Give away- A chip-carved foot warmer

I haven't been a very good blogger of late, it's been a strange summer! Because I've been away so long, and to thank my followers for hanging in there I am holding my very first give-away. It is open to my 123 followers, if you are interested in entering the give-away, please leave me a comment. I will use the random number generator in one week-August 8th.

 I first discovered chip-carving in 1978. Since then I enjoy making full size items  but really love doing chip-carving in miniature!

Foot warmers were a common household item up to the Victorian era. The drawer held the metal container of hot coals, and people would rest their feet on top. Sometimes the container held boiling water. And I think this one did both, judging from the rust and soot inside!

The bottom

There is a handle because they were hung up when not in use which explains why the bottom is as elaborately

carved as the sides.

The top

The pierced top allows the heat out.

Fellow submission pieces

These are the 5 pieces I submitted to IGMA for Fellow evaluation. They represent 4 different scales 1:12; 1:24; 1:48; and 1:6. I also represented many different textures- hair, feathers, shell.

(I believe if you right click > open in a new tab, the pictures enlarge)

Following are some in progress shots:

The gorilla 1:24 scale

1) The first step is to gather the subject matter, the photos. I have been tearing out animal pictures since I was twelve years old. I always refer to my good old World Book encyclopedia, and of course now we have google.

2) Having decided on a sitting pose, and gathering sitting photos, I do a measured drawing. 

3) I then transfer my drawing to a block of wood. The wood I use is Jelutong.

4) The next step is to cut the blank. I use my scroll saw.

5) Then the fun begins! Start carving and watch the gorilla emerge. 

6) When I've finally freed her from just a block of wood, it is time to paint her. I use good artist grade acrylic.

The Camel 1:48 scale

The Spotted owl 1:12 scale

It was alot of (maddening) fun to carve each feather!

The Box turtle 1:6 scale

I love these little guys. I am always stopping the car to get them out of the road, put them on the other side...cuz that's where they were going!

The dog 1:12 scale

This is a little yellow Lab mix.

Each piece was carefully chosen and carved specifically for this endeavor. I am honored to have been selected.

IGMA Fellow announcement

I've just heard the news!!!
I am thrilled and honored to have been selected a Fellow in the International Guild of Miniature Artisans!

My shop-made tool set

I made this little set of carving tools. I was needing some really tiny ones, so I decided to make them. I used allen wrenches for the chisels and needles for the gouges. I am hoping to use the tools for making a giveaway, having passed 100 followers. Stay tuned!

This is what the backs look like.

 I used two different sizes of allen wrenches. First I put the end in a vise and slowly, carefully pushed to "unbend" it  some. I covered it with my jacket because I was afraid it would snap, and I was much less afraid once I couldn't see it :) Then I ground the profiles.

The assortment is two sizes of straight chisels, one ground on top, one on the bottom. Then I made a skew.

This picture shows the different sweeps on the gouges. The needles I used have a little dip around the eye and I snipped the eye off with a wirecutter and then made the dip deeper and longer with a diamond cutter in my Dremel. Then I ground the edges.

I love the grip I have on these tools.

Here they are in action.

OOOOPS sorry....

I am so sorry I forgot to put the price of the ducks on my website! DUH!!! It was very late and I was struggling with a very glitchy HTML editor...I built my own site... off to fix it right now. Thank you for your understanding---

Now in season!

A huge welcome and a sincere thank you to the new followers of this blog!

Pin tail drake decoy

Catherine's post about the pin tail duck has generated a good amount of interest in my carved wood decoys.

Thank you for the emails I've received in the past few days.

Black duck drake decoy

I am currently researching European antique accessories, exploring new techniques to carve/create them, making new tools, and will be sharing what I've come up with soon.

Bluewing Teal drake decoy

It is not necessary to email me concerning the availability of the decoys. I've added them to my website with the option to buy. You may purchase them at

http://www.miraclechickenminiatures.com/Dollhouse_accessories.htm

Mallard drake decoy

 Every duck is individually hand carved and hand painted- one of a kind -and may vary slightly.
Again--thank you!

A pair of dovecotes

These two 1:12 scale dovecotes are made from wood and were separate custom commissions. The top one is three sided to go on the side of a barn. The second one is free standing and is six sided. I carved the little pigeon also.

Here is the photo I worked from and was inspired by:

This is the three sided dovecote before I painted and aged it:

Finished!

1:12 scale duck decoys-the first 3

Here are the first three antique duck decoys finished and painted. I did not put any wear on these. I think they will make nice accent pieces for a 1:12 scale library, den etc. I am going to be making antique European 1:12 

scale furnishings. Very exciting!

A 1:12 scale Blackduck drake decoy.

Here is the Pintail drake decoy shown unpainted in the previous posting..

A Mallard drake decoy.

 

 

Here the Blackduck in shown in my hand.

1:12 scale antique duck decoys

I am now carving a series of antique duck decoys in 1:12 scale. Hand carved Jelutong wood, fully feathered. Here is a preview. This is a pintail duck and will be painted.

 

  I thought that they will nice accent pieces for 1:12 scale rooms- a library or den. The next decoy I am planning will be a mallard, and maybe a swan. Some decoys will show more wear than others.

Esmeralda and goat

This statue, Esmeralda with goat, was a custom commission. Hand carved wood with faux bronze finish. This was an exciting project because I didn't have **a picture to work from**, but several general idea photos that I put together to come up with this interpretation.

The statue measures just 2" (5cm) high. Carved from Jelutong wood.