Wagon Train Plaques

These plaques are listed at Worthopedia http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/pair-1937-folk-art-carved-wood-marquetry-wagon .   The backs are signed by Russell M. Blood
Isn't it interesting the extent of the variety of items that were made by our parents?  I remember that the hanger was two pieces of leather strips tied in a knot at one end and the two loose ends glued to the edge of the plaque at the top.  Very original. 

Cedar Chests

 I couldn't decide which blog to use for this post.  Since it has to do with Dad's woodworking skills, I chose this one.  We all loved Mother's cedar chest that was made by Dad in the early days of their marriage.  Later as we grew up and left  to make a home of our own, he made cedar chests for us or our spouses as well.  Later he tried keep up with increasing grandchildren.  He did not totally succeed with that, but he tried.

As you can see, mine sits at the end of my bed and is the first thing you see upon entering the room.  Right now it stores winter sweaters.  The lid is lifted on a daily basis September through May, with a few times the other three months.

When I show my grandchildren my name with the fancy letters, they are so impressed.  I don't know which font this is, but it was not the plainest nor the easiest.  (Remember the book of letters that our parents used for patterns for various projects?  They would have loved the computer.) 

The Fight

This is the second "older" piece Dad gave me many years ago. AT the time it had some damage in the lower left hand corner, and that is still there. I can't seem to repair it, no matter how much I try - probably need to consult the experts! This piece has the remnant of a sales tag on the back, but the price is missing. However, I recognize the tag because Steve (I think) and I would play with them over in the shop. This also has the Russell Blood, Western Woodcraft, Garland, Wyoming stamp on the back.

An Early Piece

There is no date on this piece and there is a little damage on the left side. One day when I was spending a little time with Dad in his shop in Tumwater, WA., he pulled out a couple of the old pieces he had done years ago, and asked if I would like them. I suspect he never quite knew how important each of his marquetry pieces were to each of us, no matter how old or what little flaw he may have seen in a piece. Whenever I look at this piece I am reminded of two things - first, the event that is depicted in this silhoutte and the sacrifices that were made in the early years of our country, and second, the time frame in which these were made. On another piece I will post, there is still the remnant of a price tag, back in the days when Mother and Dad were selling these pieces for a minimal amount of money, in hopes of putting a little money in the survival fund.

One of my favorite pictures

Dad completed this picture in 1983, according to his signature on the back.
Here's wha'cha do. Use a tripod and use the timer on your camera. I did make the white box, so the picture stands inside the white box. It isn't hard to do - just a little foam board, or cardboard painted white, lots of white duct tape, and two little lights angled just right to keep the glare off the picture. I did not use a flash, and had the inside lights off, so the only light was from the two little lights. They were set so the light bounced off the sides of the white box, but did not create a glare on the picture (almost - I have just one glare spot on this picture). It was tricky to get the picture level, but with a little measuring and watching the angle of the camera, that issue was solved. Have white box, will travel.

Russell M. Blood (Dad) Working in his Shop

Dad never had an adequate shop all his life until his retirement years.  He worked with an absolute minimum of tools (usually old and battered), but he produced magical works of creative woodwork and craftsmanship with what he had.