OK, so my blog feels a little stagnant... I get it. I haven't posted in over a month! 

But - I'm busier than ever.  I don't know where I managed to find the time to teach woodworking classes before my semi-retirement.

I recently wrapped up this small commission in record time - I had just two weeks to make a walnut breakfast tray, with folding legs. The fellow who ordered it for his wife's BD (hence the deadline!) wanted it modeled after a tray used in Downton Abbey, a show I've never watched. 

That particular tray seemed a little fragile to me, so we beefed things up a bit in our design. There wasn't much time to make the top

 and turn the legs, but it was completed just 48 hours before it was due. 

And then I found out it had to be shipped out of state! 

We even inlayed a 2022 penny in it, to commemorate her birthday year.

Let's just say overnight shipping is ridiculously expensive, but at least this arrived in time! The cool thing is that these legs fold up under the top, and are held in place via rare earth magnets. So the piece stores flat.. a really nice solution for the 364 other days of the year that you don't have breakfast in bed. 

I've also been trying to get back into my ceramic studio, to start making custom tile again. I'm building a bookcase right now, and I think some tile added to the top would be perfect.

This bookcase was made years ago, and featured inlaid tile in its top, which is really nice when you want to put your cup of coffee down, or have a potted plant or two that need a resting spot. 

So I've been finishing up this bookcase and trying to come up with some tile designs. 

BTW, I love this design - I built this similar one many years ago, and always love its design. 

 I don't remember where it ended up - probably left it in Ohio when I moved west. Anyway, retirement is anything but boring!