burley cherry console table just out of finishing room

burley cherry console table just out of finishing room

Now here's a first - at least for me.  Glad I've got a pic, because I really don't know how to describe this one.  It's a cherry console table, and in the top is the opening to a little cave.  We just used our hands, a metal brush, a little sandpaper flapper on the end of a drill, to get up and inside the little cavern to get it cleaned out.  Much like we've seem to be making lately, this one has a flowing grain leg on one side and more traditional leg on the other.

burley cherry console table just out of finishing room

Another walnut root on the sawmill

Another walnut root on the sawmill

This glorious Friday seemed to help us reprioritize.  We decided that sawing this fairly rough looking walnut root was the next project in line.  Since it's been sitting around for a year or so, the glorious day was hard to argue with.

Unfortunately, we ran into a few alignment problems on the slabber before we could complete it.  But it looks like it just might make an interesting piece in a few years.

Another walnut root

Leon Russell performing @ Norton Auditorium

Leon Russell performing @ Norton Auditorium

Amazing what all you can learn if you just step out of the studio every once in a while and look around.  Really the most amazing thing is that they guy that is always so helpful in getting my heavy furniture in and out of the Tennessee Valley Museum of art, has a decade or more experience making guitars.  His talent must be more advanced than any woodworker that's possibly ever exhibited at the Museum.  He also worked for Buddy Mac for a couple of years as a deck hand?? on barges (also something I have great respect for).

Ok, back to this last blog post from this morning's outing;  I just saw this poster announcing that Leon Russell will be performing at Norton Auditorium next Sunday afternoon.  Quite amazing.  Just checked my calendar and I'll be in town!!

Leon Russell performing @ Norton Auditorium

Photoshoot at Ivy Green

Photoshoot at Ivy Green

Here's another shot of the photoshoot going on this morning at between the Tennessee Valley Museum of Art and Ivy Green.  To get just that right shot, they kept getting this New Hampshire actor to drive the gorgeous baby blue 52 Caddy around the block.  Really all quite professional

Photo  shoot at Ivy Green

Alabama Tourism photo shoot

Alabama Tourism photo shoot

As I pulled in to the Tennessee Valley Museum of Art this morning, I couldn't help but see an unusual amount of traffic, trailers, activity out front.  Upon closer inspection, I found that Alabama Tourism?? is beginning a 6 day photoshoot throughout the state.  Looks like this great old 53 Caddy might be the star.  Don't know where they found this car but someone did an impecable job.  Looks like new.  The actor driving it around the state is from New Hampshire, an much of the film crew is from the Atlanta area.  Don't know, but they really looked like they knew what they were doing.

Alabama Tourism photo shoot

Tennessee Valley Museum of Art - pick up

Tennessee Valley Museum of Art - pick up

This morning I had a few errands across the river.  First stop was the beautiful, modern Alexander home, to check and make sure their wine bar fit just right.  Next stop was the Tennessee Valley Museum of Art to pick up a couple of pieces that had been showing at a wonderful locals show.

Made some interesting finds, and will post next.

Tennessee Valley Museum of Art - pick up

two maple coffee tables in the works

two maple coffee tables in the works

I've made a few of these "flowing grain" tables over the past couple of years.  Not many, primarily because the process takes a particularly long time, doesn't always come out just right, and, obviously, in the case of a dining table, the diner would end up with a severe case of knocked knees.

But lately, we've been back at it, and I just can't get enough of 'em.  These two maple coffee tables, both have the flowing grain pattern down one side.  We just completed sanding them yesterday, now ready for inspection and a couple of days of finishing. 

The maple looks a little dull here, but has been turning out quite amazing after finishing.

two maple coffee tables in the works

Renovation Style

Renovation Style

Here's  page 100 of the hot off the press Special Issue of Renovation Style

Renovation Style

Robin's in Renovation Style!

Robin's in Renovation Style!

