santa Buddy

Grandpa Buddy a.k.a. Santa was busy in the work shop for a few days before Christmas. We were all banned from going inside, and even when he left for a few hours he put a sign on the door.

He had googled wooden quilt designs and came across this beautiful Tumblin Blocks pattern made with different colors of wood (no stain), the light is pine (the knotty pine from our recent bedroom redo), there is oak, cedar, and walnut. The pieces all fit together perfectly, much better than if I made this pattern with fabric!  It is an optical illusion - do you see the 3-D tumbling blocks or do you see the star? 

the crafting gene

hand painted coasters by Sarah

everyone knows granma Susan's favorite things: quilt squares

 love these hand painted coasters in bright colors!

The kids and grandkids are all being so crafty this Christmas! Making gifts instead of buying - maybe because it is much less expensive? do they know the handmade gifts are often more appreciated? For us, seeing the thought that has gone into the gifts is so rewarding, to see them think it through and plan and not wait until the last minute and run to Walmart for a gift. We are definitely loving this family crafting gene that has obviously trickled down to kids and grandkids !!!

Madison took time off from her usual yarn projects/gifts to make us very special gifts of little books which she made and did the book binding herself (thanks to college class). A bit of sewing was involved, making these very special handmade gifts, and of course the notes she wrote :

(to Susan)

Merry Christmas!

I took a class this semester that taught me how to make books. The two books you're receiving are two different styles of Japanese binding. Since they are Japanese, they are meant to be used from the left rather than the right like western styles. (The blue title strip is the top left of the book). They each had different sewing patterns to follow to achieve the design on the binding. I hope you love them and use them. Books are meant to be filled!

Made with love & just for you!

Madison

Christmas 2018

(to Buddy)

Merry Christmas!

I took a class this semester that taught me how to make books. The book you are receiving is a hard cover double pamphlet - this just means that it has two sections instead of one. I'd say you could use it to write down all your retirement projects, but it's not that big of a book!  J  I hope you love it & use it (for whatever your heart desires).

Made with Love & just for you!

Madison

Christmas 2018


Sarah has been very busy, too, hand painting the above quilt square coasters and repurposing old wood for an ornament:

salvage cedar made into ornament by Sarah

From the Labor Day remodeling project - removing the old cedar siding, replacing it with new, the very small pieces at the very apex of the back of the house were saved from the scrap pile - and made into a Christmas tree ornament. Great save, great job Sarah!

here's your sign

peacelovequilt

When your kids ask what you want for Christmas and you give them specifics - “a sign like this one on Etsy but too much $ maybe you could make one and here is what I want it to say and look like, and two generations come together to make it happen! #heresyoursign #patchwork #diy #teamwork

AND while planning this sign - the kids/grandkids asked Grandpa Buddy to cut a piece of wood for it, and can you cut 2 just in case?  Someone apparently remembered way back in the summer when Buddy said he wanted to put up a sign on the property 'Tidwell Forest'.

Great job everyone - 1) to remember that and file it away, 2) to get him to cut out his own sign, 3) painting and personalizing the sign, it is just what he had in mind!

recruiting grandpa

Buddy gets a text with this picture from granddaughter Sarah:

Buddy can you cut this out?

what is it?

its for my sorority recruitment week

sure if you can draw it, I can cut it out

do you want me to bring the wood?

LOL

Grandpa shopping at Lowe's

carriage wheel design

Sarah and Buddy's project

and voila! a carriage for a princess

Instagram: The carriage my grandpa made!!

The first day of ΩΦΑ recruitment was absolutely perfect!

this day in history

This day in history - family history that is - November 6, 1975.

After winning the state Union Carpenter Apprenticeship Contest in Atlanta, Buddy went on to compete in the International competion in Milwaukee, Wisconsin held November 5, 6, and 7, 1975.

Traditional carpenter overalls were required, and it was evident that many of the apprentices had never worn them before, having adopted the new and improved tool belts.



The contestants were given a set of plans and just enough lumber and nails etc. to complete the project in a set time period. Judges made the rounds to watch and to inspect the apprentices' toolboxes. All tools must be in good order, clean, and sharp. The judges would even test the sharpness of a chisel by seeing if it would shave the hair off their arm.



