Woodworking -- our daughter made us the most beautiful gifts!

[Longhorn]

She's 23 and works for my husband's remodeling company. He's been teaching her more and more in the shop and last year she made herself some living room tables.

For Christmas this year, she made her two sisters, her brother, and me each a wooden box with brass hinges, a latch, and an engraved plate. Mine is redwood, one is cherry, one is mahagony, and one is longleaf pine. Mine is about 12x8x6, big enough to actually hold some things. She made her husband two wooden frames with posters -- still lifes of bottles of wine. You can't even feel the mitred joints!

If you've ever made a well-received gift, you know how proud and pleased she was with everyone's reactions.

[NMDemDist2]

1. how about some pics? they sound beautiful! n/t

[Longhorn]

2. Your wish is my command!

;)

I don't know why they look sort of dusty in the photos -- they actually have a uniform matte sheen.

[mourningdove92]

3. How Beautiful!

Isn't really special to get something that someone made rather than bought.

[Longhorn]

4. Thanks! And yes, it's very special because she made it.

Also, my husband just built a shop on our land after renting one for nine years. When they moved everything over, he had all these wood scraps he had been saving that he was going to get rid of and Sara said, "No, it's good wood! I'll make something with it!" So he let her have her own place in the shop to store it and she started making these gifts.

Our son is a Marine stationed in Japan so she put a nameplate on his that looks sort of like dogtags and she added a lock and keys since he lives in the barracks to give him a little privacy for letters and such.

We appreciate anything our children give us, of course, but these are the kind of gifts that we'll keep forever and hopefully keep in the family as heirlooms!

[Philly Buster]

8. I know how she feels about "good wood"

I save way too many scrap pieces in my shop. After a while if I don't get around to using them I have to at least clean out the cheap wood. But I save even the smallest pieces of hard wood.

I hope this little revelation doesn't get me into trouble but I used small pieces of scrap poplar to make "bowls" for my pot smoking friends. They loved them.

Mostly I do wildlife fretwork on my scroll saw using thin hardwood plywoods (mostly oak). I do a little intarsia which is where small scrap pieces come in handy. And sometimes just for a change I'll do country primitives in pine.

I also occasionally make simple furniture pieces like coffee tables.

[NMDemDist2]

9. how about making a nice butcher block for your spouse

and sell them at a farmers market

they are very popular items and so beautiful when pieced together out of the different woods

[NMDemDist2]

5. beautiful! n/t

[Lugnut]

7. Oh!

They are beautiful! She should be very proud of herself. I love handmade gifts. :)

[Eloriel]

6. Lovely. Thanks for sharing.

I come from a family of woodworkers -- my father was a carpenter, my brother is a carpenter, and my son loves woodworking as well. He's especially fond of salvaging wood.

So, anyway, I can especially appreciate your beautiful treasures.

[denile01]

10. Nice boxes!

Your daughter does beautiful work.

My husband and son enjoy woodworking and have created several treasured keepsakes. We have a grandfather clock that hubby made with his dad many years ago. His dad is gone now, but lots of memories in that clock.

[Longhorn]

11. Welcome to DU!

And our group!

I'm always happy to hear when young people learn some of these crafts. You're right -- you don't hear people reminisce about the trip to the furniture store to buy a clock! ;)

[denile01]

12. Thanks, Longhorn

I'm one of those lurkers who have been around a while but don't post very often. Was happy to find this group. A forum where it will be hard for me not to chime in. :D