In the heraldic tradition, we’ve completed a family crest in a wood cut design on spruce. Read more here…
This is not a shield, as the armor version would include iron strapping and bolts, as well as hand grip and sleeve. Check back for that one soon.
After the edges were flamed, the design had a brisk resand with 100 grit to blur any soot and scuff up the chisel marks. The finish is a mix of Prairie Bench Storybook with a lot of mineral spirits, 3 to 1. This gives a dirty, aged colour and brings out the grey tones.
A diluted mix of International Red was painted on the lion and the rear flag. Then the crest received several coats of poly, but not too much because the dry look adds to the age.
A heavy gauge picture wire is connected to a bracket then screwed to the rear for hanging .
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Approx size: 32″x21″ with 5% curve. Spruce finished in polyurethane.
In the age old tradition of carving family crests on thick wooden shields, we did our own. It’s a representation of a lion on a field of leaves.
Our carver created a fine line etching and finished the work with a custom frame holder. The crest is made out of a few select pieces of fine grain spruce and the holder is fir. Spruce is a softer wood but quite strong and pleasant to carve and whittle. A light stain of mixed antiquing oils was used to penetrate the etching and darken the lines. The piece is soaked in linseed oil and cured to a hard finish. (If you are working with oils, remember to place the rags in a sealed metal container or they might spontaneously ignite. Or hang them outside to dry.)
A retired furniture manufacturer from the UK saw this piece and pronounced it definitely guild quality. We don’t know about all that, but humbled considering we are just whittling out back.
Approximate size: 31″ x 21″ x 1.5″ thick with a 5% curve.
As it is Friday the thirteenth, we agreed tonight would be a wonderful time to test out our cedar scrying bowl and see if we could catch a glimpse of the future.
There was a half moon tonight and we got some reflection photos with the bowl filled with water. That wee white light is the moon through our dusty shop camera. And yes you could see stars in the scrying bowl. Also, an interesting phenomenon happens: Once you catch a star’s reflection in the bowl, slowly move away and the image appears to magnify. As our distance from the bowl increased, the reflection grew visibly larger. The basin depth is quite shallow, yet it held almost a liter of water before trickling over the edge. With the surface so polished, the water held together like mercury. Candle light illuminated the meniscus (the surface edge where water meets solid) with a striking red tone.
Did we see the future? If so, the future looked a lot like the now. It was a very interesting trial of an ancient wooden invention. Nostradamus should have published a manual. Now we need to find a home for the scrying bowl, or somewhere to be enjoyed. Maybe in a forest glade?
This project all started with a large sheet of beveled glass we found at a garage sale. The vision was a glass topped bistro table that would become a fun entertainment area on a patio or in a lounge.
Four randomly sized moon footstools complete the arrangement.
The table is approximately 32″ x 32″ and just over coffee table height, about 25″ tall. The frame and wood slats are all reclaimed spruce and stained in our Storybook dark walnut. The main box contains an interior shelf and a trap door. The glass top and frame are hinged to lift up and expose the display inside.
Sand, collectibles, flower arrangements, dishes, or memorabilia display beneath the glass surface. The framed glass lifts on a piano hinge to arrange the display. This is a prototype design and we are quite pleased with the result.
A local tug operator claimed an ancient cedar burl from the Fraser River. He passed it on to Prairie Bench with the wish that we “do something creative.” That’s a fun request.
The cedar burl was marred with saw cuts and completely waterlogged. Immediately we sanded the cut edge smooth and soaked it in poly, leaving the bark and outside exposed. Then it sat under cover in a big plant stand for a year. This week was the time when the stars aligned to create a scrying bowl. Nostradamus is purported to have used one making predictions.
The goal for us was to create a large, shallow basin supported by a cauldron style tripod. An ash tree dropped us a ‘rowan’ branch and we dried this as well. The legs were a complex puzzle. Three legs, interwoven that would support the weight of the large burl. We added a cedar leg which conformed to the bends of the two rowan legs.
The base was cinched in an arrangement which locked together naturally, then we drilled holes and tacked the legs together with hazelnut dowel.
Rowan limbs interwoven with a cedar limb create a tripod
We’re after that goblet shape that has the natural look of a bird’s nest or antlers. With three legs it should look like a cauldron.
Meanwhile, the dry cedar burl was resanded (during this sanding, the bowl was ground out to its final shape and depth), any slivers whittled off, and the entire burl was soaked in poly. This wrapped and preserved the wood in an airtight shell for future generations. If someone doesn’t like polyurethane, it can easily be sanded off and natural oils can be applied. For now, the wood is saved.
We were able to unlock some of the beautiful quilting effect within the burl.
The burl was suspended by a crane on the back of our trusty bush truck and the limbs were ground down to receive the large basin. After the scrying bowl was leveled by our Royal Leveler, we made final adjustments to the position and any rough edges were whittled down.
The large burl is lowered by crane and eased into its cradle
Ready to receive
Royal leveler approves
The scrying bowl has landed
The dogwood tree in the background demonstrates balance in design. Hopefully our cedar scrying bowl comes close.
The result is a 200 year old cedar burl that floated down river suspended by rowan branches that dropped from a tree. No nails or screws were used, just glue, dowels and pressure. This was a complex project but the finished piece is beautiful and unique. It has a home, but will make the rounds for show and tell.
How does a scrying bowl work? Pour spring water into the basin outdoors at night and behold the reflection of the stars as you gaze into the bowl. Some say you can see the future. Check back we’ll post some pics of the bowl in use and provide the final measurements.
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