Shelf Elf? Santa? Oh! Whatever!

Eddy Smiles · #1 11-12-2007, 04:54 PM

In September I took the wife over to the Nawger Knob Fall Festival in Townsend and after doing my duty by escorting her around the arts and craft exhibits I made my escape to the Smoky Mountain Woodcarver's shop. I had a small list of things that I wanted to get along with enough wood to last me until my spring trip, if not next Fall.

On checking out I spotted a pile of Hmph!!!!! Carving Magazines and since I needed something to read back at the cabin I picked one up. I went to the checkout counter and a nice young fella started ringing me out. When he came to the magazine he took it aside and wrote something in it. At the time I was in too much of a hurry to wonder what he wrote or even worry about him writing in it at all. My wife was patiently waiting for me on the porch, she was starved, so getting checked out and on my way was all that I had on mind.

When I got back to the cabin and opened the magazine I realized that the gentleman checking me out was Allen Goodman and it was his "Shelf Elf" article that he had autographed. I've since dropped him a line and thanked him for his courtesy and apologized for my ignorance. Had I not been in such a dad-gum hurry I would have liked to talk with him a spell. But then again, the shop was pretty busy that day.

So, since Mr. Goodman went to the trouble of autographing my copy I figured that it was only right that I try my hand at his creation. I used a piece of empress wood that I had left over from another project but I should have used basswood. It would have taken the detail a lot better. However, for a first try I'm fairly satisfied with how it came out. It's 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" x 6-1/2". At the last minute I decided to make it a Santa Claus so I added a small basswood pom-pom that I carved for Santa's tassel. It's glued on with Titebond.

Mama already has it on the livingroom bookcase and it's not even Thanksgiving yet!

tucker1931 · #2 11-12-2007, 05:54 PM

Eddie, dang, to bad ya didn't get to talk to such a talented guy. I rec'd an email from him today. I got a copy of his DVD on carving a spirit on a walkin stick, sent him a thank you email and by golly, he took a moment to email me back and gave me a big "get 'er done" that's red neck talk, one to another for sure.
Cliff

gene messer · #3 11-13-2007, 04:03 AM

Eddy .. Thats a great looking self santa .. Those are so fun to do ..

I wanted to go to the Fall Festival this year but couldnt make it .. I just sent Beth two small Santas look at for this christmas ..

Great job Eddy ..

gene

Joy · #4 11-13-2007, 06:22 AM

Dang it! What a missed opportunity! But at least you got a a cute Santa for the wife. Nice job.

tnartist05 · #5 11-13-2007, 08:17 AM

Mac Proffit{always wears his green hillbilly hat,hes from Nawger Nob also} stopped in my booth at the Iris festvial this past spring in Greeneville Tn. Hes a nice guy. Your shelf santa looks good Ed,your painting made him a jolly olde fella. Good job Ed, Forrest

Banjo · #6 11-13-2007, 10:25 AM

Eddy, great looking self Santa! I have always wanted to try one of those. They look like fun.

Eddy Smiles · #7 11-13-2007, 04:33 PM

Thanks guys and gals! Today I had the opportunity to improve on one of the facets of the carving that I wasn't entirely satisfied with..... the beard. I do a lot of reading and I diligently go over every page of WCI but I think that my brain must be mis-wired because I have the hardest time taking what I see and converting it to what I do. My woodspirit bears are a great example followed by the eyes, nose, mouths.... oh %$&#@! Just about everything! But today one of the guys at our Tuesday morning workshop brought in a bunch of shelf elf blanks that he'd cut out of scrap wood and spent about a half hour showing me how to carve beards. Then I went ahead on my own and finished the one that he started and then did one myself. There's nothing like one on one hands on help! I've still got a couple of blanks left and this week will try to duplicate my efforts. Like we say in the martial arts....it takes doing something a thousand times before the old muscle memory kicks in!

chpster90bu · #8 11-13-2007, 09:18 PM

Eddy, your shelf elf Santa is adorable! Too bad you missed talking to Alan....what a great guy, and extremely talented to boot. Cut my hand bad in the one and only class I took, about a year ago. He patched me up good, sent me back to class, and was always there to help in one way or another. As a matter of fact, I just received a couple of those lil' blanks today to try my hand at. Keep up the good work! Bonnie