I like working with inlay because I want my craft-work to be beautiful to the eye. This seems to happen most easily (for rattles) when I ‘listen’ to the wood. This means paying attention to the process. Attention to the type of wood I am working. Each type of wood has different characteristics to exploit.…
On some of my smaller rattles you will see a wrist strap. These are usually made of leather and hemp cord braided together in various colors and combinations. I also have a waxed cotton cord I like. They end up being thicker or thinner depending on the combination (3 leather cords braided is thicker then…
Working with Cedar is, for me, a real joy. I like the tree, and the wood. I like finding dead and dry branches, 1-2 inches in diameter that which are mostly red (mature) wood. That branch will come from a fully mature big Cedar tree. Off the lower portion of the trunk will be a…
I’m fortunate to live in a temperate rain forest in north Georgia where Honeysuckle is often growing along streams. They like their roots in shade. I’m looking for wild vines that have grown undisturbed for a number of years. I need vine that is 1-2 inches in diameter. Often I am harvesting the base of…
The Sassafras tree is one of my very favorites. We have them all around us in the north Georgia mountains. They have been a very important tree in North America forever. Long history of native use and the first major export by the European invaders. This sun loving beautiful tree blazes in the fall and…
Rattles are one of the oldest musical instruments and trance inducing tools. Certain seed pods make wonderful rattles. Very dry gourds rattle from their internal seeds. Currently, I make wood handled rattles with gourd shakers. I plan to explore additional production options in the future. I’ve been wanting to make some rawhide rattles. This is…
