Woodworker’s Journal staff members turn to a certain favorite hobby when the holidays come around. Now that we won’t be spoiling any surprises, here are some of our projects given as gifts this year.
Almost two years ago, our family was fortunate enough to take a trip to Africa, and we purchased an original watercolor painting from our guide to remember our time in the Masai Mara National Reserve. My wife has wanted it framed ever since, and now it is. Her Christmas gift is made of cherry back-banded with walnut. I used half-lap miter joints to bring the frame members together and added a beaded profile to the walnut to create shadow lines. She loves it. – Chris Marshall, Field Editor
I built something recently for my wife. It isn’t technically a Christmas present, but it was a holiday-related gift to her and the theatrical company she works for: Shakespeare Santa Cruz. They were doing a holiday show called “A Year With Toad and Frog” a musical that’s for both children and adults. It’s a donation box on a stand made from Douglas fir. The box joints are all mortise and tenon, and the top mitered frame is joined together with Festool Dominoes. – Sandor Nagyszalanczy, Contributing Editor
This was my first holiday season as a woodworker, but once I got the idea to make one gift, it quickly spiraled out of control and before I knew it, I was even making gifts for people I hadn’t seen or spoken to in months. In addition to numerous turned pens and bottle openers, I completed not one but five butcher-block cutting boards (technically six if you count the one I cut in half). The cutting board pictured is the one I gave to my wife – the majority of the board is walnut and cherry, with the edges done in purpleheart and zebrawood. – Matt Becker, Internet Production Coordinator
