Tools of My Trade

Everyone knows that Dave works with a variety of tools: lathes, drills, sanders and an assortment of other carving tools, but I don't often mention the tools of my trade.

I'm currently working on a new line of earthenware pendants that features an organic theme and pictured here are a few of my current "tools" as well as some newly formed pieces waiting for their turn in the kiln.

All of MY tools were cut fresh today from our yard :)

Pathways to Transformation Fair

Holistic Health, Psychic & Crafts Fair August 2-3, 2008, in Yachats, Oregon

The largest array of holistic health practitioners, psychic readers, health products and visionary arts & crafts under one roof on the Oregon Coast. Featuring over 60 booths and 25 seminars with something for everyone interested in expanding consciousness and health.

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We have been invited by the wonderful organizers of this show to participate in this year's "Pathways to Transformation" fair. We will be showing our usual array of coiled pine needle baskets, fossil ivory jewelry, earthenware clay pendants and other assorted organic inspired jewelry pieces.

This show is being held in Yachats, the "Gem of the Oregon Coast", in the Commons Building located right in the middle of town on Highway 101. Hope to see you there!

Bone and Walnut Thread Winder Spool

Dave hand made this little 2 ½ inch thread spool out of walnut and bone. It will hold up to six thread colors.

Birdseye Maple Nostepinde Yarn Winder

Dave turned this nostepinde, also called a yarn winder, out of birdseye maple. He also added a colorful celluloid insert. He tried a couple of different pics, to try and capture a good image showing the birdseyes in this beautiful piece of wood (sorry about the huge glare!).

This nostepinde is 10 inches long.

**Dont forget--You can click on any of our photos to see a full size version!**

Ponderosa Pine Needle Button Basket

A unique hand crafted basket for your sewing collection!

We hand make our baskets with Oregon Ponderosa Pine needles tightly stitched with waxed artificial flat sinew. The needles for this little basket have been dyed navy blue and two vintage buttons have been mounted together for the centerpiece.

Sorry, buttons not included!

The basket measures 2 ¾ inches across by 2 inches high and features a fancy Wheat Stitch binding. The Wheat stitch requires 2 -3 times longer in making a basket than the standard plain straight stitch binding.

This medieval Norse inspired nalbinding needle was carved from a piece of "blue" fossil mammoth ivory. The arrow design has been inlaced (also called inlay) with brass.

What is "blue" ivory?

Blue mammoth ivory is usually the outer bark ivory of the tusk and gets its color from leaching elements in the soil and ice where it has beed buried for thousands of years. The different patterns makes each needle a one-of-a- kind. Blue mammoth ivory is the most prized in jewelry making and for making expensive knife handles and pistol grips.

New Nalbinding Needles!

Somebody's been making up for lost time in the studio!

These three newest nalbinding needles were just added to our Etsy shop. All of our nalbinding needles are hand carved from ancient ivory and have been hand polished to a high gloss. Each nalbinding needle has been initialed by Dave and comes in it's own velour drawstring bag.

Grizzly Mountain Arts on Big Cartel!

We are proud to announce the opening of another online shop!

Grizzly Mountain Arts is now selling their ceramic pendants on Big Cartel. These are the same earthenware pendants sold at our art shows and at other online venues.

Big Cartel--Bringing Art to the Cart!

Gothic Style Double Tatting Shuttle

If you collect handmade tatting shuttles you won't want to miss this one. This is similar to the bone double shuttle Dave recently auctioned, except he carved this one out of East Indian Rosewood. After inlaying four mother of pearl diamonds and mammoth ivory center dots, it came out with a very Gothic looking design. It is 3 1/2 inch long, initialed and dated by Dave, the maker.

If you'd like to see more photos, this Double Gothic Tatting Shuttle is currently up for auction on Ebay.

New Items Added to the Cache!

