[Kenny_S]

Tom, You have come a long way from the start of your carving venture. Great minis. I like them. I do wonder how you keep from cutting your fingers off with suchsmall carvings?
No matter, Great carvings.

[Keoma]

Fantastic, just plain fantastic! I think the reason my "Studio" is such a wreck all the time is because I never throw away small pieces either! I love the tiny stuff! You have done such a great job! I can see hooks in these and earring wires...such sweet little treasures! Congratulations!

[Keoma]

OMG...Ha HA HA...just checked out your flicker page! Great earrings!!! I adore the wizard gnome reading by the toadstools and the morrell man is amazing! I do adore the firetruck! Great great pictures! They are so inspiring!

[Tom H]

Thanks for the kinds words;
Keoma: thanks for peekin at the other stuff I try to do.
Kenny: you are really right when you say I've come a "fur piece"" But I still have "fur piece" to go.
Jim OH, Corey, Forrest, Steve, Claude, windsong, and Gene: thanks, the big secret is that I cannot carve eyes. When you do the really small heads, there's no room for the eyes. Hee Hee!
Cliff, sometimes I use the pin backs that Claude mentioned. But this time I had a sheet of 3/4 inch little wood clothes pins.

Thanks again folks for the kind words. For those who are new to carving and new to this board, take notice! Sometimes it's the kind words even when they are not really deserved that help a new carver stay motivated to keep on practicing.

Tom H

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Originally Posted by Claude

Excellent carvings, Tom!

Tucker: They're called Pin Bars and are available at Michaels Craft Stores here in the US - most craft stores should carry them. Here's a couple photos:
http://www.michaels.com/art/online/d...ductNum=bd0561

Claude

You can get those at wallyworld too

[squbrigg]

Tom man, you're doing great work. No such thing as scraps! But I have to warn you, you're headed down a dark path!!! LOL

I am also aflicted with that terrible, cureless, condition ........"don't throw it out cause I can carve something out of it-itis!". The symptoms aren't bad at first, you see small carving features in bits of left over wood, from projects you've been working on. Then it progresses to seeing images in all sorts of woods, large and small, so you beging to save those pieces, even organize them in left over boxes. ( I swear those boxes multiply by themselves, in the dark. ) Soon your space is overwhelmed with boxes of wood scraps, of all shapes, sizes, and species. You do use them, but as much as you carve, they still multiply. Soon , others hear of your afliction, and instead of helping, they send you their scraps!!! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Please, be on the look out for symptoms! Before it's too late and you begin to carve smaller and smaller pieces. Save yourself!!!

Bob

[Thomp]

tom,

you got the nack,
ill look for that microscope around here so you can carve the leftover chips...

[Kenny_S]

Don't give Tom any ideas. Me thinks he would try it and do a great job of it.

[Tom H]

Shoot Kenny! That's bout all that's left in my head - is ideas. And not nearly enough time to do them. I have, however discovered that it is much more difficult to paint the tiny carvings, than to carve them. I also have learned that it's probably best to do the tiny stuff the first thing in the morning. Tired eyes and hands at night just don't cut it. Well, to be more accurate; tired hands cut everything. Tired hands shake a wee bit too.

Here's my best stab at painting the tiny stuff. If I do more of this I can spend the money saved on wood to buy better brushes.

Thanks for lookin! Tom H

[Merle Rice]

Hi Tom, Great little carvings. You have got to have great eyes to carve that small. Plus steady hands. Merle