Archive for the ‘pig’ Tag
I’m committed to the Pig Business.
It took me several decades to get there … but I believe in the power of the Pig.
Last weekend, I heard yet another story from a lady that had received her Pig cutting board from a relative, who gave them to everyone in the family.
She loved her Pig.
Though I can’t share in the love, I do understand. These are fun cutting boards, charcuterie boards, whatever … and there are family traditions of support for them.
I’ve met one lady who will only cut on Pig cutting boards, and she just ordered her second one from me. That one will be in a new, smaller size. I resisted that idea, at first … but pigs do come in many sizes.
And I’m in the pig business. This current batch came in a litter of 12, but only 6 were finished at a time. The first batch is linked below. Also linked below is the story of how I first got into the pig business, 50+ years ago. Enjoy!
Oh … and if you haven’t heard, I am running a Kickstarter campaign RIGHT NOW to help me expand the workshop’s capabilities. If you are interested in backing my campaign – and getting some cool stuff as a reward – then, please, click here: Handmade Cutting Boards & Wooden Serving Pieces.
Pig 18 – 608. Hard Maple & Padauk. 12″ x 20″ x 1-1/4″.
Pig 18 – 60o. Black Walnut, Hard Maple & Bloodwood, Purpleheart, Yellowheart & Jatoba. 12″ x 20″ x 1-1/4″.
Pig 18 – 610. Hard Maple, Cherry, Purpleheart & Bloodwood. 12″ x 20″ x 1-1/4″.
Pig 18 – 611. Hard Maple, Cherry & Bubinga. 12″ x 20″ x 1-1/4″.
Pig 18 – 612. Black Walnut, Hard Maple & Purpleheart. 12″ x 20″ x 1-1/4″.
Pig 18 – 613. Black Walnut, Hard Maple, Yellowheart & Padauk. 12″ x 20″ x 1-1/4″.
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Half Of The Litter
A Litter Of Pigs
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My love/hate relationship with the Pig Business is well chronicled.
I’ve raised pigs. Didn’t take to it.
I do find a certain joy in delivering a smile when people see my wooden pigs, however. Some use them as cutting boards, some as charcuterie or cheese & cracker boards, and some use them as wall art.
Which just goes to show that my Pig Business today has little to do with my business of, uh, 50+ years ago.
Thank goodness.
Here are a half dozen Pigs that have made it to the finish line. Another half dozen are on the way … some day soon, I believe.
Pig 18 – 603. Black Walnut, Hard Maple, Purpleheart & Bloodwood.
Pig 18 – 606. White Oak, Black Walnut, Hard Maple & Mesquite.
Pig 18 – 607. Black Walnut.
Pig 18 – 604 . Oak, Merbau, Canarywood & Yellowheart.
Pig 18 – 602. Hard Maple, Canarywood & Padauk.
Pig 18 – 604. Purpleheart, Hard Maple & Bubinga.
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Such mixed emotions here.
My inventory has peaked at the perfect time: right in front of what just might be a very large event for us. It is for others … so here’s hoping.
For just the 2nd time, I have over 250 pieces in inventory. That’s a good thing.
With this post, I return to the pig business. I sold my last pig in April, so it’s been several months that I’ve enjoyed not being in the pig business. But, good things often must end so I’m back to selling pigs.
Which is really a good thing. I went to school on these pigs, and cut them out with my new CNC router. After 4 pigs with problems – and one with a broken foot – I got it perfect. After that, every pig was cut out perfectly.
This whole “be more efficient” thing just might be working.
Pig 17 – 701. Black Walnut, Canarywood, Hard Maple, Goncalo Alves & Purpleheart. 12″ x 19″ x 1-1/8″.
Pig 17 – 702. Goncalo Alves, Cherry & Black Walnut. 12″ x 19″ x 1-1/8″.
Pig 17 – 711. Black Walnut, Hard Maple, Jatoba & Padauk. 12″ x 19″ x 1-1/8″.
Pig 17 – 703. Black Walnut, Padauk, Cherry & Hard Maple. 12″ x 19″ x 1-1/8″.
Pig 17 – 704. Hickory, Hard Maple, Black Walnut, Padauk & Cherry. 12″ x 19″ x 1-1/8″.
