Selkie

Before you go too crazy sanding check to see if it's real wood or MDF. Wearing a mask while sanding is especially important if it's MDF.

I have the weirdest time with hostas. I have several varieties and some do great and others don't. At the end of my front walk - one side grows like crazy and spreads where it doesn't belong, 2 feet away on the other side it is spindly and pathetic. I keep transplanting from the "good" side to the bad side but it never changes. I think there has got to be something different with the amount of sun or water drainage or dirt composition or something. Weird !!

Lots of sketching for me. I always have sketch books around me for everything. After being somewhat satisfied, I used colored pencils to draw them in a more RL color version. Then I might make a cardboard or foamcore version but not always. I always draw on both sides of the wood before cutting to be sure I like the end result on the actual piece. I usually photograph it before cutting too. Somehow the pictures show me the problems that my eyes miss just looking at it.

I'm sure it can become meditative as well, once you get a system and rhythm going. Will be interested to see when you have it completed.

Welcome. As was mentioned, we are a bunch of enablers and we love eye candy. As soon as you have 5 posts, you are eligible to begin albums and share your progress. Thanks for posting your Westville. I have one waiting patiently in the wings.

Quite lovely Karin. Looks difficult to keep track of visually.

Welcome home again. Glad you came back.

Oh, we are gardeners too. Last year was not our best year - poor crop yield for some reason. We were in good company cuz others in our same area had slimmer pickin's too. We do lots of veggies - esp. tomatoes - big and little- yellow, orange, and red, sweet peppers -red and green, cukes, lettuce, cabbage, and I'm big into growing herbs. Love fresh herbs and then I dry my own for winter use. We also grow lavender, lots of roses, hydrangeas, daffodil, lilacs, peonies, black eye Susan, marigolds by the trillions - use them for pest control too plus the kiddos grow all kinds of potted plants and flowering annuals to cut and take to the fair. It's way too early for planting - even starting the tomato seeds - they'd be too big and spindly before they could be transplanted outside. Have to wait another month for that.

Congratulations - we knew you could do it !!!

Congratulations on the birth of your new grandson. Prayers for his complete healing and future good health. Prayers also for the whole family for peace and comfort.

Some folks prefer to seal it with a clear poly first to aid in the process. Others prime it with paint first. Are you having a specific issue with the entire piece such as warping? If so, sealing both sides and then weighting it should help.

Um-m-m? Uh-oh ... Are these poor little folks going to shiver in the cold or do they live in a tropical climate? tee hee hee

Ah yes, thank you holly. Here is the link to the thread he had going about his ships. Scroll all the way through because there are wonderful pictures of his work throughout.

I just got mine 2 years ago brand new and straight from the GL website so maybe they are just out of them right now.