Frequently asked questions

 

 

Where are you located?

I live in the U.S.A. on Vashon Island in Puget Sound in Washington State. You can read more about me here.

 

Do you sell your work in galleries or at shows?

No, I sell exclusively through my website. If you are not confident about ordering from a photo on a web page, read some of the unsolicited testamonials from past clients.

 

Do you have a printed catalog?

No, my website is my catalog.

 

Do you ever take special orders or commissions?

Yes, I do. In fact, many of the items I now feature on the website, such as the gemstone rings, the "Falling Leaf" and "Tree of Life" designs and many of the items offered in my Hair Accessory section grew out of requests for custom items. Follow this link to see some examples of past commissions and special orders.

 

How can I get in touch with you?

Use this form to . I will usually reply within 24 hours.

 

Where does your wood come from?

Most of the wood I work with comes from branches gathered in the Northwestern part of the United States where I live. In fact, most of it is from my own three acre woodlot here on Maury Island in the heart of Puget Sound, Washington. Maple, alder, cherry, Italian Prune locust, fir, and madrone (a broadleaf evergreen with orange/red bark unique to the Pacific Northwest) grow wild on what once was an orchard, barnyard, and pasture. I use all but the fir in making boxes, back scratchers, utensils, hair sticks,and more.

Native woods are not the only ones I use, however. In fact, most of the beautiful woods for my rings, combs, and barrettes come from tropical countries. Here, unfortunately, large tracts of virgin forest have been stripped to supply lumber for construction, or have been burned to provide land for farming. I try to purchase only wood that comes from plantations practicing sustainable forestry. Many of these small tracts are pieces of old growth forest, carefully managed by native clans attempting to make a living while remaining on their ancestral lands. I believe that artists and woodworkers perform an important function by providing a market for the beautiful wood originating from such sustainable yield plantations.

 

How long will it take to get my order?

For the most part, I do not keep an inventory. Your order will its place behind the ones previously received. I start working on your order when the ones placed earlier are finished and shipped. At different times of the year the wait may be a week or two, or possibly as much as a month. That is why it is a good idea to order early for special occasions. I post an estimate of the current wait time on each page of the website.

When will I get my order if I choose the Express Mail shipping option?

Express Mail shipping takes from one to two days, depending on where you live. Priority Mail shipping, the default option, takes from two to three days, again, depending on your address. Express Mail is delivered on Sundays and holidays; Priority Mail is not.

 

Why don't you offer UPS or Federal Express shipping?

Because I live on an island with only ferry service connections to the mainland, there are surcharges for shipping via private carriers such as UPS and FedEx. The cost of insured Priority Mail and Express Mail is the same from anywhere in the U.S.

 

I live outside the U.S. Can I still order from you?

Yes. I have sent packages to clients in Europe, Australia, and Asia.

 

I need something more quickly than your posted wait time will allow; can I pay extra to have an order finished in time for my special occasion?

Yes, if necessary. Use this form to contact me:

 

When you inscribe a ring, do you burn it into the inside or the outside?

I normally burn the inscription into the inside of the ring. If you request it, I will inscribe your message into the outside of the ring.

 

Which woods are best for your wooden rings?

The woods I've chosen to use for my rings are the most durable available.  However, some are harder with tighter grain than others. Those are the ones that appear in the lists for the outer edges of the three band rings.  For the same reasons they are the only woods I use for the two layer rings.  Softer woods with wider pores like Olivewood and Bloodwood can be used as the central layer in three layer rings, since they are sandwiched between two of the harder, tighter grained woods.

 

How long can I expect my wooden rings to last?

How long a wooden ring lasts depends on how it is treated.  If they are not accidentally crushed, they can last for years.  I cannot guarantee that they will last forever, of course.  After all, they are made entirely of wood.  Hand carved wooden rings can be compared to other forms of wearable art.  Just as with a hand painted silk shirt or dress, you should not expect to wear a wooden ring everyday for a lifetime.  With a little care, however, you should be able to enjoy your wooden rings for many years.

 

Can I wash my hands while wearing my wooden rings?

I recommend to all of my clients that, as much as possible, they keep their wooden rings dry.  I always remove mine before washing my hands or showering.  At home, when not wearing them, I keep my wooden rings on one of my branch ring holders on my desk.  If I'm out and need to wash my hands, I just put the ring in my pocket until I've dried my hands.  I use Badger Balm (included with all my layered wooden bands) before wearing my ring.  This beeswax and oil ointment won't hold up to hot water and soap, but it should protect your wooden ring from the occasional rain shower.  

 

How do you finish your rings?

After I build a ring, I sand it using progressively finer sandpaper until the wood is as smooth as possible. Then I rub the ring with a paste containing diamond dust. Finally, I buff the ring with hard carnuba wax. To help keep your ring looking glossy I include a tin of with most of my rings. This is a concoction made from natural oils and beeswax. You will want to rub your ring with Badger Balm before each wearing. I usually do it with the ring on my hand, since the balm is also great for chapped skin.

 

Why don't you put a lacquer or polyurethane finish on your rings?

I have found no finish that can stand up to the wear that a ring receives on your finger.  Not only do they all tend to wear off in a relatively short time, many finishes are not safe to wear against the skin.

 

I like your gemstone rings but wonder why you don't offer diamonds as a choice.

For one thing, even the least expensive diamonds can cost hundreds of dollars. Another reason that I am reluctant to set diamonds into my rings is the difference in durability between the wood and the gem. "Diamonds are forever," but wood will eventually wear out or can be accidentally broken, no matter how well the object is crafted or how careful the wearer, in which case the diamond might be lost. I prefer to use less expensive gems, such as zircon, which have many of the same refractive properties as diamond.

 

How do you get the gemstones to stay in your rings?

The gem is inserted into a cup which I have carved into the wood. The lip of the cup is carved in the desired shape, but the visible opening is slightly smaller than the display surface of the gem. I insert the gem sideways or at an angle, and then turn it into place. I use an epoxy resin to cement it in position.

 

How do I fit all my hair into one of your poinytail holders?

If you cannot fit all of your hair into a ponytail holder, make your hair into a ponytail first using a clear poly band and then insert the clip over it, placing only as much hair as will fit into the holder itself.

 

Why aren't the French barrette backs screwed to your barrettes?

They are permanently affixed with an industrial adhesive, which allows my barrettes to be less bulky and lighter in weight than most wooden barrettes available. This also avoids the problem of screw heads snagging and damaging the hair.