Now that I have my carvewright I am looking at making some projects to donate to our annual church Christmas bazaar coming up in November. Does anyone have some ideas and/or patterns that they have made for Christmas Bazaars or such that have gone over well?

There is usually a mixture of both small inexpensive craft items such as stockings or tree decorations up to hand crafted furniture or antiques that goes into a silent auction. So I would be looking to make stuff in either or both ranges or anything in between.

I was talking to another guy after church last week who does beautiful intarsia woodworking and he would like me to bring the carvewright there and make something where people can see it in action. He and another guy have for the last couple of years had a room where they have been making things while displaying some of their other woodworking and they would like me to join them. Last year they had their lathe and were making pens and another year a jigsaw and were cutting out people's names or making ornaments. I read, perhaps in the forum somewhere, that someone set up his carvewright in a mall and had pre-carved items that he carved people's name on while they watched. Was it successful and if so what would be the best way to go about that? I can see where, while I am fascinated just watching it carve away, "normal" people might get bored pretty quickly waiting for it to carve an entire project. What kinds of things might I carve that could finish before people got bored or be particularly enticing to watch develop?

BTW, it is actually before Thanksgiving, so Thanksgiving themed items would be great also.


thanks,
dave