Spring 2013 Pendants

I've created jewelry out of wood for several years now, but at a very sporadic rate. Recently, my wife started an Etsy and online business creating custom jewelry out of metal, resin, wood, paper, and glass. She asked me recently if I might create a line of my own pieces that she could sell in her online store and at her booth at local art and craft festivals.  I've wanted to pick it up again. it's not 'serious' woodworking, but it does work in the medium I love, and it lets me work on small, intensely designed pieces. More importantly, it lets me work on things that are quiet enough that I can finish them without waking a sleeping toddler upstairs.

So the current project is to complete a series of 22 wooden pendants by the Kirkwood Spring Fling Festival. They're made out of hard and silver maple, African mahogany, recovered cherry, apple, chestnut, walnut, and poplar, along with oak and cherry dowels. The basic blanks were cut out back in mid-March. Since then, I've managed to get them all rough shaped, as you can see from the attached initial photos. Next up I need to do final sanding, oil finish and then polyurethane. Once the pendant is completed, I'll drill a hole or two for the bale, and attach lanyards or necklaces, depending on how much we plan to charge for the pieces.

This will be the first time I've attempted to sell these pieces. In the past, after giving them as gifts, I have had lots of suggestions that I try this. But you know how it is about getting to projects you intend to complete. 

My wife's business, by the way, is called Mindfulness Designs, and I am very impressed with her design work. I really do believe that I would say that even if she weren't my wife. I truly like her designs.  Check 'em out if you feel like it. . .