You know it's been raining - and pouring - all over the east coast.  We'll, it kinda looks like some absolutely phenomenal press has been raining/pouring around RWF.  Yesterday, we received a hot-off-the-press "Renovation Style".  And, on pages 100/101 there's the most amazingly beautiful, very woodsy cool shot our one of our solid cherry console tables.  The Article is "Into the Woods" and features 11 products that "Bring the outdoors in".

I've gotta learn how to take my photography skills OUTDOORS.  So cool.  (Ok, maybe I'm just a twinge biased here).  My scanner's not scanning this morning, so I'll take photo of the photo for you.

Robin's in Renovation Style!

Robin's in the Robb Report!

Robin's in the Robb Report

robin's in the robb report

Great surprise this morning.  My website's been getting extraordinary hits (starting yesterday).  Just took a look to see that the referer is the Luxury Publication - The Robb Report.  Very nice article.  I couldn't be more pleased.

Robin's in the Robb Report

Irondale Cafe

Irondale Cafe

Here's a clip of the action behind the counter of the famous Irondale Cafe, where (I believe) the movie Fried Green Tomatoes filmed a bit.

Irondale Cafe

Irondale - fried green tomatoes

Irondale - fried green tomatoes

Last week I ran down below Birmingham to look at some equipment that is being auctioned.  These auctions of woodworking equipment are great deals and have been running across the country almost non-stop for years.  But it's certainly a symptom of the downside of NAFTA.  Almost all furniture manufacturers have had to go offshore to manufacture or procure competitively priced products.  All of these furniture mfg's going out of business seems just like what happened to our textile industry a decade or two earlier.

Ok, back to tomatoes.  On the way back home, I was driving into Birmingham and it just happened to be lunch time.  So I veered eastbound on 20 to Irondale, to try their fried green tomatoes.  I'm thinking the Irondale cafe was in the old southern movie Fried Green Tomatoes, and I had never tried 'em.

The Cafe was cute enough.  The parking lot was packed.  And the gals behind the counter were cranking, filling plates with fried southern delicacies.  Well, when I ordered, they were out of fried green tomatoes, so I tried the fried okra along with the baked greek chicken.  Then, before I arrived at the cash register the green tomatoes were ready - So, I ended up with Fried and fried along with a healthy chicken breast.

Since I almost never order fried anything, I was having plenty of twinges of guilt.  It was all really good.  The baked greek chicken was awesome.  And, these guys really know how to fry.  But, It's not like any southern fried green tomatoes I've ever had.  The batter was closer to a tempura than the cornmeal batter I remember

Irondale - fried green tomatoes

Southern guy's take on The Help

Southern guy's take on The Help

1)  Chick Flick

2)  really slow (for mr. a.d.d anyway)

3)  But I'm so glad this movie was made.  So important.  These issues sooo need to be discussed.  In the beginning of the Movie, set in the early '60s, one of the actors said something like "we don't talk about this around here".  Well, obviously we've made some wonderful progress on many of these fronts, but WE STILL AREN'T TALKING about these issues.

We can't continue to make progress, until we acknowledge the atrocities we (or previous generations) made with the American Indians, with racial issues, and I'm sure plenty more.  This is complex stuff here.  So many unique perspectives.  No, Southerners aren't the only one's to blame.  But what does that matter.  Unbelievable mistakes have been made.  Let's acknowledge them, discuss them, and learn from them  Let's talk.

Southern guy's take on The Help

Eaux Eaux sink

Eaux Eaux sink

Love this modern interpretation of an ocean wave - in the bathroom.  See more on the super cool Yanko Design Site.

Eaux Eaux sink

creek rock art

creek rock art

Here's a close up.  As you can see, our 4 month old golden, sassafras, was quite intrigued as well. 

After the rain has risen, and is back down to navagable levels, I'll try to get back down to it to see it in v.2.0

creek rock art

rock art

rock art

With seven inches of rain forecast, this morning, I took the pups, and paddled the kayaks down to the park to load 'em into the truck and move to higher ground.

