Happy New Year!!

 Happy New Year!  

I hope your year is full of peace, happiness and good health!!

Free US Shipping Added To Our Holiday Sale on Select Items!

After deciding to extend our Holiday Sale through New Years, we have added Free US Shipping to select items in our store!  Check it out!  We are making way for new handcrafted wood items!

ByDan Woodworks on Etsy

 From "Our Little Mountain Cabin" to you!  Thank you for looking!  Dan & Vickie

Reversible Eastern Red Cedar Serving Board or Cutting Board

Large Eastern Red Cedar serving/cutting board with removable or reversible wooden peg handles unique to my serving boards/cutting boards. 

I designed this board so you can use either side of this beautiful piece of wood. Remove the handles when not being used for serving.

 Eastern Red Cedar Serving/Cutting Board

Reversible Serving/Cutting Board

This piece measures:

22 1/4 inches long (56.5 cm)

10 inches at its widest point (25.4 cm)

1 3/4 thick (4.4 cm)

More information about this serving platter  is on my Etsy Shop!!

 

Wow! Shop Together Circles and Activity Feeds on Etsy!

 A great way to shop together on Etsy!

What's coming and going on Etsy?  The newest way to keep up with your favorite Etsy sellers.  For buyers, it's a great way to find out what's new in your favorite shop, or just see other's favorites and keep up with the newest treasury and trends! 

Read the article here!

The Newest Addition To Bowls & Vessels: Eastern Red Cedar Goblets

Natural Eastern Red Cedar Goblets are each sculptured from one solid piece of wood. The goblets are a true piece of art created from fallen Eastern Red Cedar.

Eastern Red Cedar Goblets

Eastern Red Cedar Goblets

SALE* Cyber Monday Deals Will Last Longer Throughout December*SALE

*SALE* 20 % OFF EVERY ITEM IN THE STORE *SALE*
*CYBER MONDAY DEALS WILL LAST LONGER THROUGHOUT DECEMBER*
 COUPON CODE: HAPPYHOLIDAYS2010

See my shop announcement for more details at ByDan Woodworks on Etsy!!

Mountain Laurel Split Log Candle Holder

Handcrafted Mountain Laurel Candle Holder

4 DAY SALE EVENT! SALE!! SALE!! Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Eastern Red Cedar Vessel

                                                      

4 DAY SALE EVENT! SALE!! SALE!! Black Friday and Cyber Monday (11/26 thru 11/29)
Everyone looks forward to Thanksgiving for the family and food. But lots of people also look forward to the day after. That is commonly known as Black Friday. And it is one of the biggest shopping days of the year.

ByDan Woodworks is joining this event by offering 20% off of every item in the store. It all starts at 12 am eastern time Friday, November 26th.

I am also extending the sale through Monday at 11:59 eastern time to participate in Cyber Monday!! Look for the coupon code in my shop announcement to be posted midnight eastern time November 25th at ByDan on Etsy.

Eastern Red Cedar Bowl

                                              

                                                                                        

Spalted Mountain Laurel Candle Holder

Mimosa Candle Holder

I look forward to seeing you there!! 

We are back and working again!

Thanks you to all our followers for bearing with us while we have been out of the loop. We are back and working again on some great new items for the holiday season. I will be posting again soon and listing our new Mountain Laurel Wood Bowls and Vessels.

Again, thank you for being here for us!

Dan & Vickie

Tuesday Tag-Along Blog Hop at Twee Poppets

This is our first Tuesday Tag-Along (TTA) at Twee Poppets Review and Giveaway!  We are looking forward to checking out a lot of blogs that are new to us!!

Split Log Candle Collection: Great Table Center Pieces!

#3 MOUNTAIN LAUREL SPLIT LOG CANDLE HOLDER

Are you looking for candle center pieces for your all natural or rustic themed wedding?  I made these with the idea that these would look great for an outside wedding in the evening!  You might have another idea for them!  

#2 MOUNTAIN LAUREL SPLIT LOG CANDLE HOLDER

Click on the links under the pictures to see more of each candle holder!!

#1  MOUNTAIN LAUREL SPLIT LOT CANDLE HOLDER

 

Virginia Artisans Begin the Summer With Great Expectations!!

THE VIRGINIA ETSY STREET TEAM

This article on The Examiner has featured some wonderful Virginia artisans.  This is a great place to find all types of handmade items!  I didn't know there were so many gifted people so near to us! 

The Handmade Community

Vessels & Bowls: Sneak Peak of ByDan's New Line of Wooden Home Decor

 EASTERN RED CEDAR VESSEL

I have been having a lot of fun learning a new technique.  I am happy to announce I will soon be listing these vessels on my Etsy shop!!  Here are just a few of many more to come!!

This new line of Wooden Home Decor will feature vessels and bowls.  They can be used in and around a lot of areas of the home and are also food grade.  Meaning you could use the bowls for candy dishes to  potpourri dishes.  Or just admire their beauty beside the fire!!