Young men wanting to be carpenters had to participate in the Apprenticeship Program for 4 years, attending classes and learning on the job, with the goal of becoming a journeyman carpenter.

Buddy was a natural for this, his father and grandfather were carpenters. His mother worked at the Carpenters Local 225. There is sawdust in his veins. He still builds stuff for a living and for fun and is happiest when in his workshop.

He now shares his knowledge and his toolbelts with his kids and grandkids, but it has been 33 years since I have seen him in carpenter overalls.


~click photos to enlarge and to read the articles in the Journal of Labor

gift of family

A great Christmas was enjoyed by the family, lots of gifts were exchanged - some hand crafted, some heartfelt, some just for fun, but of course the best gift of all is just being all together once again.


Cut and pieced, handcrafted patchwork from our own master woodworker, thanks Buddy! More photos here.


A new critter for our wildlife collection, Romeo Raccoon.


More new critters to add to our collection - Koala, roo and joey, and the infamous dingo who stole the baby - from our special Australian visitor, thanks John!


New sarcastic car tags for some of us, thanks kids!


A new mug for my morning coffee with attitude, look out!

Family Christmas album here

talking shop

We like to give handmade gifts, usually made by Buddy in the workshop. This year we found some great handmade items, only without all the work!

On a recent visit to the Smokies, we met Fadi Giacaman, wood carver from Bethlehem, Israel. Giacaman traveled from Israel to Dollywood as a guest artist in the woodcarver shop there, to meet folks and sign his pieces of art and ornaments.

He and his family own and operate the world's largest olive wood factory and are recognized around the globe for their beautifully carved items. Every two years the olive trees are pruned so that they may bear fruit, and the carvings are made from wood produced during the pruning process.

We purchased several ornaments and other wood carvings for gifts. Buddy enjoyed talking shop with a fellow woodworker. It was entertaining to hear them conversing, both speaking English, but with very different heavy accents.

elves secrets revealed

Hand-made gifts are special, fun to make and receive. And with a workshop full of tools and wood, everyone has a great time. The little elves have been busy this year, they were hard at work here and here, and this is the result:

Kyle made a key rack for Keith:

Kyle made a frog calendar for Melissa:

Sarah made a frog basket for Melissa:

Madison made a bean-bag frog for Melissa:

If you haven't guessed by now, Melissa collects frogs, it looks like all the kids are trying to please mom.

could it be Santa?

Is that Santa up on the rooftop, checking out the chimney?


Buddy couldn't pass up the chance to climb up the convenient 2x4 'steps' installed by the roofers to get up and work on the chimney one last time (hopefully).

He installed new flue caps and did some waterproofing. Did you hear him yell when his socket wrench fell into the 7" flue pipe down to the furnace in the basement?



Is that Santa in the workshop helping all the little elves making presents?

When granddaughters Sarah and Madison heard Kyle talking about making presents in the workshop, of course they wanted to do it too...

Is that Santa teaching Kyle to drive the 4-wheeler?

Learning to drive the 4-wheeler, the same one his mom used to drive!

Our new red roof is shining in the background, almost finished!

pursuit of sawdust

The family workshop is beginning to get busy again, little elves making presents…

Kyle comes from several generations of carpenters and has dabbled in the workshop before, but this year he has several projects going on at once. He mostly uses the scroll saw, but this year he has tried out the sander and drill press. He has the spirit of giving and knows the appreciation of handmade gifts - both by the giver and receiver.

~photo 3 December 2006 - Grandson Kyle using the scroll saw

apple basket

1 - talented craftsman/husband

1 - piece of wood

1 - saw cut round and round

Voila! A basket!

fill with apples, watch out for moochers

this old house

30 years ago we started building our house. The house plans had been picked out way before my time and were shown to me while we were dating - "This is the house I want to build …"

The dirt was moved and shaped, the foundation was laid, time to start the building of The House.

The blueprints were starting to fade just a little, from the few years of gazing at them and imagining the house, and from figuring the materials list.

We went to the local lumbar yard and met with the owner, Mr. Brock. Buddy gave him our initial order of materials for the house, and they discussed the special order long beams for the A-frame, and 2 inch tongue-and-groove pine for the ceiling/roof.

Buddy, his dad, my dad, and one hired helper - William, made up the entire crew, but most of the time it was just Buddy doing the work. We did almost all of it ourselves, only hiring out the stonework.

