Rochester Woodcarvers
November - December 2005 Newsletter
Meetings: 9am - 11am on the 3rd Saturday of each month (Sept - April)
May - the meeting is a picnic - look for details below
Redeemer Lutheran Church, 9th Street and 7th Avenue SE, Rochester, MN

November 19, 2005 Meeting Summary

Reports

• Treasury Report - Bev Stupca
  Balance ~ $2500
  
• Library Report - David Ridge
  RWC is now subscribing to "Chip Chats" magazine

Education - Community Ed Classes this Winter

• Carve In - Bev Kellogg Jr. High Tuesdays @ 7 pm
  
• Beginners Class - Ev & Chuck (~15 students)
  
• Acanthus Bread Board - Randy (~ 8 students)
  
• Santa Carving - Trent

Announcements / Events

• Ev Ellenwood gave a tool sharpening demonstration at the Lake of the Ozarks club
  
• Ev Ellenwood gave a load of carving wood away to any members interested.
  
• Wayne announced that Woodworker's Supply of Casper, Wyoming was offering a 15% discount on wood related products to the members

A Wood Carvers Bio - Club Members Backgrounds
Tom Severson: A Dalmatian dog owner who with his wife share their dogs with residents at Samaritan Bethany Heights and Sunrise Cottages. Tom and his wife are also involved in foster care of infants. Tom started his carving in Cub Scouts. Tom designed and manages the club web site.

Janet Denn: Janet is a busy farm wife and on-call nurse. Day care 5 days a week and a Mary Kay beauty consultant fill in the other hours of the week. Her sister Laurie Reed started her carving about 5 years ago and likes to "escape" once in a while to carve with her sister.

Festival of Trees
A Thank-you Note from Coordinator Dennis Tooley:

A big "Thank you!" to all in the club for the support for and contributions to the Carver's Tree for the 2005 Festival of Trees.

This year's tree, with its theme of "All God's Creatures", looked fantastic and stood out for all of its distinctive hand made qualities.

Increasingly, fewer of the trees at the Festival are totally decorated with hand made ornaments. As in past years the Carver's tree was one of the first to go in the opening night gala lottery. Laverne Schettl, who was there, stated that the woman who got the tree was ecstatic, and said that she'd "been trying for years to get the Carvers tree" It will be going to Minneapolis. If you haven't, or didn't, see the tree, go on-line to the club's website and view the pictures posted by Tom Severson.

The tree contained 106 ornaments made by the following club members: Ione Chase, Dennis Tooley, Sharon Roble, Bill Kittley, Ken Brown, Gary Kolb, Howard Riess, Wayne Hendrickson, John Ahman, Lou Vangallis, Chris Christianson, Trent Busch, Ron Bymers, Bob Nowicki, Marilyn Kastler, Tom Pike, Dwayne Schacht, Laurie Reed, Janet Denn, Nick Poleschuk, Bev Stupca, Mary DeVinney, Mike Paulios, Louise Forbes, Gary Berg, Jill Loveday, Don Buske, Nancy Borson, and Chuck Stupca.

The tree topper, a figure of St. Francis of Assisi, was carved by Steve Murray. The sign, under the tree, "Peace to all God's Creatures", was carved by Robert Ricks. The bird houses under the tree, designed with the intent that they could be removed and actually used as bird houses, were done by Ed Vitze(a rustic bait shop), Howard Riess(a house with a copper roof) and Laverne Schettl. The base itself was built by Laverne and Myron Schettl.

The decorating crew, at the Civic Center on Monday, were: Laverne Schettl, Jill Loveday, Vonnie Weeldryer, Louise Forbers, Chuck Stupca, Robert Ricks, Tom Pike, Gary Kolb and his cousin Trevor. A big thanks to them for the looks of the finished product.

The planning committee was: Dennis Tooley, Laverne Schettl, Robert Ricks, Jill Loveday, Laurie Reed, Karen Reilly, Tom Pike, and Kathy Ward.

In addition to the tree and its ornaments, three Club members contributed hand carved pieces for the Festival auction: a Santa and Mrs. Claus, by Steve Murray; a bare foot Santa, commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Festival, by Bob Nowicki, and three German musicians, by Tom Pike. Again, thanks to the Club and all who assisted with this years Carvers Tree.