         EASTERN RED CEDAR VESSEL

EASTERN RED CEDAR BOWL

Sacred Moon Herbals

 SACRED MOON HERBALS

Sacred Moon Soaps was created in 1993 as an extension of Smiling Goat Farm in Mt. Airy, NC.   

Sacred Moon went through some changes in the last few years including a rename. They are now Sacred Moon Herbals! She has been a soap maker, lotion guru, remedy fixer and all around smell good producer for over ten years.

Check out her blog.  You will find a wealth of information about herbs and herbal medicine past and present.  

Great all natural herbal soaps, lotions, salves, and more at her Etsy shop.   

Click here to check it out!!

 

 

The Handmade Community

A few great Virginia & North Carolina artisans we have joined in promoting the handmade community:


Virginia Is For Etsy'ers is an Etsy Team for sellers living in and around Virginia!
Shop Virginia Etsy Stores is an independent group of shops working together to create a top notch shopping experience on Etsy.

North Carolina and the handmade community:

Check out this great foodie shop on Etsy at Amy's Cakes and Candies
Making Life a Little Sweeter! Custom Miniature Cakes, Decorated Cookies & Chocolates, Bundt Cakes, Cupcake Parfait Jars, Edible Images. Edible Favors & Gifts creatively designed & decorated to match any style or theme.

Mountain Laurel Split Log Candle Holder Features Five Beeswax Candles

New addition to the Split Log Candle Holder Collection:

Mountain Laurel Split Log Candle Holder

Mountain Laurel Timber Candle Holder

 Mountain Laurel Timber Candle Holder

This Mountain Laurel Timber Candle Holder is made from fallen old growth laurel in an area on our land that has been untouched for many years.  Every time I look at the wood it brings me back to that beautiful, peaceful area on the mountain hill top.

I am so glad to be able to share this with you!

Pay It Forward Treasury!

What a great concept!  Paying It Forward!  The Virginia Etsy Team has put this awesome treasury together featuring Virginia Artisans, me included.  Thanks guys!! 

I just had to to share this awesome idea!!

Check it out here!!

ByDan: This Earth Day, do your part to reduce, reuse and recycle!!

ByDan: This Earth Day, do your part to reduce, reuse and recycle!!

This Earth Day, do your part to reduce, reuse and recycle!!

15 Simple Ways To Help Save The Earth!! 

 Let's Keep It Beautiful

 

1.  Use Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

2.  Compost (don't throw all those coffee grinds, apple peelings and egg shells away)

3.  Invest in recycled glassware (glassware made from recycled glass)

4.  Use re-usable lunch totes instead of paper bags

5.  Solar charged path lights to illuminate pathways and gardens (harness energy from the sun)

6.  Use reusable shopping bags

7,  Reusable coffee cup:  bring your own coffee cup to your favorite neighborhood coffee shop

8.  Install a low-flow showerhead in your home

9.  Use a push-reel mower (you know the kind)

10.  For baking small items or reheating food, a toaster oven is a great way to cut down on your energy consumption at home

11.  Save money, water and energy all at once by switching to an energy-efficient washing machine

12.  When you shop....Shop Eco-friendly

13.  Switch to all natural cleaning products can reduce your family's exposure to potentially harmful fumes, harsh chemicals or dyes and they are bio-degradable

14.  Cut back on how much bottled water you purchase by using a water pitcher that filters your own water

15.  By using re-usable bottles, you will save money and the earth!!

Unique Hollow Single Mountain Laurel Candle Holder

 This handcrafted Mountain Laurel Candle Holder is from a unique hollow section of a fallen Mountain Laurel tree. It has a hollow space due to, what I think, is the immense size of the tree.

It is amazing how large these Mountain Laurel have grown, and I can't help but wonder how old they must be. They have grown on the side of a mountain and have gotten so big they have fallen over due to the size and weight.
There are many that are 40 plus feet tall and are in full bloom in the summer.

We have added a 100% pure beeswax tea light candle with a cotton wick handmade by my wife and myself.

Split Log Candle Holder Collection

This is the newest addition to my Split Log Collection!!

Mountain Laurel Split Log Candle Holder Features Four Beeswax Candles

This beautiful Mountain Laurel Split Log Candle Holder features four beeswax candles hand poured ByDan. It has a gradual slope which makes it very appealing to the eye.
The candles are made with 100 percent pure local area beeswax and cotton wicks.

 

Find it on Etsy!

 

And The Winner Is...............................

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Join The Blog Hop

Split Log Candle Holder Collection

Eastern Red Cedar Split Log Candle Holder

The newest addition to my Split Log Candle Holder Collection! This candle holder is made from Eastern Red Cedar and makes a great addition to a mantle or table setting.

 You can find it here on Etsy!!

Featured on Etsy's Front Page & In bois et faux bois (I will always love wood grain) Etsy Treasury West

 Mountain Laurel Split Log Candle Holder

Honored that ByDan Woodworks' Mountain Laurel Split Log Candle Holder is featured in an Etsy Treasury!  Treasury West:  bois et faux bois (I will always love wood grain) treasury.