Pig 17 – 705. Black Walnut, Cherry, Hard Maple, Purpleheart. 12″ x 19″ x 1-1/8″.
Pig 17 – 710. Black Walnut, Cherry, Hard Maple, Padauk, Canarywood, Jatoba, Purpleheart. 12″ x 19″ x 1-1/8″.
Pig 17 – 706. Black Walnut, Hard Maple, Cherry, Goncalo Alves, Purpleheart & Yellowheart.12″ x 19″ x 1-1/8″.
Pig 17 – 708. Hard Maple, Canarywood, Cherry, Jarrah & Purpleheart. 12″ x 19″ x 1-1/8″.
Pig 17 – 709. Hard Maple, Cherry, Black Walnut & Jatoba. 12″ x 19″ x 1-1/8″.
Pig 17 – 706. Hard Maple, Padauk & Cherry. 12″ x 19″ x 1-1/8″.
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The 250th Cutting Board
A Litter Of Pigs
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First glue up of the day: a pig. Back in the pig business.
Can’t glue up the pig because the boards need to be smoothed. Can’t do that because the drum sander needs the dust collector, which is full. So, I have to empty the dust collector first thing in the morning. Wow, and the bag is overfull. Total mess. Yuck.
Dust. Everywhere.
Is it bad to see daylight through the welds that hold my dust collector together?
Dust cleaned up, sort of. I need a new broom.
And a dust collector, for the record.
Back to business. Dust collector on, drum sander on. First board through … and the conveyor belt jams. Must be replaced … so I have to tear down the drum sander.
You see why I hate the pig business.
Welcome to the beginning of Day One of the Staycation, 2015 version.
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More pigs, ready for market.
Each of these are 12″ x 19″ x 1″, and are designed for 2-sided use.
Pig 15 – 05. Black Walnut, Hard Maple, Cherry and Bloodwood.
Pig # 15 – 06. Cherry, Hard Maple & Purpleheart.
Pig # 15 – 07. Walnut, Maple, Yellowheart, Padauk & Honey Locust.
Pig # 15 – 08. Jatoba, Jarrah, Hard Maple & Padauk.
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A Litter Of Pigs
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It has been my # 1 request at craft fairs. Honest. People have been clamoring – clamoring! – for me to make cutting boards in the shape of a pig.
A pig.
I hate pigs.
I was in the pig business for about a minute, and did not find it to my liking. Here’s photographic proof that my sister and I were in the pig business … and got paid when we sold our stock at the St Joseph, MO stockyards. High living.
Here I am with Aunt Sis. Circa 1964. We always thought it was a happy day when you sold your pigs.
So, I’ve been out of the pig business for … 50 years (OMG) until today. Until the clamor.
This is how I take a pig to market in 2015. And … it worked. Sold in the first morning it was on display.
Part of the clamor came from Jan, a good friend of ours that makes blankets, kitchen towels & such for sale at many of the same craft fairs that Mrs M’s Handmade has been visiting. Jan had an uncle, and he made it a tradition to present a pig cutting board to each young member of the family when they got married.
The problem was that Jan was the youngest, and the tradition ended before she married her husband … so she never got her pig cutting board.
Until now!
Mrs M’s Handmade will be on the road this weekend, and for the next several weeks, at craft fairs. If you’re in the market for a pig, come see us!
April 11 & 12, Big Hat Days, Clovis, CA
April 18 & 19, Poppy Festival, Lancaster, CA
April 25, Handmade in South Bay, San Pedro, CA
April 25 & 26, Home & Garden Show, Santa Clarita, CA
May 1 & 2, Wine Country Festival, Livermore, CA
May 15 & 16, California Strawberry Festival, Oxnard, CA
Pig 15 – 02. Hickory, Walnut, Hard Maple and Jatoba. 12″ x 19″ x 1″.
Pig 15 – 04. Cherry, Hard Maple and Purpleheart. 12″ x 19″ x 1″.
Pig 15 – 03. Cherry, Purpleheart, Hard Maple and Yellowheart. 12″ x 19″ x 1″.
Pig 15 – 01. Jatoba, Cherry and Honey Locust. 12″ x 19″ x 1″.
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I’m committed to the Pig Business.
