Got such a nice surprise as I walked in at the club on Monday. There was a platform awaiting me at my lathe, made by Vince to give me the right height at the lathe. I felt like I should be giving a speech as I stood up on it for the first time. Vince was taking the pen making session and had some lovely pieces of wood to use. Blocks, called blanks, are supplied - you drill holes through and mount on the lathe using a pen mandrel which guides you to the right diameter as you create the two (upper and lower) pen shafts. The required "bits" for the pen come in a kit which you assemble once your wood pieces are ready and using the mandrel means they all line up properly, with the correct diameter.

I used cedar for the dark pen and camphor laurel for the patterned one. The cedar was a bit dry and needed sanding sealer on at the end, to smooth down the grain (it was a bit splintery) before sanding again and polishing up with Triple E polish. I was really pleased with them. They give a satisfying end result.

Managed to get my carvers mallet finished. It looks and feels a pretty solid tool and the grain in the wood is attractive. Glad to get that done!

At Anne's this week, I made the second pen, finished the sand and polish of the mallet and then made a wine bottle stopper. It was an interesting exercise. The point was part of the challenge. Will probably round off future ones as it looks a bit dangerous!

There's always time for tea and a cake mid morning and lots of ideas about what we'll do next. It's great. I would love to have a lathe and start making gifts for family and friends and maybe starting a stock of items which could be sold at Christmas craft markets.

Next week we are off to Ray's for a burl bowl turning session, can't wait for that!

The Dream

What is your dream?

Don’t have a dream, then you are not really alive.

So get one!

Here’s mine (but you need to get your own as I‘m keeping mine)!

This exquisite piece of wood was a gift from Anne. It will wait for my skill level to catch up with its potential!

By the time I turn 50: I will be a wood turner of note, spending my days in my workshop on our farm, turning bowls. My window will look down the hill to the trees by the creek, where the horses like to stand. Sawdust curls will stream from my lathe and bowls will emerge with shape and form that is natural and unique to each individual piece of wood. I will love it all and feel so incredibly lucky. I will continue to develop my skill with the talented Australians in this area and visit wood turning exhibitions in other parts of the world, maybe even giving the odd demo to show what lady turners are capable of! (Well you‘ve got to dream haven’t you?)

Ahh isn't that a nice story – have to go. Time to start living it.

Until next time, Susan.

The leopard skin bowl is finished. Nearly ended up with a hole through it as Eddie demonstrated how to remove the base at the club. It jumped in the chuck, musn’t have been in right, hence the hole. After a swear which escaped my lips I was relieved to see it rescued. Ended up a different bowl but will just have to make another one now!

Began my third attempt at a mallet. First was the wrong shape, second was not a good piece of wood, third is a lovely piece of Camphor which Vince started me off on. Not really got any desire to make a mallet so will endeavour to finish it on Monday night as have a list of things I want to make next – a mortar and pestle for crushing egg shells to feed back to our chooks (sounds nice and Australian doesn’t it), little spinning tops for my girls, a handle for the tool Brad gave me and the thought that I would like to make all my Christmas presents this year as special gifts.

I went early to Anne’s this Tuesday as my youngest two girls were receiving awards at school later in the morning, at a Gold Award morning tea with the Principal. I wanted to make something for them as a small gift to say well done. Alison had made such a lovely tree last week and Anne had several interesting designs on her shelf, so we decided two were achievable in the time available. The little trees were fun to turn and it was a case of working quickly to hit the time deadline. They polished up beautifully and I raced off to school. I was a very proud mum when the awards were handed out. Afterwards they put their hands in my bag to feel for what was there for them. Their delight and their school success gave a warm glow.