Thinking about Christmas!

[David Carroll]

I enjoy both the build-alongs, Derek's, Steve's, and Mike's, as well as the tool discussions. I most often post in the tool discussions. I would love to do a build-along of one of my projects, but these days, my building is all related to home renovation (I bought an old home in the early days of the pandemic and to call it a fixer-upper would be an inexcusable aggrandizement). But I do take time each Christmas to make my Grandchildren toys for their presents.

It's fun to watch the kids play with real toys that aren't merchandized, marketed, battery-operated plastic objects that will be played with for a day then broken and thrown away before the next Christmas comes around.

I'm still a couple of years away from retirement, but assuming I make it to retirement, I hope to have more time for building furniture and other things.

So here in the heat of summer my mind is going to what I might build for the grandchildren this year. They are 5, 4, and 1 years old. The baby will get his name carved into these "Building Blocks" that I have made for every baby in the family since I came up with the idea 30 years ago. Here are some old ones.

Blocks.jpg

I made these as prototypes and sold them at craft fairs back before my oldest boy was born. I never made much money at it, making them all by hand, but people did like them, they sold well, considering the time spent making them I lost money on each and couldn't make it up in volume.

Last year I made the kids Hobby-horses, except their favorite animals were elephants and giraffes, so..

Giraffe.jpgElephant.jpg

The year before that I made a "Jumping Jack" I've made several versions of those over the years. My grand-daughter wanted one that was an owl, so she got it!

Owl.JPG

So here's a few things that I've made over the years. I also make a dozen or more Christmas ornaments, original designs, every year. I used to carve them all, but that became too much work, now I carve one, then make a silicone mold and cast them in polymer, then paint and finish as usual.

ornaments.jpg

Here's last year's and some from the year before that I gave to folks who were recently added to the list.

Does anybody know why these pictures post upside down or sideways? They seem to open correctly. I must say that adding pictures to this site is very cumbersome and more than once I've just given up.

So, what do you all do for Christmas presents?

DC

[Edward Weber]

Those all look great.
Typically I make ornaments like these
3Orn (1277 x 935).jpg

I need to get started up for this year

[David Carroll]

Those are beautiful!

I know! Usually I'm in a mad rush between Thanksgiving and Christmas to get it all done and it robs some of the joy. This year I will get an earlier start!**

**I say this every year.

DC

[Edward Weber]

They say Christmas comes the same time every year but I'm not so sure. Why do I always seem to have less and less time to make gifts?

[Jim Koepke]

Many years ago some of my ornaments were simply small blocks of wood wrapped in various wrapping paper. A ribbon and bow would be added. A very small eye hook was used to hang on the tree. Red foil paper looks nice. We still have and use a few of them.

The year he was born a rattle was made for my youngest grandson, who is now 15 years old.

Rattle.jpg

The rattle survived him and his two younger sisters shaking and chewing.

For some of the older children wands were made.

Three Wands.jpg

For a couple other grandchildren wooden train engines were made.

Train Engines.jpg

One year Candy went down to visit and took a wooden spoon with her for one of the daughters. Everyone liked it so much, that year everyone got a spoon.

Owl Spoon.jpg

Some had carving.

jtk