Sunday, April 27, 2014

WARTHER MUSEUM TRIP

This past week we took our three Grandchildren on a trip to Dover, Ohio to tour the Warther Museum.  Spring break from school was still on.  All three of them, including their Grandfather, had their doubts.  The enthusiasm was not running high for this Grandmother planned trip.  Fortunately, by the time the tour was only into it's first five minutes, a change of heart was had by all.

Everyone agreed, IT WAS AWESOME!

Just to give you some background, the Warther Museum is dedicated to Ernest "Mooney" Warther, the world's master carver.  Mr. Warther's life work is displayed at this museum.  Beautiful replica's of railway trains of the past handcarved out of wood and embellished with real elephant ivory. The detail is truly amazing as you can see from the picture below.

His rendition of the Lincoln Funeral Train that carried President Abraham Lincoln's casket is truly astonishing.  The car that held his open casket is duplicated down to the last little detail.  You can look inside the windows and see his hand carved face laying in the casket, the tables and chairs, even the coffee pot and cups on the table.  A tiny, miniscul ivory carved key that exactly fits into the hand carved lock on the funeral car door is and extra surprise.

Mr. Warther started his craft when he was five years old, having found a carving knife in the fields where he helped to herd cows.  Fascinated with it, he self taught himself the art of carving. Throughout his life he never sold one piece of his wonderful railway carvings.  He gave about 17 of them away as gifts 

Mr. Warther was born in 1855 in Dover, Ohio to Swiss immigrants.  Having only a second grade education, it is truly amazing to see the duplication of the steel company he worked for to earn a living for his wife Frieda and their five children.  Here are pictures of the display.  Everything is still working and runs on pulleys.  His inventions made the mechanisms on the steel company floor run much more smoothly.

He used real elephant and rhino tusks, and the original ivory pool balls, of which where so dimensionally perfect that he cut them and used them for the wheels on the railway trains.

In all, he handcarved 64 intricate in detail, early steam engines, railroad locomotives and entire trains ending with the Union Pacific Big Boy of 1941.

Mr. Warther never seemed to waste a minute of his day in all the years of his life, ending at the age of  87. He would begin each day at 2 a.m. and carved for 5 hours until breakfast time, then off to work at the steel company, and found time after work to play with his children.  He loved children and children were attracted to him.

His wife Frieda collected buttons and amassed a collection of over 73,000 buttons.  They are all displayed in a small structure on the property in back of the original 1920's house where she and Ernest raised their five children. The buttons are artfully displayed according to  material and color in patterns much like quilt patterns. All are framed in beautiful walnut frames.  I was intrigued with the collection, especially the brass buttons.  Being a jewelry artist, I wanted them all to make beautiful jewelry out of.  Below are pictures of just some of her wonderful collection and the structure that they are housed in.

She even has a brass button that was taken from Mrs. Lincoln's Inaugural Ball Gown. I it in the center of the brass button display.

We toured their home on the property and I managed to take a great picture of the dining room where Frieda worked on her button collection.

Mr. Warther kept carving until the age of 85 when he had a stroke and could not use one side of his body. He passed away at the age of 87.

Carving was just a hobby for Mr. Warther, and in 1902 he started carving kitchen knives and selling them. They are still made today and sold in the gift shop, online and through a catalogue. Fifth generation Warthers carry on the tradition and their workshop is inside the museum. The knives are beautiful and carry a lifetime guarantee.  I took a catalogue home and envision some Christmas and Birthday Gifts for a certain member of my family.

Frieda Warther also had beautiful Swiss raised bed gardens on the property which are fully maintained year round with Spring bulbs and Summer Annuals.  She was a very knowledgable gardener.

The beautiful grapevine gazebo dining area is at the back of the gardens and is a true delight.

Down below are two real railway cars that visitors are welcome to explore.  My Grandchildren had a blast.

