Wood Carving

Wood carving is a great past-time for both adults and children, and you don’t have to be a carpenter to have a go!  When we take our children out on walks, we usually carry a pocket knife with us.  The simplest pieces of bark of small branches can easily be transformed into delightful toys.  Here are a few images for you to enjoy and we hope they will inspire you to have a go.

This little boat is a simple piece of bark with a groove carved out with a Crook Knife.

Just add an off-cut of slightly scrunched blue cloth and a few pebbles from the beach and you instantly have a river to sail it down.  You can also add a sail with a small twig and a piece of fabric.

These simple little gnomes are small branch cuttings, with a gouge carved for a face and one end whittled to a point for the hat.  Just add a touch of red paint to the hat.

You can start to create them a home by carving some more off-cuts into the shape of a table and chairs.  These chairs have a wedge cut out of them with a simple hand saw and the table is a small log glued to the bottom of a larger flat one.  You can add a table cloth and some even small twig off-cuts for plates and cups.

And so to bed.  A few more log slices glued together for a bed.  This cover has been made from felt, but a simple piece of cotton is just as effective.

I love this little house.  Again it is very simply carved, leaving the bark on for texture and colour depth.  The gnome requires patience and a bit more skill, but it’s not as difficult as you might think.  He has been finished of by sanding and waxing to create the smooth finish.

You couldn’t get much simpler than this, and I can assure you it is well loved by my son.  this is all one piece with the bark whittled away and a very rough face carved out.  A simple slit has been made at the base to represent legs.

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