tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48051167179198648252011-11-27T17:27:05.053-08:00This blog is to journal my adventures and hopefully progress into my new found pursuit. I have found a lifelong hobby and have so many different carving genres that I want to delve into. Join me in my travels, and as always, thanks for stopping by!Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.comBlogger231100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-42295697916968744532010-11-01T01:15:00.000-07:002010-11-01T01:15:59.300-07:00

My Dad turned 76 this past September and as is now getting to be tradition, I carve a gift for him. One of my fondest memories of Dad is his love of the outdoors.  Dad is a fisherman, hunter, golfer and anything else he can do outside the confines of anything man made. Dad taught myself and my 5 brothers how to hunt pheasants from the farm-fields of Mid Michigan.  Dad first met Mom as a young

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-88676703914951504702010-10-31T18:38:00.000-07:002010-10-31T19:26:38.070-07:00

Cottonwood Bark Wood Spirit "It goes by several names: Wood Spirit, Wild Man, Savage Man, Woodwose. Whatever you call it, the next time you are strolling through the woods, keep an eye out for one of these elusive creatures. Most often glimpsed as a green man with leaves for his beard and hair, the Wood Spirit is said to be Lord of the Forest and Natural Things. Seeing one is said to be quite a

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-73019459570258668482010-08-15T08:59:00.000-07:002010-08-15T08:59:22.313-07:00

I am trying out a new style of wood carving called "Flat Plane" carving. It is an old Scandinavian style of carving that had pretty much died but was revived by an American carver Harley Refsal and championed by Gene Messer. Gene is a well known member of the www.woodcarvingillustrated.com forum and has amazing tutorials on this style of carving on YouTube (he is "Whittler0507" - look him up!).

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-55859356043040242622010-07-21T03:22:00.000-07:002010-07-21T03:27:01.616-07:00

This carving was originally slated to be gifted to my brother  for his  home office as he loves to fish. As some of you may experience, I  could be carving Mount Rushmore out of Limburger cheese and she’d be oblivious as to ‘what’s on the bench’. I was nearing completion when the wife walked  by and noticed the carving.   She loved it!  She didn’t want me to paint it so the detail of the piece

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-46328704207848433552010-06-07T14:38:00.000-07:002010-06-07T14:38:25.175-07:00

This was a point when I wondered if I bit off more than I could chew. My grand plan was to donate (4) golf-ball-in-a-cage busts for the Memorial Youth Golf Outing.. Once I got to carving, I realized that my carving audience was about to expand.  I was concerned that I may not produce a viable product. I pushed that out of my mind and finished the carvings as you see below.  I also donated a

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-44353633958926123862010-05-30T11:30:00.000-07:002010-05-30T11:33:49.173-07:00

Well, it seems to be taking a long time to finish these guys, but they are sharing knife time with a few other projects that I'll be posting soon. What you have here are the four finished busts sitting  on their cages. I've drilled and glued 3/8" dowel into the bottom of the busts so I have something to hold onto while I  paint. The dowel comes in handy later as I will use the dowel again

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-80796359518053323892010-05-22T22:12:00.000-07:002010-05-22T22:12:31.768-07:00

I've seen folks carve golf balls into faces and such and I wanted to give it a shot. Taking the outer shell was a lot pulling that sword thing out of some rock by that knight guy.   After a little bit of swearing, mumbling to myself, mumbling to my 3 year old and finally offering prayers to the good Lord above, the outer shell popped off! The rubber inside is a carvers jackpot! It cuts like

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-55020670219798807802010-05-22T21:51:00.000-07:002010-05-22T23:49:29.961-07:00

 I take my carving tools with me anywhere I go in case a small window opens up whereas I can make some chips fly.  Lunchtime at work, the park while the kids play, family get together when its time to do dishes, you get the point... I came across a Plano tackle box that fits all I need into one case.  The top compartment fits my carving glove, wood I'm carving on, and other stuff I'm forgetting.

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-25788130998149592452010-05-22T21:27:00.000-07:002010-05-22T21:27:21.544-07:00

I caught wind of an online service that provides cheap and even free business cards (you pay the shipping).   Vistaprint.com is the site. I have 500 of these on the way. I really only need 10 or so, but they were on sale!   =0)

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-65466333882991123782010-05-07T21:28:00.000-07:002010-05-07T21:34:04.136-07:00

I found me a bunch of cottonwood bark the other day after much searching. I had about a 3" wide by 6-7" long chunk just harassing me to carve something out of him. Well, here he is.  My first Cottonwood Bark Wood Spirit. My intentions were not to punch holes right through the bark for the eyes and mouth, and will refrain from doing so in the future, but your first is your first. He ain't

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-80225201461227827782010-05-07T16:59:00.000-07:002010-05-16T18:49:22.108-07:00

I had been asked if I was interested in donating a carving or two to an upcoming memorial golf scramble in honor of a good friends family member who had passed.  The event has been going on for some years and folks I work with donate what they can to make the day a success. I decided on donating carvings for the popular contests in a golf scramble: 1.  Closest to the pin.  2.  Longest drive.  

