Mesquite with all my HEART ♡

Well my goodness it really has been a while since I have posted to the blog.  Our hands and hearts have been full with elder care, which is a bit like juggling jello at times. So some things have gotten dropped. Hopefully I will rise above the emotional, physical and financial toll this has taken on our family and continue to post our progress.  That is the plan.

With that said I am happy to share Lou Quallenberg's latest direction in his mesquite masterpieces. Lou has always put so much of his heart and soul into his work and this new direction is no different.  His new works actually take the shape of a heart with his distinctive design style - of course.

Mesquite Hearts for Cheryl on Valentine's Day

Every year for Valentine's Day he presents me with a mesquite valentine.  They range from tiny tokens to 3ft sculptures carved into a branch and everything you can imagine in between. The heart posted on the blog in February last year  Mesquite Furniture, Fire & Flames was one such heart.

Mesquite Heart in Flames by Lou Quallenberg

 During the @LAST Llano Art Studio Tour a few years ago a gentleman saw it and asked to have something similar created for his wife. Lou put it on the back burner. Eventually he decided to make two so he could pick one and the other could go to Marta Stafford Fine Art Gallery since he had been promising her something new for a long while. Once people saw those hearts being made in the shop, they ordered their own hearts and so Lou was launched into the sculpture business by way of heart.

BTW the very patient and understanding Marta Stafford still has not received one for the gallery yet.

Open Heart in Mesquite for Cheryl

Moresco Square Base Mesquite Heart by Lou Quallenberg

Moresco Natural Base Mesquite Heart by Lou Quallenberg

Messer Mesquite Heart by Lou Quallenberg

Lacy/Franco Mesquite Heart by Lou Quallenberg

 Laminated Mesquite Heart by Lou Quallenberg

So as we start this day in celebration of our 20 years of marriage I publish this post in honor of my talented, artist of a husband Lou Quallenberg. I only  ask that our remaining years be filled with as much love as the last 20 years!

with all my HEART ♡

Love,
Cheryl

@LAST was a blast: Llano Art Studio Tour

Lou Quallenberg & Ralph Moresco  Llano Art Studio Tour

 The 3rd Annual @LAST Llano Art Studio Tour went well this year. We had over 100 visitors to the shop. The tour is always a great reason for some spring cleaning and organizing the shop. For the last two years we have been saying maybe next year will be in our new location. But REALLY maybe next year we will finally be in a new larger location. It was obvious this year that we are running out of space.  The new MiniMax machine and all of the mesquite wood  leave no room for the pieces and projects that are on the work schedule.  It has become a balancing act to find space to work in.

We were happy once again to have Annette and Ralph Moresco of West Shore Wind Spirals with their beautiful  Copper Wind Spirals at the shop with us. They were holding a drawing for one of their hanging wind spirals and of course everyone wanted to sign up to win!  They are such a sweet and wonderful couple and we really enjoy hanging out with them and of course watching those incredible copper creations,  spin,  spin,  spin in the wind. 

Take a few moments and watch the video to see what I mean - mesmerizing.

 

Lou did a scheduled  demonstration on mesquite wood care,  oiling and waxing. He also talked a bit about the insect predators of mesquite and how even a finished piece can have the bugs in them if the wood was not properly handled and treated. You know you have the bugs if you find little piles of sawdust under your piece. It is not a pleasant suprise and not always an easy issue to deal with. That whole topic deserves it's own future blog post.

John Caballero of  Apple Valley Orchard and Llano Fiddle Fest fame stopped by and serenaded us with a few tunes on the mandolin. He is one hard working guy and we really appreciated his taking the time out to hang with us. I know we were not the only ones on the art studio tour that he visited and played for.  Thank you John!

Next weekend is the Fiddle Fest in Llano so if you are in the area come for some great family fun and incredible fiddeling.  We happen to know and love the two time reigning Champion "AIR" Fiddler Robin Chiesa and plan to be there as she goes for the crown the third time.  Check out her past winning performances here on YouTube :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o86ELfDSx4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RNWOmtPVU8

and then come join us as we cheer her on hopefully to a third championship title on Friday April 5th at the Badu House in Llano, Texas.

