(at the workbench) : a new place for a blog...

a little announcement: I've moved my blog over to Wordpress. You can find it over here:   a beautiful new home for my blog here!

(at the workbench) - i will follow

I love unexpected discovery (especially happy ones like this) and how old unwanted, forgotten thing can find a new home in a different time...

in a nondescript box, a collection of what must have been the much loved work of an avid naturalist, I came across the tracks of many a wild animal careful cast ....

perhaps on many a quiet, still morning, their hidden travels were in this way recorded to be saved for future times. What could have been an ephemeral moment has turned into a careful study of woodland creatures native to these parts.

I imagine now, that I am following in their tracks. They are more silent than i can ever be and this tiny muskrat's paw nearly missed from my sight is no longer.

And in a rare moment, I can now see this badger's menacing claws from a safe distance and find a place in our nature corner...

 how strange to think the foot steps of a mountain lion can find its place among  all the things we find and gather on our very own walks through the years...

ps. I have made several sets available through my workshop here ... among the tracks available (many of which are available as front hind print sets) are: antelope, elk, mountain lion, muskrat, spotted skunk, weasel, badger, cottontail and jack rabbit and of course mr badger!

(at the workbench)- friendly

we are slowly settling into a summer pace and i still can't belief my child will be entering high school at summer's end...while my daughter with all the changing interests that go along with moving towards becoming a grown person and a little by little, reluctantly giving up those very, dear parts of childhood.



it has been a while since i've worked on new designs for the littlest ones, but this past week i'm so happy to have worked on these friendly teething toys. please meet a bright-eyed kitty and and a some what bashful, blushing bear... (psst: the puppy is still waiting for the wood-burned details that will bring out is sweet little nose!)

hope you all have a great week and thanks for stopping by!

(at the workbench) - the aunties come to visit

Just a picture or two of the visiting aunties and uncle. Peter and Lotte are always happy to see them  ,looking forward to all the adventures the day ahead will hold.


It was very special for me to have this extended, happy family working their way through my workbench. As a custom order,  I can't help wondering what sort of days they are having in their new home.

Ps:  I've just listed another set here just in case you have some of your own ideas how they might spend the day with you. :)

(at the workbench) - the forest forager

i've been trying to think of a good way to say thank you for all the kind words and support i've received over the years and have decided to have my first giveaway! this time around i'll be hosting it on my instagram account with this sweet little collection of forest-inspired goodies. you can find all the details on how to enter over there, but please just let me know if i can help with any questions! :) happy spring!

(at the workbench) : inside blueberry land

i am thinking of those long days of summer to come,

a quiet observer is very likely to spy the cranberry and blueberry folk at work. and there are many things you might never have known about this little folks otherwise ...

and like the forest families, they are a very busy folk. live is very good in blueberry land!

I'm so happy to have to have made their acquaintance...

 hope you have a beautiful week!

(at the workbench) - small beginnings

it's true, people do not hibernate... but in some ways, maybe they do. right now more than ever it feels  so much like waking from a dream.





the past six months have been covered in a snow blanket, that only just now is being pulled back to show the sleepy earth getting ready to wake.  strange how much lighter i feel as it all melt away...


this year more than any other spring was seeming that bit always out of reach, but now we really are nearly there ...

and the raised garden beds have surfaced and it's rain instead of snow falling softly today ...

(at the workbench) - toadstools and other fairytales

still waiting for spring here, maybe you are too? i don't know how it's always something of  a revelation when the snow and ice melt away to see the earth below again. as if i landed on a completely different world... so as the waiting,  the starts and stops of this current ice age ever slowly move us towards spring,   here's a little peek of some work in progress.





















i am imaging all the little things yet to be an unearthed when mud season really returns, when the river's waters begin to roar and rush and when our silent part of the world turns wild again with the sound of the returning birds and wildlife.


with this set of toadstools, i've decided to make them into pendants like the one above and think i just might make a few other pretty little wild things while i'm at it!

(at the workbench) - mycology

almost there.  out of this very deep and snowy-white winter hibernation...eager to discover what's been hidden below the surface.... ready to emerge ....

here are some nature studies I've been working on this past week. almost wild grown morel mushrooms that have sprouted up from my workbench...with still a few more that are yet to appear out in the coming days ....

(at this workbench) - dala

oh how this time of year has so many hidden surprises ... so very many we could hardly even expect to come our way. these little dala horses are finally in process on my workbench this week after more than a week and half of "surprise" repairs to quite an essential shop tool...

so we make our way like the falling leaves blown in the fury of strong north wind to find our place through these busy times!  they'll be more to come soon, hope you all have a wonderful week!

PS: they're done ... so thought I'd share another quick peek!

(at the workbench) - they grew like toadstools

who's to say where the children will find themselves today?

a forest makes a most wonderful playground for tom, harriet, sam and daisy

as "Children of the Forest" everyday brings them to some unknown adventure, but today what will it be ?

ps...  should the north winds blow, they're now ready for that too! ... such resourceful children I'd say. :) 

Have a wonderful weekend! 

(at the workbench) - amulet

something new/new i've been working on alongside my rock collection: amulets....

made from some beautiful off-cuts from other projects on my workbench... in native cherry, walnut and maple



wooden crystals and minerals, hand-sawn, faceted, sanded and polished smooth like any gemstone ...  (a few other pretty piece that will be coming along soon as well!)

(at the workbench) - rock collection

this is what's new this week:

lots and lots of new wooden crystals, minerals and rocks for your rock collections... they're all handmade from native cherry, walnut, maple, butternut and basswood, as well as, reclaimed mahogany (and a few other beautiful wood species I've been fortunate enough to come across!) ... they're individually hand-sawn, facetted, fine sanded and finally finished and protected with my shop blend of pure beeswax wood polish

i've put together several different sets in my shop today ...you can find the newest rock collections here ... happy weekend!!!

(at the workbench) - hardworking forest men

our family is so very tiny (my daughter and myself), but the forest families are not so much so ... let me introduce you to forest papa who has just arrived to join forest mama and  elsa beskow's "children of the forest"

 and a resourceful forest gnome and jack frost ... who have just appeared from deep in the woods to make their way to wintry places in the southern hemisphere....

 and mr acorn who also joins he's family after his long day at work ....






















































there may just be a few more additions before the week is through! And very happy summer or winter as the case may be!:)