I was mezmerrized by this rock art sculpture that was just sitting there in the creek.  Really amazing.  I totally appreciate this "work of art".

But why?  I'm not sure.  Maybe it's that it's so natural.  This organic medium came from the creek, is sitting in the creek.  Maybe it's the impermenance of the sculpture.  Maybe it's that i have no iinformation about the artist, to cloud my judgement.  No knowledge of their previous work, or notoriety, or lack of. 

With all the rain that will probably arrive overnight, it will surely be in a modified form tomorrow.  Or maybe it will survive, for a while.  Or maybe it's that it is made for people (paddlers) to appreciate (I'm guessing here) but as far as I can tell, the artist won't be receiving any recognition.  But then, maybe they will from this blog.

If you art the artis of this beautiful Cypress Creek sculpture, I'm interested to know who you are.  My guess is that you are around 12 years old.  Your parents allowed you to build this while they drank another beer on your paddle down the creek.  Or maybe it was a famous artist or musician in town recording another top ten. 

rock art

Wildlife and natural history artist Karen Carr

Wildlife and natural history artist Karen Carr

What a pleasure it was visiting with famed wildlife and natural history artist Karen Carr and her husband Ralph while in Montgomery last weekend.  From New Mexico, Karen's work in "The Land of Alabama" exhibit brought us thousands of years +++ back in time as we walked thru time.  Really amazing work.  Karen works on professional projects throughout the U.S as well as abroad.  Her work can be seen in Museums, The Smithsonian, The Field Museum and on and on and on.

I hope to see more of Karen and Ralph through the year, possibly during phase two of the Museum of Alabama, or who knows.

It's still great fun making new friends, particularly when we share a creative passion.

Wildlife and natural history artist Karen Carr

walnuts number one for antioxidents

walnuts number one for antioxidents

Well, it's no secret that walnut is one of my top fav wood species for furniture.  More and more, walnuts are being seen in receipes for meals (or wonderful additions to) around the Wade home.  Now, I just came across this info saying that walnuts are the top ranked nut in antioxidents. 

I don't know much about this antioxident thing, but it seems to be becoming commonn knowledge to be amazingly beneficial to health, wellness, and longevity.  And, yesterday, I was scanned to find my antioxident levels.  I was surprised to see that it was 45,000 (or was it 42,000??). 

I love data, and specific numbers to show progress (or loss) in whatever field happens to be of my interest when it's available.  And it's really cool that my morning routine of juicing (fresh carrrot, cellery, apple, blueberries) 32 oz each morning (when I'm in town) seems to be paying off. 

Is it my ego, or my fear of death that seems to be leaning me toward pumping up these numbers?  Don't really know, but seems like a fun project that doesn't seem to have any side effects that I can see.

Here's the article on my favorite wood species, and fast becoming my favorite NUT.

walnuts number one for antioxidents

Museum furniture discussion

Museum furniture discussion

Have to admit that I was more than a little nervous preparing for my 30 minute discussion to the museum and art community.  I've generally been avoiding public speaking for several decades.  It's the one fear that I've decided that I can get through life without overcoming.

But, by talking about a subject that I'm passionate about, once it got going, was really a piece of cake.  The primary problem is that I don't think I got half way through the talk.  Many more slides were not shown.  Really fun to have broken through this little barrier.  And, I'm actually looking forward to trying my hand at it again.

Museum furniture discussion

Alabama Department of Archives and History-entrance

Alabama Department of Archives and History-entrance

There were a total of ten of our (RWF) tables on display during the Grand Opening ceremonies.  This included two benches that they purchased for "The Land of Alabama" gallery.

Here is a pic of the first one you might have seen as you entered the building.  We completed this one piece slab maple low table just in time for the event.  I hope to get some better pics of this beauty soon. 

By the way, this wonderful memorial was to honor Alabama's sons who fought with Spain in the late 1900's, and was dedicated in 1940.

Alabama Department of Archives and History-entrance