Why is this named Buckles and Banjos? Well, these are two of my favorite hobbies. "Buckles" because I specialize in making wooden inlayed belt buckles primarily for Boy Scouting friends and "Banjos" because I love to play that old-time clawhammer style. This Blog will have some sample of both as well as other woodworking and musical items so check back once in a while!
This is the group you didn't get to hear at Extravaganza 2009. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your point of view!) things were running a little late so the Floppy Bottom Boys yielded the stage to others with bigger amplifiers. We had fun anyway....and preserved our ear drums for another day.
The Westark Area Council's Extravaganza 2009 was a spectacular success. Attended by nearly 2,000 people, the event was held at Ft Chaffee just outside Fort Smith. As you can see by the smiles on the faces in the video everyone had a wonderful time....and the weather was just gorgeous. (not counting the high winds and the electrical storm at night.)
This special Wood Badge puzzle box was created for the Wood Badge Reunion at Extravaganza 2009. This as well as the two knives and clocks will be auctioned to raise funds for scholarships for the next course.
The box is cut from a single block of aromatic cedar. A "key" has to be removed to open it and there is a smaller box inside that has two lids to be removed to get to the pair of Scout fleur-de-lis earrings inside. (Click on the picture for a larger view.)
Anybody know this old codger?.....saw him in my backyard playin' the banjar!!! Twarn't no good but you kin tell by the smile under the beard he really likes to play! Now, les see.....whar' kin I post this so those two young'uns of his will see it? Better yet, whar kin I post it so his young'uns FRIENDS will see it!!!
This is the knife and box created for our Extravaganza 2009 chairman, Kevin Overholt....but don't tell him! It's a surprise!! He was in the Bear Patrol of SR-890, hence the bear on the box. (Click on the picture if you'd like a larger view)
Here are the items I have made so far for the Wood Badge Reunion at Extravaganza 2009. Proceeds go for scholarships for the next course in Spring 2010. If time allows I might come up with a few more but the knives have sold well in the past. These are Victorinox Swiss Army knives with the plastic handles pulled off and replaced with cocbolo. The inlays are German silver and yellowheart.
Ralph's Pink Flamingo BBQ is a fabulous restaurant owned by our friends Ralph and Patsy Taylor and was recently named Reader's Favorite BBQ by Fort Smith Entertainment Magazine!!! Ralph used to cook for our Boy Scout troop and run our annual cooking contest for the boys. His BBQ is indeed the best ANYWHERE as his numerous awards and trophies can attest.
Just for fun and as a congratulations gift I made him these two puzzles. Congratulations Ralph, Patsy, Jeff and Rhett and best wishes for even more success!!!
One of my coworkers asked if I could make a portrait for his family's beloved dog who passed away at the very ripe old age of 23. (Isn't that about 152 in dog years?!!!). Since three are really easier to cut than just one since it slows the blade down a little, I made one out of 1/8" Baltic birch ply, another out of cherry ply, and one out of oak ply. The Baltic birch one is framed here and he is going to use one for a lid for a box for the dog's papers and ashes.
Dave, I hope this picture of your "best friend" brings comfort to you and your family!
Happy New Year to All!!! We celebrated New Year's Eve in Bartlesville with family and friends and here's the video to prove it. Warning...video has yet ANOTHER holiday tune butchered on the banjo by yours truly! Does it ever stop?! ...mercifully this video and tune is only 1 minute!
Merry Christmas from the Spain family!!! We wish all of you a most blessed Christmas and wonderful times with family and friends.
Play the video below for a few pictures of us in 2008...and turn up the speakers of course! (Yes, I am SURE the banjo will embarrass the boys...must be why it is so fun to do!)
Katie, our wonderful and beautiful future daughter-in-law received her bachelor's degree from UCA (Conway) at the December ceremony on December 13th. She started out as a Hog at the UA but tranferred last year to pursue her master's degree in occupational therapy. Along the way she picked up this degree and we'll be attending another graduationfor her in a year or so. It was a wonderful day...met Brad, Katie and her parents, Jeep and Patty, for lunch and then headed for the ceremony. Afterwards Katie went with her folks on a trip to Houston and we took Brad back to Little Rock...had a great time checking out possible places to host the rehearsal dinner next October....yeah, I think we're going to have to go back and eat our way through the town again!!
Here are a few pictures that I took at the graduation....set to appropriate music of course!
On Sept 20th we attended the parade for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Dewey Roundup in Dewey, Oklahoma. Once one of the three largest rodeos in the world it was discontinued in the 40's after a grandstand collapsed. On Saturday some of the old cowboys and cowgirls were on hand for the parade and a Wild West Show was performed on Sunday. We didn't get to see that but had a great time at the parade and watched Uncle Bill give autographs for a book he wrote on the history of the event. The video that follows has a few pictures of Bill, the parade, and impersonators of Pawnee Bill and Tom Mix with Tony the Wonder Horse of course. The music is by John McCutcheon whom we got to see perform the previous day at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas....what FUN!!!
