[Mottles]

Crested Serpent Eagle Pattern by Bob Reitmeyer Chip Chats Jan/Feb 2008

Hi All:
I finally get to put something in the Animal and Bird Carving Forum. Yea

Our carving club ask it's members to be thinking about small items to carve as give aways. So I remembered that Chip Chats magazine had a small 'Crested Serpent Eagle' kerchief slide pattern. I've seen patterns in my Chip Chats but never carved any.
Bob Reitmeyer is the creator of the pattern for this eagle. His directions call for a little thicker piece (1/2") of basswood/soft pine than what I used.
I used a 1/4" x 3" x 3 1/2" piece of basswood and used my bandsaw to take away the excess wood.

I used acrylic paints for one eagle and woodburning, Watco Danish Oil for the second eagle and both finished with Deft matt varnish.

As always I appreciate your comments and thank you for looking.
Kathy

I finished each one differently to see how each one would look.

[dmatias]

Kathy; I really love both of them. Each has it's own character. You do great work and I like to see every piece you post.

Thanks.
Deborah

[doris]

yes, kathy both are very nice. my favourite is the first one though, maybe since you made the lines darker the design reads more clearly... do you have experience if pins of 1/4'' are strong enough to be worn by people who not care enough for those ? i was thinking of doing a few, as a tiny gift when visiting friends, but really have no idea how strong wood is...

[Mottles]

Hi Deborah and Doris, thank you both for the nice compliments.

Doris I think these little pins will be pretty durable, except the eagle beak tip and the tip of the feathers maybe a little fragile. Actually, for the head feathers you could make them more scalloped (I'll do one like that)

I'm going to wear mine on my club vest, should be a good test for it.

Give it a try, or others you were thinking about, I'm even going to make a pattern of one of the Jack In The Pulpit flowers for a pin.

Deborah, how about those spring flowers in your area, they'd make some neat patterns for beautiful pins.

Also, if you like refrigerator magnets these would work for that too.

I think for the next eagle I'll woodburn then paint then antique and see how that looks. Fun to try different things.

Thanks Again,
Kathy