It's been a while since we added any new items to the cache. It's not that we don't have any other "goodies" hidden away in the studio, it's just that the weather has finally warmed up here in central Oregon and Jo has been playing outside lately :)

This photo, is of some gorgeous, very old, 20mm African Krobo beads from Ghana. They have a wonderful beach glass aqua color and feel to them.

If you are interested in primitive and organic supplies, take a peek into our Cache!

We've Been Given the "Arte Y Pico" Award!

Rocki, from "Rocki's Rock'n Blog" made our day! She has bestowed upon us the "Arte Y Pico" Award! This award is passed from one artist to another to honor their creativity. This is the first award for Grizzly Mountain Arts and we really appreciate it, Rocki!

Now, to keep the good karma going, we are passing it along to five other artists!


Lace-Lovin' Librarian

Diane chronicles the pleasure she gets from making lace, which is gorgeous!

Clyde, The Mad Tatter

Clyde is another of our favorite fiber artists. He says his tatting is an addiction, we think it's beautiful!

Lady Shuttle Maker's Tatting Tales

Sherry not only makes beautiful lace, but she also makes beautiful ceramic tatting shuttles and hand dyed thread.

Jeannie Lynn Paske's Obsolete World

Jeannie, is a wonderfully talented artist from Portland, Oregon. I find her work completely captivating with it's haunting beauty.

Banana Pants Clothes

Lesley, is one of the sweetest young women I have had the priviledge to meet here in the land of Blog. She is a clothing designer from Oklahoma who specializes in making clothes like I wore about 35 years ago, with a modern, hip twist.


Thanks again to Rocki and her rockin blog for giving us this award today!

Fossil Ivory with Silver Inlacing

This primitive inspired piece was created from a shard of fossil ivory. Dave has used silver powder and resin to inlace (also sometimes referred to as inlay) a ancient spiral design into the pendant. This pendant hangs from an 18" silver plate ball chain.

This fossil ivory pendant can be found in our Etsy.com shop.

Dave's Button Baskets

This is Dave’s latest little creation! A basket for your buttons featuring a vintage button lid center piece.

Most people think that all our baskets are my art pieces but alas…Dave stitches also and has much more patience and a longer attention span than I. Dave says “give an ole sailor a needle and he can mend a sail, splice a rope, scrimshaw a whales tooth or make you a basket”.

We hand make our baskets with Oregon Ponderosa Pine needles tightly stitched with waxed artificial flat sinew. The needles for this little basket have been dyed and a vintage copper button is used for the lids focal centerpiece. The basket measures 2 ¾ inches across by 2 ¼ inches high and features a fancy Wheat Stitch binding. The Wheat stitch requires 2 -3 times longer in making a basket than the standard plain straight stitch binding.

Oh, and for the record, when something goes wrong…. Dave can also cuss like a sailor!

The Seven Feathers

"The Seven Feathers" tribally inspired necklace designed by Jo, represents the style of fossil ivory jewelry we sell at our art shows. We haven't had many pieces here in our Etsy shop, so we thought it was time for another one!

The seven feathers of this piece, were hand carved from fossil ivory by Dave. Both sides of each feather has been meticulously carved which makes this necklace reversible. The feathers hang from a gorgeous hammered Karen Hill Tribe silver tube which Jo has accented with carved wood beads, more Karen Hill Tribe silver beads and matte glass crow beads.

The cord is a wonderful faux suede material that doesn't shed all over your clothes like real suede does. This material ties very easily making this necklace adjustable for nearly every neckline.

GMA Handmade Cherry Wood Cameo Tatting Shuttle

Dave hand made this 3 1/4 inch Drop Tatting Shuttle from American Cherry wood. It is inlaid with a tiny resin cameo. Dave has also burn etched a lace design into the wood. It is initialed and dated by Dave, the maker.

Carved Bone Double Tatting Shuttle

Dave carved this 3 1/2" flat double shuttle from bone. He has carved an intricate Victorian style motif on the front and back. This piece has been intialed and dated by Dave.

If you would like to view more photos of this tatting shuttle, please visit this item at Ebay where it is currently up for auction.