Secret Project Done and Delivered

With the help of my lovely wife, the secret project was completed on Sunday.  Before I show what it is  (not that everyone doesn't know already from seeing it in the background of all the pictures) let me explain.

Way back in the summer the LOML and I were talking about what we could make for Grace and others and she came up with the idea of a rocking horse.  I loved the idea and started searching for plans.  I wanted something fairly complicated that would lend to my style of mixing wood types.  I found a plan that worked and purchased it.  We bought some wood, I started on the patterns and such and then Grace's birthday came along.  We are standing there at the birthday party and low and behold, there is a hand made rocking horse there from the grandparents.
  I did not work on the project for a few weeks after that because I wasn't sure I was going to complete it.  Yes, the rocking horse I was going to build would be larger, and different, and all that,  BUT I did not want to walk in there and have people think I was trying to show someone else up, or steal ideas, or whatever.  In the end I decided I was far enough along that if I stopped I would have wasted a lot of wood  (as if I dont do a good job of ruining perfectly good wood anyway) and decided I would go ahead and complete it and if they did not want it or were offended by it then someone would be bound to take it somewhere.

so today was the best date we could deliver it, as we weren't going to haul it around the world to one of the family christmas's when they live like 6 miles from us.  M and I took it over there while D was out of town.  I explained before we even took it out of the truck the cliff notes version of my explanation from above, and then we brought it in the house.

Here it is

for those who are interested it is made of Walnut, White Oak, Maple, and Poplar.  It doesnt exactly match the plans, the plans were used as more of a reference.  All of the wood was rough sawn when I bought it so it was all planed, jointed, sawn, and sanded in the shop, included the wooden handle which was turned on the lathe, and the plugs for all the screw holes.  The finish is mineral oil to keep it a food safe finish so that if she chews on it or something it should be ok.  and no, I did not get a picture of it at K's house.

Grace was asleep when we got there but I guess she felt the presence of her personal entertainment system (M) and she woke up.  She was quite happy to see M, wasn't happy that I was there (she doesn't like the big scary guy) , and did not know what this big thing was sitting in the floor, but no way was she going anywhere near it.  Not a big surprise on my part.

I hope they like it and remember its the thought that counts as I am not a craftsman and this horse looks like it came from WWII there are no many problems with it.  I am sure if K or C is offended by the gift or just dont like it they can find a good charity to donate it to.

DD