Posting Day!

I'm soooo glad it's finally November -- my very favorite month of all! It's the month of orange, and Thanksgiving, and (probably) my birthday, though you never can tell. It's the month when cool breezes bring that fresh winter frost, when the brightest stars shine from the heavens and we can welcome back our favorite Hunter and his dog Sirius. I LOVE the smell of snow.

In other news, I've just posted five new crochet hooks on eBay!


This absolutely GORGEOUS piece, (which is one of those I added to my eBay store), was a very interesting one to make. I choose the types of wood based on their color -- and the lyptus (the peach-colored shaft) goes amazingly well with the bi-colored stripes on the Dyed Curly Hardwood, which forms the finial.

As I was turning, I had this thought to create a "vase" shape where the ornamentation starts. (For some reason I normally don't start out this way, but this piece practically insisted!) At any rate, I continued to turn the hook, and often stopped the lathe to see how the designs were unfolding on the finial... it was practically mesmerizing.

To me, the striations in the dyed wood looked like tendrils of smoke floating upward, and inspired me to write a lovely story about it. (See the eBay listing). Anyway, it's quite interesting because besides this bi-color effect, the wood also has wonderful chatoyant "curls" which show up as shortened stripies, and look like undulations in the wood.

A fantastic, lovely lovely piece! I'm sooooo tempted to keep this one-of-a-kind piece for myself.

Posting Day!

Hooray, another posting day has arrived! As Autumn has come knocking at my door, I'm definitely in a fall mood. I've posted SIX more hooks on eBay today, including several thematically related to the season. Check them out!

Yes, I couldn't resist delving into the traditional fall colors: oranges, red, golds, and bronzes. My thoughts are of pumpkins and harvests, leaves changing, and finally getting to wear sweaters and warm windbreakers that have been hibernating in the closets all summer long.


Of course, the absolute star of today's posting is my new "Autumn's Daughter" hook. I turned this hook almost two weeks ago, and I couldn't figure out how to decorate it. I knew she needed something, but I had no idea of what to do. Finally, the thought came: I should do LEAVES -- autumn leaves, swirling, dancing in the breezes.

After I carved this free-hand design, I then painted it in metallic acrylics, adding reds, bronzes, golds, and even a touch of greens, layering the colors to intensify the effect. I eagerly awaited the moment that the paint would be dry so I could inset a 3mm Peridot gemstone set in Sterling Silver.

The green of the Peridot adds something special to this hook -- brings it more liveliness, rather like the last green leaf on an Aspen turned golden. Like finding the proverbial "needle in the haystack" -- it's a little surprise!

Must say, I'm definitely enjoying the season!