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-13480851443563210602010-04-19T14:55:00.000-07:002010-04-19T14:59:53.799-07:00

I've been doing my fair share of carving caricatures since I started back in August  2009 and while it is a lot of fun, I'm at the point that I'd like to try other things. Wood Spirits have always intrigued me as I view them as a different personality in each chunk of wood, and it take the carver to bring him or her out to the surface. This dude is carved from basswood approximately 3"x3"x8".

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-61905185687127458262010-03-15T01:01:00.000-07:002010-03-15T01:11:49.577-07:00

Well, finally, The moose caricature has been finished! Whew!  I've been extremely busy carving every day on 9 more of this fella for a carving exchange at www.woodcarvingillustrated.com and I will be mailing them tomorrow. This guy wll be a part of the swap. My daughter of 9 is extremely unhappy wih me as she has become attached to this guy.  He's been around so long, he's like family to her

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-18818698832309048472010-01-18T16:14:00.000-08:002010-01-18T16:19:22.565-08:00

 The figure is defined. I am now in the process of putting the hair texture on this bugger. I stopped and took pictures halfway through so you could see the carving in process. You will notice the rear leg looks flat on the back from the moose butt to the hoof.  I won't be putting hair texture there as that will be the spot for my signature.  I'm not sure if I will use permanent marker, or

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-74123955270073842612010-01-17T03:00:00.000-08:002010-01-17T03:00:18.589-08:00

Made some chips fly again last night and this is what I ended up with.  I carved some 'chicklets' (teeth) into his mug and started to define those eyeballs.  Stay tuned and thanks for stopping in!

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-48591460245162944902010-01-15T01:26:00.000-08:002010-01-15T01:29:32.112-08:00

This funny lookin' dude is going to be a moose caricature.  Actually - it'll be 10 moose caricatures. I am in a carving exchange on www.woodcarvingillustrated.com with 9 other folks.  We all carve 10 of somethin - send 9 of 'em out to the other participants, and they send you one in return. It's due in March.  This one is the prototype, so we'll see how it goes. Thanks for stopping in.

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-90788613521353895242010-01-13T15:49:00.000-08:002010-01-13T15:49:13.013-08:00

My sister, Laurie, was kinda bummed when her husband traded away a hand carved ornament of mine that he had won at the Rivet Christmas Chinese Auction 2009. Anyone who does not know what a Chinese Auction is, folks bring either gag, or inexpensive but wanted gifts to the get together, draw numbers and start grabbing gifts and opening them. The rules are basically that the folks who come up in

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-45305763751801295482010-01-13T15:42:00.000-08:002010-01-13T15:42:27.835-08:00

My first cousin, Joni (Walter) Hoyer ran across my carvings on Facebook and made my day with her comments.  She flattered me by asking me if I considered selling some of my work (I haven't - I've just started carving - the bleeding still hasn't stopped....). I told her that I carve for kinfolk for free and asked her what she'd like. Well she chose the style of Santa that I carved for my wife.

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-47848371067441199632010-01-02T06:07:00.000-08:002010-01-02T06:08:05.195-08:00

My mom is very devoted to the Lutheran religion that she raised us all with. For the past many years, she has been gathering a "Fontanini" Nativity set that started with the Holy Family and has since bloomed into an impressive, probably 100 piece set.  The Fontanini is a 4" high figurine set crafted of a plastic/rubber composite that is hand crafted in Italy and is her pride and joy. I know

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-62989609823071948162010-01-02T05:57:00.000-08:002010-01-02T05:57:10.257-08:00

As Christmas approached, the Santa Ornament carving bug took over. My wife asked for a few different ornaments and of course she took precedence, but then I decided to use some carvings as Christmas gifts for others. The first (2) ornaments are gifts for the wife, the 3rd, a gift for my mother in law, the last a gift for the Rivet Family Christmas exchange. Thanks for stopping in.

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-61508468955245902642009-11-18T02:18:00.001-08:002009-11-18T02:46:10.781-08:00

My Dad turned 75 years old this past September. Dad and Mom raised 7 children on a pipefitters wage. One can only imagine the sacrifices that were made to keep 7 kids fed, clothed and directed in the path of contributing adults.Well, Dad and Mom have a hand carved gift coming. These are from the heart and hope to convey to them the gratitude of a job well done.This guy was meant to catch the

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-73754703584423382892009-11-17T05:59:00.000-08:002009-11-17T06:13:22.190-08:00

Being a proud member and fan of www.woodcarvingillustrated.com, I have found inspiration in Mark Akers carvings of a golf ball in a cage.Using his posts as my guide, I came up with this guy.My original intention was to use a golf ball that has the emblem of the company he works for on it, but I couldn't procure one in time to stave off my urge to get this completed.I have another GBIC in the

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4805116717919864825.post-79771200484104898762009-11-17T02:37:00.000-08:002009-11-17T05:59:27.672-08:00

Well, hopefully, the Timberwolf has landed.In pursuit of the perfect blog mechanism, I have dabbled in many of the blog formats and this one seems to fit just about perfects.My name is Bob Rivet. I am a new Wood Carver learning the craft by the school of hard knocks, band-aids, and the support and advice from a wonderful carving forum www.woodcarvingillustrated.comA very neat and giving group of

Timberwolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535501016194302412noreply@blogger.com0