Fish or Ostrich?

I've been busy adding new items to our new Grizzly Mountain Cache Etsy shop.

Two of the newest additions are the fish vertebrae and the ostrich shell beads shown.

If you like organic/primitive supplies, be sure and check out our new supply shop.

Grizzly Mountain Cache Primitive Supplies

Thanks, Grandpa Archibald!

GrizzlyMountainCache.etsy.com!!

We opened our second Etsy.com shop today! We'd been thinking about it for some time, and thought there was no better time than the present.

Most of the items in this shop will consist of an eclectic mix of Jo's handmade ceramic pendants, ancient ivory--fossil walrus and fossil mammoth shards, African Krobo beads and many other organic supplies. There's not a lot there now, but we'll be adding to it in the future.

And if you were wondering why I'm thanking good ole Grandpa Archibald, he's the "primitive" looking gentleman in our new avatar. Archibald, was the Chief of the Yowani Choctaw Band of East Texas Indians back in the 1800's.

Two New Additions

Our latest two vintage inspired cameo needle minders are, in my opinion, some of the prettiest! One is a whimsical fairy and flower, and the other a Victorian lady with a vine motif. Both have a turned piece of ebony as it's minder.

These needle minders are currently for sale in our Etsy.com shop for $10. If you would like to view these items, please click the link below.

Grizzly Mountain Arts Fiber Art Tools on Etsy.com

Hand Crafted Wood Lace Making Bobbin

Dave made this 4 ½ inch Continental style lace bobbin out of Rosewood, recycled carved mammoth ivory and pearlized celluloid accent rings. Dave recycles some of the fine ivory dust left over from making carvings by mixing it with resin and casting it into blocks that he can turn on his lathe. This bobbin is drilled for a spangle and initialed and dated by Dave.

This bobbin is currently up for auction on Ebay.com. If you would like to view this item, please click on the link below.

Hand Crafted Wood Lace Bobbin

Candy Apple Celluloid Tatting Shuttle

Dave carved this 2 1/2 inch side tatting shuttle from Candy Apple red celluloid to bring out the beautiful patterns within. No two can come out the same. Change the angle of the light and you get deep red and pearly shimmers accented with a threading design through the shuttle.

It is initialed and dated by Dave, the maker.

This tatting shuttle is currently up for auction on Ebay.com. Please click the link below if you would like to view this item.

Hand Carved Celluloid Tatting Shuttle Ebay Auction

Ceramic Needle Keeper

Our ceramic needle keepers are completely handmade by us! This needle keeper has a leaf motif carved on the top. It has been glazed with a cheerful grape colored glaze. The pins shown in the photo are for display purposes only.

This yummy grape needle keeper is currently for sale in our Etsy.com shop. If you would like to view this item, please click the link below.

Ceramic Needle Keeper on Etsy.com

Scrimshaw Ancient Ivory Needle Holder Ring

Since we're still in our needle minder frenzy, we thought we'd try and make a piece that was both functional as a ring and fiber art tool. We recently bought some beautiful vintage adjustable brass rings (thanks, EpochBeads!) and thought they would be perfect for this project.

Dave has scrim'd a graceful dragonfly on a beautiful piece of ancient mammoth ivory. Hidden underneath, is a powerful rare earth magnet on which you can park your needle! When you're not sewing, it is still beautiful enough to wear as jewelry!

This ring is currently up for auction on Ebay.com. If you would like to view this auction, please click the link below.

Scrimshaw Ancient Ivory Needle Holder Ring Ebay Auction

Happy Valentine's Day!

Two More Needle Minders!

We've just added two more needle minders to our Etsy shop! The most recent additions feature more of the gorgeous vintage inspired cameos. One is of the "Three Muses", and the other has a red hibiscus on black motif. Both of these feature the hand turned wooden backs as all of our other needle minders.

If you would like to read more about these needle minders, please click the link below to visit the "Fiber Art Tools" section of our Etsy.com shop. You can also find them by clicking on the Etsy "mini" on the right side of our blog page.

