Over the last few weeks I have had ample opportunity to increase my handmade items. It has also been a great chance to increase my inventory for Christmas sales. With Christmas right around the corner I decided make a number of items that folks seem to be most interested in. Those items appear to be cribbage boards, candle holders and recently bowls. My cribbage boards are super unique and often my highest searched items via internet. Something that I am grateful for!! Next popular are my richly colorful Manzanita handler holders. A large number of my sales in the local coffee shop are those wonderful candle holders. Lastly, my most recent progression, bowls.
Cribbage Boards are wonderful gifts for friends and family who enjoy an evening of cards, entertainment and camaraderie. I didn’t intentionally making boards for sales. I began with the intent of having a couple of wonderful cribbage boards that I could play on with friends and family, or occasional gifts. As more friends and family members kept asking for boards and lamps I decided to start making sales. Today I always keep my eyes keen on potential cribbage boards while wandering the woods. Now that I have a blog and an etsy site, my highest keyword search is cribbage boards. With this knowledge, I am trying to keep those viewers happy and make a variety of boards for viewers to see. 
More recently, bowls have ‘turned’ about in the woodshop. I have been interested in making bowls for a while now, but I have not had time to put forth into the process. As some of you know, bowls need a long time to cure. Wood has the uncanny ability to warp. So after turning a bowl initially, the bowl needs to sit for 2-6 months for curing. Next the bowl needs to be rounded again and should stay round unless the humidity is super dry or super humid. My first bowl ever was a maple burl filled with birds eye maple. A beautiful bowl that I am complicated often and have not yet decided if I would like to sell it. Although ….. a generous offer may change my mind. My next bowl was a redwood dish filled with red, curly grained designs. It is such a beautiful bowl that Christine wants to keep it or bring it to work for her desk. Not sure what will happen but it is definitely a wonderful piece of art! I have also turned three other bowls. All of which will need to sit for a number of months before they will be ready. Patience is a must with many of the wonderful items we make at YosemiteGoat Woodworking!
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