[squbrigg]

Great little Greenman, carving sure does make the time go faster when you are laid up. Sorry to hear about your accident, but at least it didn't involve carving! You have to take more care of yourself son!

Hope you heal up real quick and clean.

Bob

[Lightningbolt]

Appreciate all the comments and yes, it is a wonderful thing when bad wounds begin to heal. I'm still probably a week or two (?) from getting back to my daily 13 mile bicycle rides but I'll just take one day at a time. And yes Bob, sometimes it just seems like I've been pre-destined to get sewed up for something about every 5 years for my entire life no matter how careful I am. Guess that I tend to live too close to the "edge" and don't know what to do about it.

Tom H: Sourwood is probably my favorite "wild" found wood that is native to the southern Appalachians where I live. I'm not sure if it stretches all the way up to Ohio but I'm for sure that it is a very strong native tree in the southeast. I was first introduced to it when on a nature hike at scout camp in Alabama back in 1967 and have never forgotten the sour taste of the leaves that our guide cut for us. Yes, the stuff carves just great and the cream colored wood takes on a good finish and the trees grow relatively straight making great walking sticks.

Ron T: Gosh, I'm thrilled that you'd like to copy the design onto a walking stick and I'd love to see the finished result. Thanks!

I was thinking about carving some other simple designs into these little chunks of scrap but not sure just what yet. I just got a big order for walking sticks so I'm gonna be tied down with that for a while. I finally was able to sand down two walking sticks including some shaving horse shaping so my knee is healing well. It's amazing what can be accomplished while balancing on one crutch!!

[MelNM]

Hey Dave, nice design and very well carved, you know me I like the small stuff too.

Not to make you jealous, just got back from a 11 mile and I know how I would feel if I couldn't go riding. Sure helps to clear the mind, of course with my small mind thats not too hard.

Be neat to see everybody do a miniature green man, good practice too.
Mel

[tnartist05]

Very neat greenman Dave! I like him!!

Forrest

[Sharon of the Dell]

Nice little greenman. Good paint job. A speedy recovery to you.

[Lightningbolt]

Thanks for the additional comments and yes I am healing. I've now been off the crutches for almost two days but the knee is still very tight and tender. It is so nice being able to limp to the mailbox now and perhaps in another week or so I can start easing back into my bicycle work outs, but until then yes, I will remain so envious of Mel and the like!

I know that it's not a greenman but since I made it from the same chunk of sourwood scrap I thought that I'd just post my new attempt at a sunflower here. I guess that it only took about an hour and a half to finish but I enjoyed every minute of carving it.

Sunflowers are my favorite flower and eventhough the neighbors think I'm crazy, I plant a very long row of them across the front of my house that is facing directly south and I swear that they lower the temperature inside by 10 degrees. Plus I have plenty of seed to eat for the winter.

Ok, I've got enough of the old sourwood stick left to do about three more little mini carvings so I'm already digging for another idea. I'll probably do another greenman or two since I'll be needing some gifts pretty soon.

[Mottles]

Dave, wonderful work I'm always so amazed at your carving range of subjects and how you find the time with teaching and all. You Rock!
Kathy

[Ron T]

Hi Dave,

Another wonderful little carving and so fast. Let's slow down the carving and hurry up the healing. Well, maybe it doesn't work that way but take care and get better soon.

[Merle Rice]

Hi Dave, Great Carving and Pattern. I like it . Thanks Merle

[Lightningbolt]

Thanks Kathy, Ron, and Merle. After recovering enough from "the accident" to get back to work, unfortunately management (and me) agreed that I was still too wobbly to ensure safety in the woodshop class so I've been on the most boring lite-duty that you can imagine... boring office work and helping to administer state testing. I'm definitely an "in the field" person and believe that I'll be able to open class up again this Tuesday. The kids are about as anxious from wood-working-carving withdrawal as I am so I can't wait to get back to doing what I do best!

Well, since I'm somewhat on a roll I ended up sitting up late last night finishing my third little mini sourwood scrap carving and this time it's a cute little teddy bear. I thought that the face somewhat resembled that of a cougar and wish that I'd made it a little wider/rounder but oh well, I still think that he'll pass inspection.

I made the eyes and nose from my round eye punches and as usual, used thinned acrylic paints. Between layers of spray acrylic sealer I put on a base coat of raw sienna then burnt umber until I got the tone I wanted. I also lightly sanded with 220 grit paper, like I do my woodspirit walking sticks, to give it that wonderful carved and weathered look. I used a light peachy flesh for the bottom paws to contrast better with the darker fur. I tried black first but that just barely showed up and I wanted the paws to be a focal point since that contributes to probably 80% of the cute factor.

Now I've got only two chunks of the sourwood scrap left so let me get back to the drawing board before I run outta time!