy best- all my scrapbooking is done primarily with calligraphy and specialty papers. I don't really get into stickers and whatnot much. I like that classic, vintage sort of look. I also own a lot of rubberstamps and use those, mostly for handmade cards.

I also draw, paint, sew, embroider... I really love art. I just sort of do one thing for a while and then move on to another, eventually picking up brush or pencil or needle again. Some things I just try once- like quilting. I like to try new things, but some of them just take too much time and patience for me.

But calligraphy and drawing are my favorite. My pet project that I want to do coming up is an illuminated manuscript of the gospels, but all four gospels set in one document. I bought the handmade leather-bound book already, and it is lovely (the edges of the pages are marbled). The project will probably take me years, but I think it will be a great opportunity for reflection on the scriptures and expression.

[InLove]

I like beads.

InPeace,
InLove

[path_of_one]

Originally Posted by InLove

I like beads.

InPeace,
InLove

Me too! But I've never done beadwork, I'm just an admirer and sometimes-buyer of other people's stuff. One of my favorite necklaces is a hand-beaded one my husband bought me at a little gallery. It is freshwater pearls, little jade-colored beads, and a mother-of-pearl leaf pendant. I just love it.

[InLove]

Yeah, beadwork can be rather tedious. I have some eyesight issues that have brought me to the point where I am using larger beads, needles, thread. I also discovered not too long ago that I come from a long line of bead artisans--and I am enjoying learning about making some beautiful jewelry. Lots of turquoise and silver. I have also discovered that I have in my possession some really valuable turquoise that supposedly cannot be mined anymore. I've been wearing it for years without knowing.

And I am currently repairing a "fallen newscaster" for the top of my...ummm... green holiday item. She's beautiful--all clear and the lights shine through her....ummm....hat.

My best girlfriend bud does calligraphy. She did the writing on the invitation envelopes for my and J.H.'s wedding (I made them in Print Shop). They turned out well. I have tried, but so far I have not been able to get the hang of calligraphy. I've got this great set of pens, though!

I started my first real attempt at a painting three or four years ago. I like the painting very much--I started with acrylics, but find that I like drawing so much that I want to fill in some things with paint pens, which I don't have yet. And I ran out of white paint, which I find essential for going back in and addressing what I don't like. Anyway, it started out as just a copy of part of an album cover art --just for deco purposes. But it has somehow turned out to be a sort of self-portrait. Anyway, when I get it where I like it, I am thinking of trying to post it somewhere here.

InPeace,
InLove

[flowperson]

Hi All:

When I was a younger geezer I was into antique furniture, I loved to buy beat up and broken stuff and make it whole again. I really liked to replace missing parts with old wood that matched age and grain as closely as possible, but it was really hard to find old mahogany and figured veneers for that work. I had a huge collection of old wood scraps. If I had to spot finish or renew older varnishes etc. I used some special formulas I learned from friends.

I usually used hand tools to cut, shape, reglue, and level the new work, but once in a while I'd have to resort to a table saw, lathe, and router. Maple and pine were the hardest to rework because of the unique patina that they acquire with ageing. I liked working on walnut and cherry things the best. I once restored and rebuilt an entire walnut dry sink and a seven foot high cherry corner cupboard. Even learned how to recane chairs and rockers. Fun stuff...and sometimes profitable.

InLove...you might be interested to know that ancient beads are among the oldest decorative craft items found by archaeologists, some dating back 40,000 years or more ago in Europe around the Baltic and Mediterranean Seas

flow....