Recent Etsy Treasuries.

Just a bit off topic... I want to highlight a couple of recent Etsy Treasuries that I was lucky enough to be included.  The first is from Shari and it is titled, "Autumn's Blues and Greens" at
www.etsy.com/treasury/MTU0MzYyOTN8MjcyMzM2MTAzOA/autumns-blues-and-green...
Here are the first three items.  It is an eclectic collection of items that also includes earrings, ceramics, and photography. 

Original acrylic landscape painting of Turtle Pond,11x14

amostroutstudio

 

 

Crochet Washcloth Set Green

GuRuOriginals

 

 

Green Man Walking Stick

stickstaffcane

 

 

Another Treasury...

The Wooden Story is told at

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTI3Mjg0MzF8MjcyMDc2NzE3OQ/wooden-story

 

Here are the last three featured items. And YES, some items get sold.

Wood Flower Girl Basket with Burnt Orange Flower

DuryeaPlaceDesigns

 

Groomsmen Gift, 4 Raw Wildflower Honey 8oz Jars, Wood Pen Set, Tenness...

HillsideHoneyBees

 

Vintage RUSSIAN NESTING DOLL Set - Matryoshka Wood Burning Technique -...

UrbanRenewalDesigns

Sold

 

 

Hal's email is hal2009@att.net.
Use Contact at either Etsy shop
Call my cell phone, leave a message at 919-656-7166.
FACEBOOK
Timeline: http://facebook.com/hal.papan
Email: hal.papan@facebook.com
Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/StickStaffCane/117272031678314



Note that Phaal Nap (Fail Nap) is a pseudonym, nom de plume, and anagram for Hal Papan. I usually write when I can't sleep. Ergo, Fail Nap. Of course, Hal Papan is my nom de couteau (knife name instead of pen name) and anagram for my real name, Alan Happ. I carve under the name Hal Papan.

 

 

 

 

Santa Ornament Masters

Some really beautiful Santa ornaments are in this Treasury on Etsy.  I cannot get over the incredible detail on these sculptures.  It is my goal to be able to be as good as these are.

Here are my latest two caroling Santas.  They are an ornament and a whistle.




















These are available at http://stickstaffcane.etsy.com

 

 

 



Chess Set Master

You have to take a look at Jim Arnold's chess set carvings to see a real master at work.

The detail and imagination in each piece is simply incredible. 

These are hand carved - no dies, nc machines, or copy carvers.  He does them all by hand.

Jim works full time on carving.  He does everything from selecting the wood to marketing.  Here is a set from his Etsy About page.

Just amazing.  Thanks Jim.

A hiking whistle and fishing report

I will be adding this hiking whistle to my Etsy shop soon. 




Hiking Whistle Made From Sweetgum With Red Oak Stain

I took it along with me to the Highway 50 Boat Ramp entrance to the Falls Lake State Recreation Area.

Fishing was great.  Catching was lousy. 

On Wednesday afternoon, I caught a few small sunfish and a couple of catfish.  I really to bring home a fish dinner of white bass and crappie.  I didn't see anyone catch either of those.

On Thursday morning, John, who is usually catching fish when everyone else is just fishing, went home after an hour with not even a bite. The blue heron that waits for hand outs, squaked its disapproval and flew off.  I left soon after.

With cooler mornings coming, the fish should start biting in a couple of weeks. 

Disguise Whistles. A little fun for Halloween or any day that ends in "y"

Whistles are fun to make. 

"You never know what you are going to get," so it is like a box of chocolates without the calories.

I make Disguise Whistles that are double whistles.  They are not traditional two hole whistles that you typically have two whistles side by side.  Instead, these are two whistles carved in opposition and there is just one hole.


Whistles on Opposition



Backside of Toothy Disguise Whistle



 

More pictures and a bit mor info are at the Etsy site.

 

Disguise whistles are meant to be fun.  I find that a good long blow on the whistle is a sure pick-me-up. Oh, I took it to one of those crowded street craft fairs and used it to get through the crowds. People turn around and immediately laugh when they see the toothy smile. It's a hoot from a toot.

Confound your friends as you go incognito with this disguise whistle! It is about 4.5 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. The blow-in hole is in the middle of the back. Your friends will wonder where you went, and who is that smiling stranger in the room?

Hal's email is hal2009@att.net.
Use Contact at either Etsy shop
Call my cell phone, leave a message at 919-656-7166.
FACEBOOK
   Timeline: http://facebook.com/hal.papan
   Email: hal.papan@facebook.com
   Page:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/StickStaffCane/117272031678314



Note that Phaal Nap (Fail Nap) is a pseudonym, nom de plume, and anagram for Hal Papan. I usually write when I can't sleep. Ergo, Fail Nap. Of course, Hal Papan is my nom de couteau (knife name instead of pen name) and anagram for my real name, Alan Happ. I carve under the name Hal Papan.

Challenge #66: Alphabetic Wood

Each week, the Etsy team, Onfire for Handmade, hosts a challenge in which you have to create a collection of items from different shops, called a Treasury, according to the theme.  This weeks Challenge theme is to use the letters of the alphabet.

I chose to use different trees. NC State University has a site all about trees.  You can search by Scientific name or Common name among other functions.  Check it out at:
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/trees-new/index.html
I also discovered on Etsy that many people make magic wands from a variety of woods.  I created a treasury called, "Magic Wands From Wood: Alder to Walnut."

Many thanks to all the artisans who make up this Treasury.  You can find it at:
"Magic Wands From Wood: Alder to Walnut."

Raining in the Rain Forest

The plan was to go to the Western North Carolina mountains to replenish my stock of sticks.  My parents had a house in the mountains, and it is a great place to find sticks of many different trees. 

It is not far from the new Gorges State Park.  Simply... go there! See
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/gorg/main.php
  It is UP in the mountains above the cell tower which is behind another peak.  Ergo, no cell phone reception.  We've also turned off AOL so there is no internet access.  Lots of birds and bears and other wildlife stop by. It is in the only temperate rain forest... check out:
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/cede_jocassee/908

It rained.

The roof leaked.

It rained in the morning, afternoon, and all night it seemed for five days.

The generator faulted.

It rained some more.

I never did get out to search for sticks.

Will try again next week.

Note: Finding a stick does not mean you can start carving.  This time of the year while the sap is in the trees, it takes 18 to 24 months for a stick to dry properly.  Sticks collected in the winter take about a year to dry.  Then, you hope that the sticks don't split or crack.  More on drying in a later post.