Monday, February 27, 2006

Meet the Real Craftsman

I want to show you what my youngest daughter, Suzanne can do...and how resourceful she can be. When Suzanne & Ray were building their home, she wanted these beautiful custom made kitchen cabinets...she knew that she couldn't afford them...so she worked out a plan to get them.

Suzanne applied for a job at the local, custom cabinet shop...which she got. The cabinet maker (a master craftsman), and owner of the shop, taught her how to make cabinets and, she worked many late hours hanging cabinets in other people's homes. They would go take measurements, come back to the shop, get the right materials, design & build the cabinets and when they were finished...they would go and install them. The process took a couple of weeks...depending on the style, wood and amount of cabinets needed.

The cabinet maker knew that she wanted a set of custom made cabinets for her new home...and that this was the reason she had applied for this job...So when she had gained enough skill, he told her she could go ahead and start working on her cabinets at night...all she had to do was pay for the wood. She assumed that the cabinet maker would build the cabinets, and she would help...but he told her that she had the skills now, and she could do it on her own.

When she finished her cabinets, he helped her install them and they are beautiful. They're exactly what she wanted and she even made herself an Island, with drawers and a table top to match, later.

Now...this isn't what I was going to show you when I started my post...I got a little side-tracked. What I was going to show you were her painted gourds. She gave some away as gifts to others...some were beautiful bowls. I ended up with the three pictured below.
You can see how she tried to keep them as natural looking as possible. Using stain, instead of paint...and wood-burning her designs into the gourds. At first glance they look like they're ceramic/pottery.

Another thing she made was a little "wisdom bird." The reason she called it her wisdom bird was because she had just had one of her wisdom teeth surgically removed. This tooth had caused her so much pain, that she wasn't about to give it up to the tooth fairy...so she made this little bird. The beak is the tooth...And the roots of the tooth, are what you can see. As you can see...it's a very smart little bird. *VBG* Oh, and wise too!

The third item is a small wooden rocking horse. This is Suzanne's second rocking horse. The very first one that she made was a child-sized one for her son Matt...which is now in storage, waiting for that future grandchild, that she hopes to have someday.


And lastly...On a kayaking outing with Matt, she found a piece of driftwood. She thought, "Hmm...I can make something with this!" So she tied it to her kayak and brought it home. And you can see by the picture below, what she did with that... and a couple of little porcelain birds. Suzanne is the creative one in the family.
The things that I have shown you, are only the precious things that I have in my possession. She is always working on something or helping someone...that's just how she is.





20 comments:

Motherkitty said...

Suzanne is so talented that I'm really jealous! Her gourds, which I've always loved, are gorgeous and her woodworking pieces could sell for a lot of money if she was so inclined. I have seen her kitchen cabinets and their beauty made me admire her all the more.

No wonder these items are so precious to you -- your beautiful, talented daughter made them with her inspired hands. I wonder where she gets her talent from?

Anonymous said...

These carving are absolutely gorgeous! She should open up shop! You are talented ladies with the knife! I'm jealous too! Andi

Hunter said...

What beautiful treasures. Thank you for sharing pictures.

Darilyn

Judypatooote said...

Beautiful.....and custom making her own kitchen cabinets...wow.... she souunds as determinded as my Lori.......

Finn said...

The articles you have shared with us are absolutely beautiful, and very, very well done. She is one talented craftsman..*VBS* And who would have thought to take a job at a cabinet place just to learn to make cabinets in order to get them??? I can't even imagine what she could do with fabric and a needle...congratulations on doing such a great job Mom !! Hugs, Finn

MrsGreenThumb said...

Your Suzanne is a kindred spirit. That is the kind of thing I love to do. I always said if a man can do it, I can do it. Please post a picture of her cabinets, I would love to see them. You must be proud of her. What a woman! Her wood scuptures are terrific. They are something that her children and grandchildren will treasure.

Jellyhead said...

What a creative woman Suzanne is. Thanks for showing us what your clever daughter has made for you.

I'm with MrsGreenThumb - do you have a photo of her cabinets?

Hope you've had a great start to the week :)

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Suzanne will just die when I tell her that I posted about her today and that she got more comments than Cucoo...She is so modest and doesn't like anyone drawing attention to her...she prefers to stay in the background and doesn't like to be photographed either.

How can I tell her that I need to take a picture of her kitchen cabinets, because some of you want to see them? I'll have to tell her that I wrote a post about her.

Suzanne was the first to get a computer when they FIRST came out for home use. (Brian may have had one too). But since I started by blog she has been without one, so she doesn't read it...that's the only way I could get away with writing about her.

Thank you for the nice compliments that you have paid her and someday when it's safe I'll tell her about them.

Rhodent said...

How wonderful! The gourds look great.... and what a clever thing to do with her tooth!

somershade said...

I have a treasure she made me ,her sister. It is a jewelry box made out of cherry. Mom's right she is very humble.Opposite of me. She is so talented. It's amazing.She blesses our whole family. I'll have to post the Jewelry on my site

somershade said...

I have a treasure she made me ,her sister. It is a jewelry box made out of cherry. Mom's right she is very humble.Opposite of me. She is so talented. It's amazing.She blesses our whole family. I'll have to post the Jewelry on my site

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

I would have posted a picture of the jewelery box she made for me too...but the thieves that stole my broken knife, also stole my jewelery box and all my momentos inside.

TUFFENUF said...

It is wonderful that your daughter can build cabinets and do other woodworking. It is very rewarding. I helped a friend of mine who owns a cabinet shop and I was lucky enough to get her to build my kitchen cabinets at cost! I have helped her install on many jobs, and I think it is fun even though it is hard work.

Susan Tidwell said...

Looks like she gets her talent from you, remembering the wood carving post you did. Great work. I have often entertained the idea of going to work for a landscaping company in order to gain the knowledge (and spare plants) to make my yard beautiful. Good job to you and your daughter!

B.E.C.K. said...

Lovely work! But are you going to show the cabinets? Pretty please? :-)

Anonymous said...

I have always said you and Suzanne should open a shop somewhere. You both are so gifted in many things and seem to enjoy what you do. I think it is great. Love ya, Reva

Anonymous said...

I have always said you and Suzanne should open a shop somewhere. You both are so gifted in many things and seem to enjoy what you do. I think it is great. Love ya, Reva

Alipurr said...

You must be a really proud Mama! You did a wonderful job. Just look at your beautiful, creative, resourceful children...proud to be their cousins

Kerri said...

What a crafty and clever daughter you have!!!
Those gourds are beautiful..as is all the other things you've shown us.

Kerri said...

PS I meant to say 'as are..all the other things you've shown us'.
The bird with the tooth beak is so imaginative!! Very cute.