It was a treat to watch the stonemason at work. He would look over the pile of Tennessee field stone dumped in the yard for just the right stones to fit together for the chimney. The 30' high chimney in the living room is indeed a work of art, and will no doubt still be standing here when the rest of the house has long gone back to nature.

It took a year from start to finish, Buddy working full time on the house. We started in August 1976 and the carpet was laid in July 1977 - finished at last! We cheated and actually moved in January 1977 ( as soon as there was heat - with the only rooms finished being the kitchen, bath, and bedroom.) A year later we added the only addition to the house - a nursery!

We have replaced all the major appliances at least once over the years, replaced the furnace, carpet, and deck, and are dreading the replacement of the roof coming up soon. The shingles had a 30 year warranty, so they did their job. Buddy says he wants to wait as long as possible, so if he times it just right, he won't have to do it again - ever.

Some folks move around a lot in their lifetimes, but Buddy says this is The House, the only house, and we will be here forever. Well, unless maybe someone offers us a lot of money…



May the roof above us never fall in
And may we good companions beneath it never fall out.
~Irish Blessing

A man builds a fine house; and now he has a master, and a task for life: he is to furnish, watch, show it, and keep it in repair, the rest of his days.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

The fellow that owns his own home is always just coming out of a hardware store.
~Frank McKinney Hubbard

slip sliding away

What is childhood without a swing?

It was 1988 and we had just moved back from a 2-year stent in Tampa, Florida, where we were in walking distance of the community playground. Now, back in the mountains, the closest playground was 15 miles away. So we decided to build our own.

We (the kids and I) scoured catalogs and magazines for the perfect picture to show to DAD - the carpenter. He went along with our plans and purchased the treated lumber for the project. His construction helper was 6-year-old Carrie (the one in the dress).


The grandparents lived next door (well, in the country that is not an exact definition - let's just say they lived down the nearest driveway) and Papaw had to come test the slide before letting the kids get on, (we had slickened it up
with wax paper).



Then everyone had to try it, grownups, kids, neighbors. There were swings, monkey bar, slide, balance beam. It was a very popular place.


Eventually the grandkids started to enjoy it, we even put up a baby Madison-sized swing.





This is the playset today, the wooden swings were replaced a few years back, but it is not used much anymore, the grandkids are all getting so big...

and now the slide is history, on the ground, destined for the dumpster...


Will the playset hang in there for until another generation? Will we be around to see it?

the tree house

I am not sure when the idea of a treehouse was first mentioned. I believe it was last fall, I remember it was cold weather already. It was before Christmas, because it was mentioned by Buddy in the annual Christmas letter:

I was recently met by Kyle and Sarah at my truck when I got in from work one night, with overly helpful intentions…the kind that set off an alarm in your head…..you know….."Can we carry your coat for you…..here…let us help you up the stairs….." I envisioned all sorts of terrible things awaiting me…. That, and Susan had called me and warned me on the way home NOT to immediately say NO to what they had in mind for me. Well, wasn’t as bad as I thought. After all the niceties and I finally pushed them to spit it out, what did they want….they presented me with a set of plans they had drawn for a tree house/club house. Had dimensions, a plan view and elevation. More than I sometimes get from some of the architects I have dealt with and clearer. We are currently in the negotiation stages of me saying I am looking into it and taking it under advisement, hopefully this will buy me time till spring and warmer weather.

After months of planning and anticipation on Kyle's part, the day finally came to start on the treehouse. The generator was tuned up, lumber was pulled from the stacks salvaged over the years from various jobs. Buddy got out one of his old tool belts and adjusted the size for Kyle. As I watched this almost ceremonious act, I could envision Buddy's dad doing the same thing with him, and his dad before that, as there has been a long line of carpenters in this family. All the supplies were loaded up and taken to the site. Kyle measured and cut the lumber, then came the fun part - hammering!






















Kyle will have to share the treehouse with his 3 sisters, and they all came out to check it out. Madison can't wait to start painting. Sarah wants to decorate and put flowers in window boxes. Racheal wants to bring all her books out there. Melissa (their mom) came out to check it out - it is HOW high? Big smiles all around. Thanks, Grandpa Buddy!

Phase I was completed this past weekend - the floor.

May 8 - tree house - phase II

May 17 - tree house - done!