Grizzly Mountain Arts Etsy.com Fiber Art Tools

Back, by Popular Demand!

Dave just finished another of the vintage rose button needle minders. The first one sold after being in our Etsy shop for only a few hours, and the second one was sold before we could even list it! (Thanks, Diane!).

This gorgeous little needle minder is made from a vintage rose button. We drilled a recess in the back of the button and inlayed a rare earth magnet inside. Dave inlayed another rare earth magnet into a beautiful piece of dymondwood that he turned on the lath. Together, these beauties will "mind" your needle conveniently on your project!

Just like the previous minders, this little beauty is currently for sale in our Etsy.com shop for $7.50. If you would like to view the listing, please click the link below.

Vintage Rose Button Needle Minder

New Needle Minders Added to Our Etsy Shop!

We made these beautiful cameo needle minders from gorgeous vintage inspired resin cameos. Some we suspect are indeed vintage, but as we cannot prove that, we don't feel it would be appropriate to call them true vintage pieces.

A rare earth magnet has been inlayed on the back of each cameo. Dave inlayed another rare earth magnet into beautiful pieces of ebony wood that he turned on the lathe. Together, these beauties will "mind" your needle conveniently on your project!

Please click the link below to view our needle minders currently for sale in our Etsy shop.

Grizzly Mountain Arts Needle Minders at Etsy.com

Vintage Rose Button Needle Minder

Dave and I have been trying to come up with a line of lower priced fiber art tools to sell in our Etsy.com shop. Knowing the popularity of all things vintage, we thought we would combine the two!

We made this delicate little rose needle minder from a gorgeous vintage button. We drilled a recess in the back of the button and inlayed a rare earth magnet inside.

Dave inlayed another rare earth magnet into a beautiful piece of dymondwood that he turned on the lath. Together, these beauties will "mind" your needle conveniently on your project!

This needle minder is for sale at our Etsy.com shop for $7.50. If you would like to view this item, please click the link below.

Vintage Rose Button Needle Minder at Etsy.com

Dreams of Newport--The Sandy One

This is a "sandy" version of my previous ceramic starfish pendant. This pendant measures about 2 1/2" in diameter and hangs from a faux suede cord.

This pendant is currently for sale in our Etsy shop for $10. Please click the link below to visit this item in our shop.

Dreams of Newport

Celluloid Bobbin Tatting Shuttle

Dave cut and carved this approx 2 1/4 inch Royal Blue celluloid bobbin tatting shuttle to bring out the beautiful patterns within. No two can come out the same. Change the angle of the light and you get dark and pearly blues accented with a threading design through the shuttle. The bobbin is a common Singer which can be bought in packs of 4 at Walmart or similar store with sewing supplies. The drag on the bobbin can be adjusted with the brass screw axle to keep it from free wheeling. It has a #14 steel picot hook inset in the nose.

It is initialed and dated by Dave, the maker.


Celluloid Bobbin Tatting Shuttle Ebay Auction

Hand Carved Celluloid Tatting Shuttle

Dave cut and carved this 3 1/2 inch LADY HOARE celluloid tatting shuttle to bring out the beautiful patterns within. No two can come out the same. Change the angle of the light and you get different swirls of Golden, Amber and Green. This shuttle is currently up for auction on Ebay. Please click the link below if you would like to view this auction.

It is initialed and dated by Dave, the maker.

Hand Carved Celluloid Tatting Shuttle Auction

New Crochet Hooks on Ebay!

Dave has been hard at work designing and making a new line of crochet hooks and three are finally ready! His new line features a thumb rest. Each thumb rest features beautiful pyrography (burn etching) depicting the Oregon Cascade Mountains, where we live. Be sure and click on the photo above to get a closer look!

The hooks in the photo are as follows:

HOOK SIZE: US Size J, 6.00 mm
LENGTH: 6 inches
MATERIAL: Cherry and Walnut with Mammoth ivory accent ring.