The worst thing about the @LAST Llano Art Studio Tour is we don't get a chance to visit the other locations on the tour because we REALLY would enjoy doing that. It is so much fun to visit artists in their work spaces and I think that is what makes our studio tour succeessful each year.

This year the @LAST Llano Art Studio Tour,  held annually the last saturday in March, fell on the Saturday before Easter.  In order to celebrate the Easter tradition we filled over 100 Easter eggs with candy but the green ones held a special mesquite wood charm that can be hung on a chain, ribbon or keychain.  I know they were a hit because people started looking inside the eggs to see if they could find them.  The kids of course prefered the candy.   

Happy Easter! 

Happy Spring!

A New Year & A New Tool

Well we are already thirty one days into the New Year and I am wondering where all those days went?  If time continues at this speed we will be buying Christmas presents again in a few weeks. 

 The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year.  It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes.  Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions.  Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective.  ~G.K. Chesterton

 The new year came with a new piece of equipment for the shop to help make things go a little faster. A way, we hope for us to start afresh and be effective.  

Our new arrival from Italy finally made it off the trailer and into the shop. It is even BIGGER than BARNEY!

 Mini Max CU300 Smart : 8.5' sliding table and oversized framing unit with swing arm.

Now how do we get it off the trailer and into the shop without damaging Matthew's new BIG box?!

But first we had to get it off the trailer and into the shop.  I tried to ask for  a little local help on facebook but we could not get a signal to use facebook on  phone, tablet or computer that afternoon so we had to go manual and back to the basics. It was just that kind of day.  So rolling the thing on logs just like the Egyptians and other ancient cultures seemed a no brainer.

A few generations of helping hands.

Our first full look at the new member of the family.

A few crow bars and some rollers....

slowly slowly slowly

What were we thinking?

Maybe a little superman impression will do the trick?

Finally ready for the unveiling.

I thought Christmas was in December!

I was honestly just happy that nobody got hurt in this crazy unloading method that we chose to use.  It was an interesting mix of brainpower, muscle and he man thinking.  Pure entertainment for those lucky few that got to watch!  

Speaking of entertainment never underestimate the value of a BIG box. I showed Matthew how to use the box cutter. Windows and doors magically emerged and kept him entertained all weekend long.

A boy and his BIG BOX!! So much FUN!!

Matthew gets to use a box cutter to cut windows and doors.

A few NEW things going on here in Llano:

Check out our Barney on his new facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/BarneyTheWoodshopWonderDog

Get Woodworking Week was conceived and developed by Tom Lovino of Tomsworkbench.com a frequent columnist for, Wood Magazine writing as "The Shop Monkey" as well as Tom’s Tips on Wood Talk Online.  The basic idea is that all of the woodworking bloggers and podcasters gear the content on their sites that week to novice or soon-to-be woodworkers in an effort to encourage them to get into the craft.  In support of "Get Wood working Week" we will offer a special MESQUITE prize drawing that week. To be eligible you must do each of the following: #1 comment on a blog post in Mesquite Musings #2"Like" our Mesquite Furniture Page on Facebook #3 Friend or Subscribe to Lou Quallenberg on Facebook #4 "Like" Barney the Woodshop Wonder Dog on Facebook #5 Post a photo of a wood project that you made, want to make or are making to the Mesquite Furniture page on facebook - It does not have to be made from mesquite.  (You cannot be a regular woodworking hobbyist or pro - this is for newbies people!)

COMING SOON:

Watch the @LAST Llano Art Studio Tour video below for a little taste of what is to come in March in Llano, Texas.

 Don't miss the @LAST Llano Art Studio Tour held annually on the LAST Saturday in March. That makes it March 30th this year. Mark your calendars today!!!

Keep up to date by "liking" the @LAST Llano Art Studio Tour page

 on facebook here: 

 https://www.facebook.com/Llano.Art.Studio.Tour       

and

by joining the event here:

https://www.facebook.com/Llano.Art.Studio.Tour/events

please "like", "share" and "invite" your friends!!!

And finally......

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ---Benjamin Franklin

We hope that we are better humans with the passing of this past year.  I think we have grown and become even more aware of our challenges and weaknesses as well as our strengths.  It is our true goal to be better,  more loving people on this incredible planet and we will keep trying until we get it right.