Before we left, we all had lunch at a 50's Diner called Blazin Burgers, just a block away from the Warther Museum.  Yummy handmade hamburgers, hand cut French fries, onion rings and hand made from real ice cream milk shakes in metal containers were scrarfed down by three very hungry Grandchildren and two happy Grandparents.  Everything was served in baskets and a large order of fries was shared by the five of us. 

All in all, a very wonderful trip and my Grandchildren are still talking about it.  I would certainly love to return their someday and spend more time viewing the collection.  The tickets are good for all day and include a guided tour with informative movie and all the buildings on the eight acre parcel.

Douglas the Dachshund would have loved to have been included in this adventure. 

He wants everyone to know that his Grandmother's Etsy Jewelry shop donates 20% of its sales to Rescued Rescuers:Dachshunds and Friends of the Emerald Isle.  Having been a rescue foster Dachshund himself, he knows how important that is.

See Garden Gate Designs at: www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com.  The rescue group can be found on Facebook.

Friday, April 18, 2014

LUSCIOUS RADIANT ORCHID

I finally had time to finish this yummy radiant (or vibrant) orchid two strand necklace. I love working with acrylic beads.  They are so lightweight and versatile.  There are matching earrings to go with the necklace. These are hombre beads.  Hombre beads are the different shades of the same color in graduated form.  I have taken this strand apart and created my own color combination from them.

I have finished the necklace and extended it with silver cable chain and added a matching dangle and lobster clasp to fasten it.

Matching earrings go with the beautiful necklace.

For more picture of this luscious creation see www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com.

My Etsy shop donates 20% of it's sales to Rescued Rescuers: Dachshund and Friends of the Emerald Isle.  They can be found on Facebook.

Douglas the Dachshund would surely approve.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

RADIANT ORCHID

Radiant Orchid is the new color for this year.  It comes in many shades and is similar to what we used to call purple.  I have a few pieces of radiant orchid jewelry in my Etsy shop at: www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com.

Here is a simple necklace made of radiant orchid colored acrylic graduated beads and chain:

Matching earrings for the radiant orchid necklace.

 

 

 

Here is a bracelet made with shades of radiant orchid, turquoise, hematite gray and crystal. I  have strung it together with black waxed linen cord for extra security. Guaranteed not to come apart. 

 

You can see all these lovely creations and more at:  www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com

 

And, just so you know,20% of all my sales go to the Rescued Rescuers:Dachshunds and Friends of the Emerald Isle.  You can reach them on Facebook.

 

Douglas the Dachshund would highly approve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

WHAT IS SPRING WITHOUT DAFFODILS

Springtime is one of my favorite seasons of the year, along with Fall.  I always have a pot or two of Daffodils to decorate the inside of my home.  They are so cheery!  I also cannot wait until my outdoor daffodils are in bloom.  They are planted  in clumps all along the one side of my home. I have about ten different varieties and each year the clumps get larger and larger.  I also have miniature daffodils like the ones pictured above in my shade garden.  They bloom their in the Spring before the leaf canopy fills in from the trees in our ravine.

The nice thing about planting daffodil bulbs is that they multiply every year and rarely need replanting, unlike tulips.  Also, the rodents, such as chipmunks won't touch the bulbs, as they are poisonous to them.   They are about one of the only Spring bulbs that are not affected by rodents.

As for Spring colors, I have some new and colorful jewelry in my Etsy shop that has been listed this past week.  Below is just a sample.

The above graduated green necklace is available in several colors in my Etsy shop as well as the two above that. See them at: www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com.

My Etsy shop donates 20% of it's sales to the Rescued Rescuers: Dachshund and Friends of the Emerald Isle which can be found on Faceboo

Speaking of Dachshunds, my little Grandog Douglas paid me a visit last night to help his Grandpa celebrate his birthday.  Douglas had so many ice cream licks that he will be turning into a Bratwurst Sausage if this keeps up! He is such a little begger!

Douglas is happy promoting my Etsy shop because he knows that 20% of the sales go to his favorite Dachshund Rescue Group.  Being a Rescue/Foster Dachshund himself before finding his forever home with my twin Grandchildren, Douglas would just love for you to visit my Etsy shop at: www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com.