Two events collided in the late summer/early fall of 2018 resulting in more Christmas gifts. After the large amount of work I experience the year before, I still wasn't that excited about making a bunch of handmade gifts. The local school/church was going to have a Holiday Boutique. My wife wanted us to have a booth. She really wanted for me to make crosses with inlay. I had want to try inlay, which I knew I could get from the local Woodcraft or Rockler. Also, I had some scrap quarter sawn white oak that wasn't big enough for a project put perfect for making crosses.
At this point, I was three years into woodworking and I was starting to have a collection of items I had made (Paul Sellers style clocks, simple tool carriers, etc). When I first made these items, they felt like children. How could I ever part with them. After having made a bunch of items, I felt ok. Plus, whatever was left over would make good gifts for the family.
Figure 1. The inlay crosses.
After making a few, I discovered it was easiest to run the groove, then cut to width then length and add the inlay. I then planed smooth, cut a half law and assembeled them with glue. Finish was my go to: several coats shellac, remove nibs with sandpaper, few more coats shellac. Then wax via 0000 steel wool. They came out nicer than I would have expected. My wife loved them and I let her pick out whichever one she wanted. Happy wife, happy life.
As for the show itself, my wife decorated the table, bought some other items to sell. I felt happy and that we looked "professional." As for the show itself. It wasn't well attended. It wasn't advertised very well and at the very last minute it was moved. I was a bit disappointed about this but not too much. Whatever was leftover would be family gifts so I was finished early this year. I did sell one of my Paul Sellers clocks. I was over the moon happy to have sold my first piece. It was bought by another family I know well at the school. All is all I was happy.
Figure 2 Our table at the show
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