This rustic one of a kind Mountain Laurel Split Log Candle Holder includes five 100 % pure beeswax candles.
It would make a perfect center piece for a rustic or all natural themed wedding.
It is made from huge fallen Old Growth Mountain Laurel on our land in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

ByDan Woodworks and The Handmade Community Online and Offline!

Mr. Berry Hines of Bee Blessed Pure Honey is promoting  ByDan Woodworks along with his wonderful local honey, beeswax, and other naturally derived products at the State Farmer's Market in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Salon Jasemine in Raleigh, NC and The Sharpest Edge Hair Salon in  Holly Springs, NC are also displaying ByDan Woodworks.

Keeping it Clean with the Virginia Etsy Team is an article written by Kathryn of  Dyche Designs.  She was kind enough to add my soap dishes in a featured article about handmade soap in Virginia on Etsy.

ByDan Woodworks is also a proud member of the Virginia is for Etsyer's Team, which can be found here!

ByDan Woodworks online:  Artfire and Etsy.

Give Away - 100 Facebook Fans!!

This is the Mountain Laurel Candle Holder we will be giving away to one random fan when we reach 100 Facebook Fans! 

Mountain Laurel Candle Holder

Thank you to all of our FB fans for all of the support you have shown!!

ByDan Woodworks Fan Us Here

Recycled Button Cards Attached With Hemp

We wanted to offer something to our customers other than beautiful buttons, so we decided to make button cards out of recycled card stock.  Vickie, my wife gets the credit for this one!  She attaches the buttons to the cards with hemp cord. This would enable our customers to receive already packaged buttons to use OR as a unique gift idea. 

Here are some examples:                                                              

    Eastern Red Cedar Buttons

Other than Eastern Red Cedar, we have Red Cherry and Mountain Laurel buttons available.

Red Cherry Buttons

Rugged By Nature Wood Pendants

RUGGED BY NATURE

 HEART OF EASTERN RED CEDAR PENDANT

My new line 'Rugged by Nature!  Earth Day inspired recycled wood pendants.
Handcrafted out of, none other, than my two favorite types of wood to work with;
Mountain Laurel and Eastern Red Cedar
Harvested from old growth fallen trees on the land we will call our permanent home in the near future.

Reclaimed, recovered, recycled, rediscovered and reused are all terms that I refer to wood that has been given a new lease on life.
Environmentally reclaimed woods to me is the obvious choice, because using them replaces the need to harvest new timber.  The wood is already out there, it's just a matter of finding it, cleaning it, and working with it.
I find that using reclaimed wood is definitely worth the extra effort, since many of these woods have more  richness of grain, color, and character.
Some of  the best quality wood comes from old-growth trees. Old growth timber is harder, denser, and more stable than wood from young trees.

MOUNTAIN LAUREL PENDANT

Mountain Laurel

What is unique about the about the wood I use?  A lot of the things I make are made from Mountain Laurel.

It is said that the Cherokee Indians made pipes, bowls, decorations, utensils, and other household goods out of the wood from Mountain Laurel.  It is a closely grained wood and very hard.

We have many huge Mountain Laurel on our land in the mountains of Virginia. Some of them have gotten so big that they have toppled over.  I began making things out of the fallen Mountain Laurel to use around the cabin.  We found that the wood is very close grained and hard, so each thing I made turned out better than I imagined.  

 

The Mountain Laurel

The Mountain Laurel growing along the stream and waterfall banks played a large part in the decision as to where we would build our cabin.  We had never seen such gigantic shrubs.  We were not even sure they were the typical Mountain Laurel normally seen in the mountains of North Carolina and Virginia that grow along the Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountains.  After doing some research, we found they certainly were one and the same.

More information on Mountain Laurel here:

Mature plants are 6.5 to 10 feet tall, but may reach up to 40 feet in height.  The leaves are usually 3/4 inch to 4 inches long, and 1 to 2 inches wide.

Mountain Laurel is usually a tall, spreading shrub throughout most of its range, yet in the fertile Blue Ridge valleys and in the Allegheny Mountains of the southern Appalachian Mountains mountain-laurel may attain the size of a small tree.
In 1877, botanist Asa Gray noted at Caesar's Head in extreme northwest South Carolina that the trunks of mountain-laurel reached 50 inches (125 cm) in circumference. Mountain-laurel burl size varies with age. A 600-pound (272 kg) burl has been reported in western North Carolina.

 

A Mountain Laurel growing along the stream in all its glory!  Note how small the 5 foot 4 inch person looks standing to the left of the Mountain Laurel.  Sort of shows how big the Mountain Laurel is growing next to her even though she is a little distance away.

 

All About the Buttons

I have decided to make buttons with the left over materials from my other wood crafting projects, such as environmentally friendly soap dishes, candle holders and rustic twig baskets.  
Wasting great wood is something I did not want to do.  I love to turn something deemed as "leftovers" into something useful.  I look at this as the great term "upcycle".  This has turned into a lot more ideas for future projects, and ideas I actually have not put into use yet. 

Red Cedar Buttons 1 1/2 inch with 4 holes

 

Mountain Laurel Buttons1 1/8 inch with 2 holes

Read more about Mountain Laurel here