Show and Tell - November 19, 2005

• Don Buske: Viking plate, an heirloom jar that contained carved dolphins, a dog, and two geese for the Festival of Trees.
• Nick Poleschuck: Three eggs, (one rhea and two ostrich eggs), two Christmas trees (chestnut) that were studded with gems.
• Steve Murray: Wreath of Mr. and Mrs. Santa for Festival of Tree auction.
• Bob Nowicki: Power-carved Australian Santa, complete with a kangaroo and a koala bear.
• Laurie Reed: "Santa with his List" from Trent Busch's class, and a woodburned, chip-carved zebra.
• John Ahmann: Mr. Ugly, a Santa with mole on nose, and three trees.
• Janet Denn: Wooden cut-out flea-market find Santa.
• Trent Busch: Rooster (made of walnut, mahogany, cherry, and oak). A wee little chickadee was also made of three kinds of wood. The little chickadee led to the making of little bird earrings that he now sells.
• Tom Pike: Three little girls that are German Christmas singers for the Festival of Trees auction
• Paul Glowacki: walking stick out of aspen…his 100th stick.
• Garry Kolb: Pictures of unusual carvings by the Italian carver Liveo De Marchi…who has even carved a full-size, drivable car.
• Wayne Hendrickson: Two Hawkeyes, a lady knitting a prayer shawl, and a well-driller plus a well.

Program, November 19, 2005

Today's Speaker: Ev Ellenwood on "Making a Instruction Video"

Ev Ellenwood did a presentation on the art of producing a video for commercial purposes. He has now produced two videos: one on Tool Sharpening (~2500 sold) and one on Beginning Carving (2007). Ev gave a detailed and fascinating presentation on the types of services he used, set-up needs, the filming procedure, and the editing processes for the making of his videos. The making of these videos was complete with its share of frustrations and rather huge start-up costs (~$12,000 to $14,000). Ev estimates that he needs to sell between 700-750 videos or DVDs to break even. He now advertises in six catalogs and sells through Fox Chapel Publishing, at woodcarving shows, and on his web site where he sells about one per day. Ev is now working on a book for Fox Chapel Publishing.

December 17, 2005 Meeting Summary

Education:

• "Cabin Fever Carve-In" at Kellogg Jr. High (Rm 100) on Tuesdays at 7 pm
  No class on Feb. 28 and March 28

Announcements:

• Memorials to RWC given in George Jones' name
  $100 from Marjorie Schultz
  $100 from Debra Schultz Nau
  
• Suggestions for using the memorial funds - perhaps education
  
• George's son (Jeff in Oregon) and daughter (Julie) may sell or donated some of the tools, etc., from George's work shop
  Sharpeners (2)
  Dust Collector
  Boxes of Books
  Wood
  Chip Carving
  Stands

Show-n-Tell: December 17, 2005

• CORRECTION from October 2005 Newsletter:
  The Pheasant Relief Carving was carved by Karen Roble
  
• Blair Harrington - Muskie Fishing Lures (Collectors and Trolling Lures)
  
• David Ridge - Jewelry Box (oak and basswood)
  
• Bev Stupca - Bread Board from Randy's Class
  
• Wayne Hendrickson - Santa with Cat
  Santa with Hands in Pockets
  
• Roy Schroeder - Portrait of Man (scroll sawed)
  
• Ron Bymers - Goose with Santa Hat
  Santa with Tree
  
• Nancy Borson - Fairy with Jewels
  
• Paul Glowacki - Santa Spirit Stick
  
• Randy Kinnick - Turtle (from Mexico)
  Dolphin (from Mexico)
  
• Bob Nowicki - Barefoot Santas
  More Ovaltine Please
  Dew It
  Beer Stein
  
• Gary Berg - Tree Man with Pipe and with Bird on Hat Tree Man with Pipe and Blarney Castle Windows
  
• Ione Chase - Totem Pole
  Tangled Up Man
  
• Nate Sikkink - Buffalo
  
• Glen Amundson - carving of B. Amundson
  
• Cheryl Jones - Bread Board from Randy's Class
  
• Tom Pike - Nutcracker Man
  Girl Praying
  The Farmer Sower
  
• Trent Busch - Little Tiny Bird Earrings
  
• Ev's Grandson, Joseph - Squirrel w/ Ebony Eyes
  Houston County Fair - 1st Place, and Best of Show
  
• Laverne Schettl - Christmas Creches from her vast collection

Program December 17, 2005 Annual RWC Christmas Party

The Froiland Singers entertained us with their singing and musical instruments.

Gary Froiland shared the background in his carving of musical instrument cases.

The club has been fortunate in the Froilands sharing their music with us over the years as their family was growing up!

Lots of Good Food & Fellowship