Happy New Year

No resolutions. No new promises to keep. It's a little bit liberating! Makes me actually want to accomplish more.

Happy 2010 to you! Glad you made it this far. I, for one, am looking forward to the new decade. Lots of new adventures to be had. People to see, places to go. That sort of thing.

I finished these up a couple days after ringing in the new year.




I've been spending more time in the shop too. I love that! Next mission, while still making knives, glass, sheaths and such, is to clean the shop out and make it an even better space to work in.

Gotta run for now. But will be back soon.

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2009

As 2009 comes to a close, I look back at a great many things with a sense of wonder. My little ones are getting bigger and bigger each day. Sometimes right in front of my eyes! The Boyo lost his first tooth about a week ago. Sweet Pea continues to expand her vocabulary. They are both happy and healthy and wonderful. I've got a wife who loves me for all of my faults and an extended family on both sides that I love spending time with when the opportunity arises.

I've had some good adventures this past year, and even got to the Island.

There have been some miserably rough calls at work, but that is to be expected as a Paramedic. And they have all taught me a thing or two about being thankful for the health of my own family.

My little business continues to grow, and for the first time this year my knife building "hobby" was self supportive financially.

There were some low times, some setbacks, and some trials and tribulations. But such is life.

Happy New Year to you all. May 2010 be that many times more wonderful than the last year!

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That was Different

Just sold my first knives on the Etsy website! It's a little like eBay, but for handmade or vintage items only, so I'm not competing with the factory made knives or the much cheaper production knives from third world countries that are imported over here for resale.

I sold these two.

The Red Fox


The Cherokee


As usual, I am little sad to see them go because I like them so much. But their sale means I have some more cash to buy more supplies for more knives! Etsy seems like a good outlet for some of my stuff. Listing prices are decent and they don't gouge on commission like eBay does. I also like Etsy because they let me call mammoth tooth...mammoth tooth! Unlike eBay that forbids the sale of mammoth tooth because it comes from "endangered species". Of course, eBay has a little wider customer base, so I'll keep listing there as well.

Also, today I made my first "jewelry piece" from some scrap mammoth tooth. Take a peek.

It beats just throwing away the scraps, and maybe I can start selling them too!

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Snowday!

The Boyo just finished the first snow day of his scholastic career! And it was a doozy! We had a huge blizzard slam into us, dumping tons of snow. I don't know who calculates it, or how. But we've got over a foot in our yard where there was withered grass yesterday.

The morning began with all of us snug in our beds. The phone rang as the missus and me were stirring. It was a dear friend calling for assistance. Her car was stuck in an unplowed road. I started to gear up for a winter rescue mission. My first thought upon opening the door to warm up our vehicle was that the clouds had vomited up too much snow. It was just over knee deep as I waded out to start up our Highlander. The wind was really whipping and drifting the snow in great mounds against whatever it could hit.

By the time I had shoveled that off and scraped the windows, our friend had already received a ride to work. So we made plans to try and extricate her car after her shift. I figured that as long as I was all dressed warmly, I'd get the snowblower going and take a crack at the driveway. It started up like a champ, and soon I was plowing away. The snow was so deep that I had to take it off in two layers! Fortunately it was very light and fluffy. But it still took twice as long. By the time the drive was clear, I had ice hanging from my beard, and my glasses were literally iced over from the fine, misty snow landing on the warm lenses.

The dogs were released to romp and play in the snow. I don't think Holly remembered snow, as she spent a great deal of time leaping through it and burrowing under it, trying to figure out how it worked. I tried playing fetch with her using a snowball, and she always ran right to the hole made by the little snowy orb. But she never did retrieve any.

The children awoke and we had a great day getting started on making Christmas presents and watching movies and lots of play, play, play!

We finished the day with a warm Mac & Cheese supper and toffee bars made by the Wife last night. The wind has died down a bit, leaving our back wall nearly encapsulated.

Happy Blizzard everyone! I guess we'll have a white Christmas after all!



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Few and Far Between

Seems like I am just not posting like I used to. There are a few reasons for this. The loaner computer has been giving me fits trying to figure it out. I do not transition well between Mac and PC! I miss my right click option!

I have also been spending an obscene amount of time trying to sell knives on eBay. First it didn't recognize the computer, which took a day or two to sort out. Then it wouldn't let me past certain checkpoints in the listing process. I have no idea why. But finally tonight I found the circuitous path that let me list them, and I got four knives listed for sale.

Speaking of time eaters. Did I mention I love my shop time? I spend lots of time out there, and usually come back with something awesome. Less blog time though.

And of course, there are the two adorable kiddos that take a little time, too! The Boyo is off to school in the mornings, giving me ample Sweet Pea time. Then she goes down for a nap when the Boyo returns. And he is a wall of sound for the afternoons. Then comes dinner, bedtime routines, and by the time I get some time, well, my body tells me it's time to hit the rack!

Right now. the Boyo is in the shower (calling for me to come and get him out) So, I had time for this short post.

They may be few and far between, and I do want to get back here a bit more this month. But in case I don't - Happy Holidays!

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Island Adventure

Dad and I recently returned from an adventure at the Island. It was a gift from the Wife to get away from everything for a few days and relax and recharge up there. If there was ever any doubt as to the beauty of the place, I humbly submit the following pictures as testimony, as no words I could write would do the place justice.

The Island late at night.


Drifting in a sea of stars.


Sheltered in the firelight.


All the dreams we have are ours.


There is magic in this place.


And we are never far apart.


On the Island of my heart.



We also played Robin hood a bit. This is dad shooting.


His hits


My shooting.


and my hits.


The water has dropped quite a bit, making circumnavigation of the Island on the shoreline a possibility.


It wasn't easy. But it was done!

All in all, a great time. I brought home some rocks and giant lightsticks for the kiddos. It was like a little Jedi training camp in our house for the night. Sweet Pea definately had the Darth Maul style going... our little Sith Lord in Training. And the Boyo had no trouble imagining up some dragons to battle.




Also great fun! Best part of coming home is seeing the little smiling faces so happy to see my return!

I am recharged and relaxed a bit more than I was. Thank you Wife. And thanks to Dad for going on the adventure. The days weren't bad weather wise, and after the rear end clenching cold of the first night, the nights weren't too cold either. It was a fun, November visit to the Island, and we have tentative plans to go back after the snow has fallen to try and get some winter shots.

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Happy Bithday to the Wife

Celebrating the birth of the woman I love. Mother of my children. Patient and kind. Funny, smart, and amazingly in love with me!

I am so glad she was born.

Tell you about the day later, too much to do right now!

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