Santa's workshop

I've been busily making spoons and spatulas for friends and family.  The walnut ones have a walnut oil finish and the cherry ones (which I wrote about previously) are unfinished as of now.  Making gifts for people you care about is especially meaningful.  I thought about each person or couple as I was making their set.

I think they came out nice despite my total lack of skill or experience with this branch of woodworking.  It's fun.  Other than the silhouette, they are shaped by eye, which is enjoyable.  Each set is slightly different.  The first spoon took me four hours to make and I got down to less than two hours for the last one.  I sand too much.  The spatulas are much quicker.  If I made this many more I think I could get down to about an hour for a spoon and a half hour for a spatula.

I used a gouge, a chisel, a spokeshave, a rasp and a file--and sandpaper.  :(