Project by ellen35 | posted 04-01-2012 08:40 PM | 3250 views | 2 times favorited | 36 comments | ![]() |
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Hi Fellow LJ’s,
I finally made a tea box that I plan to keep for myself! I’ve made and sold many but like the cobbler whose children have no shoes, I took my own tea out of a cardboard box! So this is what I made to keep my own tea in and to serve tea to my friends. It is approximately 10 inches outside diameter and it is made using Bolivian Rosewood. The dividers are also a very thin Bolivian Rosewood. I had 2 pieces of this stunning wood and I was saving it for something special. I thought about doing some turquoise inlay on the top but just could not bring myself to do anything that would take away from the raw beauty of the wood. I sanded to 1000 grit… no small feat on wood this hard. Then I put on 3 coats of Minwax Polycrylic. (I thought about using Bush Oil but I’m mad at them for overcharging at the last woodworking show I attended… but that’s another story.) Finally, I waxed with Briwax and loaded the baby up with a bunch of different kinds of tea.
I must say, my cup of tea will taste sooooo much better when I choose the tea from my new box!
Thanks for looking and if you are ever on Cape Cod, join me in a cup of tea!
Ellen
(thanks to my friend and fellow LJ Lorna (moonls) for her assistance with this.
-- "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good." Voltaire
36 comments so far
degoose
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7287 posts in 4807 days
#1 posted 04-01-2012 08:45 PM
Ellen I could look at your tea boxes all day..this one is spectacular and I am glad you are keeping it for your personal use…
-- Be safe.
Woodwrecker
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4240 posts in 5028 days
#2 posted 04-01-2012 08:49 PM
Holy Smokes Ellen!
It is incredible how you get these absolutely beautiful pieces of wood, and then use them to their utmost beauty!
The whole thing, from your design, to the way you manipulated the grain direction, to the perfect chamfering, to the wonderful finish and the way it brought out that spectacular grain.
Then, using the same beautiful wood for the interior.
There is no doubt that you are “The Queen of the Tea Box”!
And I think this was a splendid choice to keep for your very own.
I think you will be loving this box like you do today, 30 years from now.
Very, very nice indeed!
Sheila Landry (scrollgirl)
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9239 posts in 4372 days
#3 posted 04-01-2012 08:49 PM
Just beautiful, Ellen! :) It is simply lovely! No wonder you are keeping this one. :)
Sheila
-- Designer/Artist/Teacher. Owner of Sheila Landry Designs (http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com) Scroll saw, wood working and painting patterns and surfaces. "Knowledge is Power"
BarbS
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#4 posted 04-01-2012 08:56 PM
Heck yes, look at one more. What stunning wood! Glad you get to keep one.
-- http://barbsid.blogspot.com/
Craftsman on the lake
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#5 posted 04-01-2012 08:58 PM
Having made guitars, I love rosewood. I have a sister who loves tea (not my drink of choice). You tea drinkers are almost OCD about it aren’t you? I’ve known people who line the boxes of flavors up in the cupboard in just the right order and realign them once and awhile. Some people have to have all their ducks in a row. Other’s it’s tea!
Anyway Ellen, Beautiful wood and nice work. I know you’ll be very happy with your tea all organized in such a nice place. And every time you use it you can say “I did that.”
-- The smell of wood, coffee in the cup, the wife let's me do my thing, the lake is peaceful.
jack1
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#6 posted 04-01-2012 09:15 PM
Fabulous wood, great work. It’s a keeper alright!
-- jack -- ...measure once, curse twice!
patron
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#7 posted 04-01-2012 09:17 PM
just stunning ellen
all that practice realy paid off well
beautiful wood
great work
now you can proudly
have alice
over for tea
-- david - only thru kindness can this world be whole . If we don't succeed we run the risk of failure. Dan Quayle
Dusty56
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11868 posts in 5140 days
#8 posted 04-01-2012 09:21 PM
Spectacular grain and color along with your Craftsladyship , really puts this one over the top , Ellen : )
-- I'm absolutely positive that I couldn't be more uncertain!
Joe Lyddon
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10963 posts in 5504 days
#9 posted 04-01-2012 09:38 PM
Ellen,
Very NICE… COOL!
Super nice wood… You did a VERY NICE job making it…
Did you Mortice & Tenon the sides into each corner leg?
I drink a little tea & have been wondering about doing the same thing…
But, I find myself drinking only two types of tea… Green & Blueberry… so I wouldn’t need all of the separate lil cubby holes…
I’ve heard tea is good for your eyes too….
... remember that commercial…
“Take Tea and See”?
LOL
Nice Job!
I’d love to visit Cape Cod some day…
IIRC the TV show “Murder She Wrote” was supposedly made in that area…
(one of my favorite mystery shows)
-- Have Fun! Joe Lyddon - Alta Loma, CA USA - Home: http://www.WoodworkStuff.net ... My Small Gallery: https://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/index.php?media/albums/users/joe-lyddon.1389/
blackcherry
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3351 posts in 5275 days
#10 posted 04-01-2012 09:42 PM
I agree Ellen it a keeper, so nice and beautiful it should show some wonderful patina over time. Thanks for sharing…BC
a1Jim
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118322 posts in 5029 days
#11 posted 04-01-2012 09:56 PM
Wow that’s a real beauty,fantastic wood ,great job Ellen
-- https://www.artisticwoodstudio.com/videos
jeepturner
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947 posts in 4245 days
#12 posted 04-01-2012 10:47 PM
A beautiful box for a nice selection of tea.
I have been thinking of making another one for my wife. I like the way you elevate the box on feet. When I make the next one I am going to so something similar. It will look nicer sitting on the counter on feet, I think.
Thanks for sharing it.
-- Mel,
LEITH
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175 posts in 4310 days
#13 posted 04-01-2012 11:02 PM
Beautiful box Ms. Ellen. I hope you enjoy every cup.
-- LEITH, SOUTH CAROLINA
Josh
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1234 posts in 4022 days
#14 posted 04-01-2012 11:20 PM
Yes, I could look at one more tea box. This one is a beaut.
-- Tree, wood, and box lover from Pennsylvania
shipwright
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8816 posts in 4250 days
#15 posted 04-01-2012 11:29 PM
Lovely tea box Ellen and justice done for a stunning bit of rosewood.
Your tea must be much more enjoyable now with this box in view.
-- Paul M ..............the early bird may get the worm but it’s the second mouse that gets the cheese! http://thecanadianschooloffrenchmarquetry.com/
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