Bits and Pieces are carvings  of various subjects and often carved for the fun of it .  Pictured above are Tee Noggins carved in golf tees.  Next are three monkey heads carved out of catalpa wood which is a nice carving wood not often used.  The third photo is of miniature jig saw cut outs that were given to me by my “No See-ums” creator friend Don Worley which I promptly carved and gave back to him.

Knife blade covers were made out of two thin strips of wood with one strip receiving a mortise cut out of the blade shape. The mortise is cut very slowly so as not to remove too much wood but leaving just enough so that when the other strip is placed over the mortised strip the blade fits into the mortise very tightly.  Then the two strips are glued together using Super Glue Gel.  The knife blade cover can then be carved with any kind of design.  The middle two photographs show palm gouge handles carved with caricature heads.  The last photograph is of Pin Heads carved into clothes pins that are purchased at Hobby Lobby as “Doll Pins.”

The first photograph is of a second troll being carved along with a finished troll carving.  The next photograph is an example of a practice face stick that is a good way to warm up to carving faces by carving the basic form of a head ready to receive the facial details.  The last two photographs are of a portrait relief carving taken off an old black and white photograph.

Every carving project is a learning piece, whether it be for fun or as a commission.  Carving different kind of subjects and styles of carving stretches a carver’s ability and learning opportunity as well as carving in different kinds of wood.  Carve as often as possible because “would be carvers would be carvers if they would carve wood,” turns into “the more one carves, the better one carves.” So as my good friend at White Eagle Studios , Michael Keller says,  “Stay Sharp and BEE CARVEFUL.”