Crafty Manolo

Have you ever wanted to play a snail? How about a ukulele? How about… a snail ukulele?

Yeah, that’s probably not something you’d thought about too hard. I know I hadn’t until I happened across this snail-themed acoustic electric tenor/baritone ukulele by celentanowoodworks. Oddly enough, I’d never imagined such a beast. Now I can’t get it out of my head.

Not a snail fan? Not to worry! They also make apples, panda bears, and even PacMan. And if the uke isn’t your instrument, they do guitars, banjos, violins, and mandolins, too.

So how do they play? I must admit, I didn’t know. I haven’t held one in my hands, I haven’t known anyone who had played one, and I was hesitant to recommend an eight hundred dollar uke without hearing it. That’s why I did what any rational person would do and went to YouTube, where I found footage of the cupcake ukulele being played. Oh, and there are ten more vids of these instruments being played. I would say they sound pretty nice, judging by what came through my computer speakers.

Got a crazy idea for a stringed instrument? Talk to celentanowoodworks. They do custom work, and I don’t think you could imagine something that would phase them!

Hmmm… maybe they could make me a raspberry tart banjo. Then I would only have to learn to play it.

Have I mentioned how much I love pretty tools to work with? There’s a gentleman in England called Chris Parsons who makes some tremendously pretty bobbins to toss. This is his set of Famous Women of History. The set includes: Cleopatra, Boudicca, Joan of Arc, Elizabeth I, Florence Nightingale, Queen Victoria, George Eliot, Emmaline Pankhurst, Amelia Earhart, Marilyn Monroe, Margaret Thatcher, and Mother Theresa.

Of course, you may like some of these women better than others. Don’t worry, you don’t have to get the entire set. Pick and choose at your pleasure! And if there’s an amazing woman you feel he’s missed (say, Harriet Tubman or Aphra Behn, for instance), he’ll be happy to paint her for you, special.

Or maybe great women of history isn’t your thing. Perhaps you’d prefer Egyptian gods, celtic patterns, butterflies, famous buildings, or non-figurative pewter inlays.

Oh, and of course in light of a recent happy event in the British Royal family, well, what could be better than a nice commemorative of the event? It’s a long-standing tradition among English lacemakers, after all.

I have several of Mr. Parsons’ bobbins on my pillow, so I can recommend them as excellent tools. Then again, you might just want them around because they’re pretty. They’re certainly that!

It’s a porch swing! It’s a xylophone! It’s two things in one!

No, really, you can play this porch swing in the key of C as well as sit and swing in it. It even comes with the mallets shown on the seat.

Made of western red cedar with stainless steel fittings, it sounds like a marimba. The pitch will drop temporarily if it gets wet in the rain, but fear not! The original sound will return when it dries.

Who came up with this amazing item? Well, it’s the brainchild of the proprietor of Musical Furnishings at Etsy.

In addition to this very original porch swing, he can make you a rumba table with eleven interchangeable percussion inserts, or a colorful zylophone cedar chest, as well.

You know, I always wanted a porch swing. Now if I just had $1,300 to spend on it! Mr. Twistie could play the porch furniture.

Hmmm… I wonder if he could do a bistro set that doubles as a set of congas.

Photo by Greg Crane

Do you know about the Crucible?

No, I’m not talking about Arthur Miller’s classic play about the Salem witch trials written in response to the McCarthy hearings. I’m talking about the school of fire arts in Oakland, California.

What are the ‘fire arts?’ Well, any craft or performance style that requires fire of some sort to make it work. At the Crucible you will find classes on such diverse topics as: ceramics, glass work, blacksmithing, kinetics and electronics, welding, and fire performance, among others.

Whether you want to learn about making neon sculptures, enameled jewelry, or bicycle repair, this is the place in the Bay Area to go. Oh! And look at that! They’re having an open house on April 2 from noon to four pm.

If you happen to be in the area, drop on by and check out the range of classes. Or, you know, just marvel at the fire eaters  and fire dancers.

via IDSA Philly

This gentleman is American craft artist George Nakashima. The young lady sitting on the table is his daughter, Mira. Nakashima was a visionary artist, and today Mira continues and expands his legacy of exquisite furniture.

via Modern Design

As you can see, the philosophy behind the work was always one of respect for the material. The shape and grain of the wood are left intact on top, while being supported by architectural bases. The combination of minimal interference and thoughtful construction creates a harmonious and entirely practical result.

But Nakashima was also a dreamer.

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via eficostarica

I don’t know about you, but I adore marquetry, the art of wood veneer inlay. This is a classic sort of pattern with an urn and flowers and scrolls and modified Greek keys. I love it.

But perhaps your taste runs in a different direction. Say, fantasy like this amazing custom design by Brown and Harmon:

via

Or maybe you’d prefer something more like…

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