View the "J" Hook Auction!


HOOK SIZE: US Size K, 6.50 mm
LENGTH: 6 inches
MATERIAL: Olive colored Poplar and Paduak woods with Diamond wood accent ring.

View the "K" Hook Auction!


HOOK SIZE: US Size M, 9.00 mm
LENGTH: 6 inches
MATERIAL: Birch and Figured Maple with a Rosewood accent ring.

View the "M" Hook Auction!

Hand Carved Celluloid Tatting Shuttle

Dave cut and carved this 2 1/2 inch GOLDEN AMBER celluloid side tatting shuttle to bring out the beautiful patterns within. No two can come out the same. Change the angle of the light and you get different swirls of Golden Amber. It is initialed and dated by Dave, the maker.

This shuttle is currently up for auction on Ebay.com. If you would like to view this auction, please use the clickable link below.

Hand Carved Celluloid Tatting Shuttle

Hand Carved Wood Spirit Lace Bobbin

Dave made this 4 ½ inch Continental style lace bobbin out of Walnut and American Cherry woods and hand carved this jolly wood spirit. It is drill for a spangle and initialed and dated by Dave.

This item is currently up for auction on Ebay.com. If you would like to view this auction, please click the link below.

Hand Carved Wood Spirit Lace Bobbin

Ceramic Needle Keeper with Celtic Fish Motif

This is a new fiber art tool for our Etsy shop! They have been very popular over on the other "E" site, so we thought we'd try them here!

Our ceramic needle keepers are completely handmade by us! This needle keeper has an ancient Celtic fish pattern carved on the top. It has been glazed to make it look old and distressed. If you'd like to view this item, please click the link below.

Ceramic Needle Keeper at Etsy.com

Carved Seaheart Magnetic Sewing Tool Holder

Dave made this carved needle/tool holder from a seaheart (sea bean) and rosewood. This holder is extra strong and has a 1 inch Rare Earth magnet hidden within and a second 1/2 inch magnet inset in the back holding piece. It is strong holding, but yet easily comes apart with the easy grip back piece, no tugging! It is approx 2 inch across. This might be a little large for the smaller needle work pieces, but I had a rug maker ask me about making one strong enough to hold her scissors. This one will do the job! It is initialed and dated by Dave, the maker. This item is currently up for auction on Ebay .com. If you would like to see more about this item, please click on the link below to go to the auction.

Seahearts are "sea beans" that grow in the tropics and fall into the rivers and streams ending up in the ocean where they float around the world. The pod or otter shell is very strong and Dave cuts them in half, removing the dried bean part so that he can carve them and seal the magnet within.

Carved Seaheart Magnetic Sewing Tool Holder

Dreams of Newport

Newport, Oregon is one of our favorite places to visit. We tried living there shortly after retiring, and like I said, it's one of our favorite places to visit!

For me, finding a starfish on the side of a rock in a tide pool is just about as good as it gets. The "Dreams of Newport" pendants that I have designed reflect my adoration of this species.

This earthenware clay pendant measures about 2 1/2" in diameter and has been glazed and fired to give it a rusty, earthy look. If you'd like to learn more about this piece, please visit our Etsy.com shop. The clickable link below will take you directly to this item.

Dreams of Newport Starfish Pendant on Etsy.com

Hand Carved Celluloid Tatting Shuttle

Dave cut and carved this 2 1/2 inch Royal Blue celluloid side tatting shuttle to bring out the beautiful patterns within. No two can come out the same. Change the angle of the light and you get dark and pearly blues accented with a threading design through the shuttle. It is initialed and dated by Dave, the maker.

This tatting shuttle is currently up for auction on Ebay.com. If you would like to view the auction, please click on the link below.

