I know it’s the time when everyone is sending you sale offers for your holiday shopping. I want to thank you for your continued patronage over the years. Independent craftsmen rely on word-of-mouth and repeat customers like all of you. I appreciate that even during this rough economic year, you’ve chosen to support local artisans. As a thank-you, I’m providing free delivery on orders of at least $100 within 50 miles of Washington, DC. You’re chosing to shop local, so you shouldn’t have to worry about shipping costs or gifts getting lost in the mail.
Stocking Stuffers
Building Blocks
We’re constantly amazed how much kids seem to love these simple walnut wood blocks. In an era of computerized games, kids seem to still love just building things with their hands. These hand-cut wooden blocks are one of the many ways I use every possible scrap of wood. The shavings even go into my compost bin or are utilized as mulch in my garden. Along with the walnut blocks shown here, I also have a set of Maple/Obeche blocks currently in stock. These make great toys on their own, or easily adapted for a variety of craft projects.
Hand-Carved Chopsticks
I started making these chopsticks as a way to use up the last bits wood from larger projects. Now I seek out wood to make them out of. These Cherry chopsticks are made from the final pieces of larger projects, but the Mountain Ash chopsticks and the Persimmon Wood Chopsticks are handcarved from tree branches in my garden or that I’ve found in the DC area.
Affordable Functional Art
Freaky Cork Cork Board
A cork board as art? Sure — look at it! This corkboard will do more than just provide a place to post things, it’s a focal point for a room or a wall. This corkboard is made from wine & champagne corks and has particularly decorative cap from Schmaltz Brewing Co’s “Coney Island Lagers” in the center. Where do I get the corks? I could say, “my wife drinks a lot…”, but that would be mean and untrue. Some are from wine we drink, but the most are donations from our friends and occasionally from people on freecycle.
Functional Art Comets
These cutting board comets are inspired by my first love: astronomy. My room as a kid was covered in all things NASA and space. These comets are specifically inspired by comets I’ve seen personally over the years. These comets are meant to be used as cutting and cheese boards, but they are also meant to look great hanging on your wall in between uses. Imagine these in the center of your holiday table, turning your crudite or cheese & crackers into a work of art!.
Mini Live-edge Shelves
There are many mini live-edge shelves in stock. These are all under $50, and if your purchase is at least $100 — there’s free delivery within 50 miles of Washington, DC. The live-edge shelves are all one-of-a-kind works of functional art. The featured Paulownia & Walnut Mini-Shelf is made from wood from a tree that a client had to have taken down and commissioned a piece from to ensure the tree wasn’t wasted. The client let me keep the little bit of wood left-over from the project, and now it’s featured in this piece. In addition to this piece, there’s also several others in stock including a Black Locust Mini-shelf, an Apple Wood Mini-shelf, and a Wormy-Apple & Walnut Mini-shelf.
Statement Gifts
Gnackle: The Salt Truck
Gnackle is a perfect gift for a kid or an adult. It is a fully functional salt truck, and will actually grind your salt. It could be a toy or a conversation piece on your holiday table. One of my earliest memories is of being stuck in traffic behind a salt truck. We were on the P.A. Turnpike, driving home from a visit to Grandmom’s. It was dark and snowing and my Dad was complaining about being behind a salt truck. I was utterly fascinated. “Gnackle” is an expression of that memory; a weathered old truck set to spew salt upon any unfortunate enough to get stuck behind it. The name “Gnackle” derives from a literal reading of the chemical symbol for salt – NaCl – sodium chloride. This will grind salt, but not efficiantly. It’s better as a decoration, salt cellar, or toy.
This is truly a one-of-a-kind piece. I really don’t anticipate ever doing a piece like this again.
Large Live-edge Shelves
The large live-edge shelves, are really affordable functional art — but larger and definitely will make more of a statement. Like the mini-shelves, each is truly a unique piece of art. The featured shelf is a triple shelf made from Cherry wood. There are several of these larger shelves in stock, and more rapidly in production. Among those in stock are a Black Locust Wood Double Shelf, a Cherry & Black Locust Quadruple Shelf, and a Walnut & Apple Six Layer Vertical Shelf.
Wenonah Side Chair
This is truly a statement gift for you, or for someone else. This chair is made from Black Walnut from a friend’s farm in Virginia. The seat is made from Apple and Peach tree twigs from my garden. This is a very functional chair and is surprisingly comfortable. That’s one of the comments everyone has made. They don’t think it will hold them, which of course it does, and they don’t think it will be comfortable — which it is.
Everyone always needs extra chairs during the holidays. Why not make yours something unique? Prefer an Arm Chair?
Remember — free delivery for orders over $100 within 50 miles of Washington, DC.
Happy Holidays from Art, Carly & Derby the Bunny
Phone: 202.679.0066
