but we have not been home all summer. we went to chicago well west of chicago. to the GOW which is a gathering of woodcarvers. spent a week there. with some very ood carvers. had a great time.

took a couple of carving lessons. visited with friends. and carved a wooden lawn chair. which is in my photobucket site.

got a trip to savannah yet this year. to see my son . and a great seafood festival, and a big car show. hope to find some cypress knees while down there.

then in nov. hoping to go to dayton woodcarving show. if the ohio weather stays good.

hope to go as far as the rocky mts.
was going down old rt. 66. but it is too hot down there for my husband and my dogs. so we will stay north of the mason dixon line for now. will still see the rockies.

and hit oregon and wyoming. going riding in the grand tetons.
gonna do some camping in yellowstone park for a few days.

but boy figureing what to take and what not to take lol. is gonna be hard. want to take some carving stuff. and my woodburner and some wood. but have to limit myself. lol. or i will need a semi truck.

have a woodburning commision i am working on. but he does not need it till xmas so i have time.

well i will be gone for two weeks so i will be very quiet. no laptop to take with me.

have not had time to carve or woodburn yet. but wanted to le you all know i have been looking at your new works. and drooling as usual.

will let everyone know my new email when i get it. will have high speed interenet. wow. can hardy wait.

sorry i have been sort of quiet. been packing up a lifetime of stuff and found out i am a packrat. lol.

will not be able to work on burning or carving till i get moved.

but when i am done moving will get my butt in gear.

this summer we are taking a trip down old route 66 to california.

does anyone live along the way?

am going to take phone numbers and all with me in case i get near any friends.

i have decided to do another caricature animal. liked doing the bear so much now to come up with what i want to do. there are all kinds of patterns and so forth out there. and i like them but want to do one that is all mine.

now to unfreeze my fingers. bundle up and go out to my freezing cold shop. and hope my bandsaw is not froze so much it refuses to work for me. it has a mind of its own you know.
hope you all are having a good winter season. whether you live north south east or west.

am going to start on my #4 draft horse hopefully tomorrow. got the drawing almost done.

have a commission sign to make so that might break into my fun stuff.

all the wonderful projects going up are great. i enjoy looking at all the things. and wishing i had a bigger house to put some in.

a wood workers paradise. all you have to do is cut and dry. lol.

now i saved my little bear i was carving. cut the head back redid it and made a smaller bear. am goign to woodburn the hair on it tonite.
love carving animals. not good on people but animals and i seem to get along.

i need to cut a base for this guy so he looks like he is running full tilt towards whatever he is playing with. wish me luck, not sure how the fur on a bear goes. going to wing it .

never petted a bear.
tho i have petted a mountain lion and she likced my fingers. and petted a wolf.
and an elk, and have petted whitetail deer.
and i picked up a snake but i dont pet snakes. dislike the little buggers.

so anyhow. you all be careful if youi have snow. if you have sunshine, send me some.

if you have a spare room or two for me to stay in, let me know will bring husband, dogs, cats, tools and wood, and stay for an impossible 2-3 months. :)

and my driveway has its personal lake at the ditch. and now they say we are to get snow on top of it. well darn. just what i needed. snow on top of water. can see myself sliding on the snow. falling on my butt and sliding into the lake.

and unlike my dog i do NOT shed water well.

oh what a thought and oh what a wood carving that would make.

and a scary picture in my mind. lol

well i got my small running bear almost done. hope to finish it today. will show a pic when i do.

and debbie in canada. stay warm. frank get your canoe out or better yet the motor boat.

have posted my newest draft horse picture. like this one better then the last one.

now on to #4. but first am carving a small running bear. based on one of the Bishops roughtouts.
they have some great roughtouts if you like to carve that way. i do. but you know that stuff you call money? does not let me do what i want sometimes.

so what are all of you nice people going to do this year? i hope to get more carvings done so i can fill up my back room with them.

and hope to get to travel som e this summer. lots of places i want to go and see. and so many friends to meet for the first time.

and i am planning on cleaning up my work area. so i can find my table. and i do believe there is a floor there some where. i know there is i am standing on something.

well you all take care. be careful in snow if you have it watch out for ice is cold. and all you people in the sunny south. send some of that sunshine north. please.

here is a url for an ebay store, my cyrpress knee woodspirit is on here. if you want take a look. thanks.
http://stores.ebay.com/Vancura-Gallery-Of-Fine-Art

i hope all of you have a nice new years . i plan on it.

am finishing up the #2 of my draft horse series. and will post a picture when finished.

there will be at least 5 of the series. maybe 6 depends on how they go.

i have put my commission head board woodburning on my yahoo photos. i believe yahoo is finally letting it show up if anyone cares to take a look.

this was done for a log bed a friend made. this is the headboard a maple slab.
is in my commission album titled elk headboard
http://photos.yahoo.com/patshwigar