Hand Carved Celluloid Tatting Shuttle

Carved Antler Magnetic Sewing Needle Holder

Dave carved this needle holder from the base part of a shed deer antler. It is commonly referred to by various names including the antler bur, antler button or antler rosette and it is located right at the growing point on the deer head. During the shedding process this rosette calcifies cutting off blood to the antler causing it to dry and eventually fall off after the mating season.

This carved rosette needle minder is approx 1 ½ inches in diameter and has a Rare Earth magnet hidden within. The second part backing piece is turned from purpleheart wood and also has a Rare Earth Magnet inset.

Dave uses shed antlers which naturally fall off the animal each year after the breeding season. They grow back during spring and summer and are fully developed again by the fall breeding season. After that, they are shed and the process repeated again for the next years growth.

This item is currently up for auction on Ebay.com. If you would like to view this auction, please click the link below.

Carved Antler magnetic Sewing Needle Holder

Hand Carved Celluloid Tatting Shuttle

Depending on how the light strikes this shuttle, it sometimes looks more black and then a bright silver pearl color. The bright burning thread pattern makes this shuttle look like its at work even when it is resting.

Dave cut and carved this 2 1/2 inch celluloid side tatting shuttle to bring out those beautiful patterns within. No two can come out the same. It is initialed and dated by Dave, the maker.

This shuttle is currently up for auction on Ebay.com. Please click the link below if you would like to visit that auction.

Hand Carved Celluloid Tatting Shuttle Ebay Auction

Patchwork Quilted Lace Bobbin Tatting Shuttle

Dave hand crafted this 2 1/2 inch lace bobbin tatting shuttle out of a patchwork of woods including birdseye maple, lace wood and granadillo. It has a #14 steel picot hook inset in the nose. The bobbin is a common plastic Singer bobbin available in a 4 pack at Walmart or most other sewing suppliers. The brass bobbin axle has a bushing that rides against the bobbin providing drag to prevent freewheeling. You can back off the screw to adjust the drag on the bobbin. It is initialed and dated by Dave, the maker.

This item is up for auction on Ebay.com. Please click the link below to view the auction.

Patchwork Quilted Lace Bobbin Tatting Shuttle Auction

Magnetic Needle Minder

Dave turned this needle holder from various woods including walnut, holly and purpleheart and inlayed a disc of TRUESTONE TURQUOISE in the top. Truestone is crushed turquoise mixed with resin and then recast so it can be turned on a lathe or carved. A Rare Earth Neodymium Magnet is hidden within. The holder is 2 inches high. This is a lovely and novel piece for your work space!

This item is currently up for auction on Ebay. Please click the link below to view the auction.

Magnetic Needle Minder on Ebay.com

Hand Crafted Spalted Maple Tatting Shuttle

This 2 3/8 inch tatting shuttle does not need any extras! No carving, burning, ivory inlay or scrimshaw!! It's a natural beauty! The spalting patterns are actually caused by fungi infection in the wood. As each micro fungi colony grows through the wood it leaves natural ring and line patterns or tracks. This wood has been stabilized under high pressure with resin which goes into ever wood cell making it extremely hard and waterpoof. It is initialed and dated by Dave, the maker.

This tatting shuttle is currently up for auction on Ebay. Please click the link below to view the auction.

Hand Crafted Spalted Maple Tatting Shuttle

Hand Carved Wood Spirit Bobbin

Dave turned this 4 ½ inch Continental style lace bobbin out of white ash with purpleheart accent rings and hand carved the jolly wood spirit. It is drilled for a spangle and initialed and dated by me. This bobbin is currently up for auction at Ebay.com. If you would like to see the auction listing, please click the link below.




Hand Carved Wood Spirit Bobbin Auction

Hand Carved Celluloid Tatting Shuttle

If cobalt blue is your favorite color, then you need to go check out Dave's latest tatting shuttle! It is a 2 1/2" side tatting shuttle that he carved from celluloid. This is a one-of-a-kind shuttle! If you'd like to bid on this item, please click the link below.


GMA Hand Carved Blue Swirl Celluloid Tatting Shuttle