Always wanting to try something different, this is the place to see my experiments, my travels, my successes, and my "learning mistakes."

You can see all of my posts by following me on https://www.instagram.com/aliciadietzstudios/

Sneak peak of the end table brewing for @visartsrva #craftanddesign2018... A concrete top and walnut base. . . . . #rvamakers #rvaart#visartsrva#endtable #sofatable #handmade #walnut #halflap #jointery #buddyrhodes
Which do you prefer? Deciding between which set to use as the wall feature @visartsrva #craftanddesign2018 next weekend. I’d love some feedback! . . . . .  #richmondart#therichmondexperience #rvamakers #visartsrva  #wallart #woodart#concreteart #buddyrhodes #walnut
Half laps hold this end table together. I love when beauty and function intersect (all pun intended). It's been so fun to shift gears in the shop and work on some smaller projects... though multiples are still on my mind, so I'll have 3 variations of this table for @visartsrva #craftanddesign2018... Wait, that's next weekend?!!! ;-) . . . . #rvamakers #rvaart#visartsrva#endtable #sofatable #handmade #walnut #halflap #jointery
While I'm busy in the shop making some new pieces for @visartsrva #craftanddesign2018, I will also have a piece or two that's gotten a face lift. This media console will be featured, complete with sliding doors, multiple shelves, and an overhung top. Come by booth 410 Nov 16-18 and check out this piece along with quite a few new ones! Thanks to @therealjustinc for the photos! . . . . #rvamakers #rvaart#visartsrva#mediaconsole #mediacenter #handmade #walnut
Delivering the king chairs this evening, it's bittersweet to see this dining room project come to a close. Mary and David are the type of clients you dream of... collaborative to the core and true patrons of fine craftsmanship. I've thoroughly enjoyed having them to the shop and talking about the process. These meetings make me so happy to be a maker - getting to pull back the curtain to clients who are thirsty to learn about sliding dovetails, inlays, carving gouges, and vacuum pressed laminations. I truly hope to work with them again! . . . . . #dreamclients #patronsofcraft  #handcradtedfurniture #handmade#studiofurniture #chairdesign #furniturewithastory
I got my flu shot, but looks like I caught a bug anyway... the concrete bug. A huge thank you to @markmelonas for his instruction and expertise. It's safe to say I'm hooked. Several wall hangings and a couple sofa end tables in the works for #craftanddesign2018 . . . . . @buddyrhodes #rvamakers #rvaart#visartsrva#concrete #handmade #walnut  #wallart #woodart#concreteart #buddyrhodes #handmade
We are 2 weeks away from @visartsrva#craftanddesign2018 show at Richmond's Main St. Station in the train shed. 150 talented artists will fill the beautiful space. I’ve been busy in the shop sprucing up some old pieces, and working on some brand new designs. This is a wall hung concrete + wood piece…. and this is only the beginning of the marriage of these two materials! November 16-18. . . . . #richmond#virginia #richmondva #visitrichmondva  #richmondart#therichmondexperience #rvamakers #visartsrva  #wallart #woodart#concreteart
Delivery day is always one of my favorites. And this one was no exception. The chairs go so well in this space - as if the table and chairs were made specially for this room ;-) Taking on a set of 10 chairs was a challenge, and I couldn't have done it without the help of @jacqui__stewart and @jesse.t.horton in the shop. They put in many, many hours throughout this production, and I thank them both greatly. And a huge shout out to @sgwoodrva for the impeccable job their team did on the upholstered seats. Thank you, thank you, thank you! . . . . .  #handcradtedfurniture #handmade#studiofurniture #chairdesign #fromtreetotable
First looks at assembled chairs!!!! The bookmatched curved backs steal the show, but I've always been a fan of those details that are revealed the more time you spend with the piece - the spokeshaved crest rails that mimic the texture of the table legs, the curve of the back leg, or the perfect fitting of the laminated back into that leg. How satisfying to see it all come together. . . . . . #wip #handcradtedfurniture #handmade#studiofurniture #fromtreetotable#furniture #furnituredesign #chairdesign
Ready for assembly! Because there are 12 pieces to every chair, I pre-finished them all before glue up. Now all they have to do is come together - once and for all. . . . . . #wip #handcradtedfurniture #handmade#studiofurniture #fromtreetotable#furniture #furnituredesign
Organization has been key to this whole process. Whether it's stacking and restacking parts or labeling every piece - swipe for evidencial proof - each piece has its own family. And since this started on day 1, each chair has a uniform color and grain since it's parts and pieces came from the same slab of walnut . . . . . . . . . . #wip #handcradtedfurniture #handmade#studiofurniture #fromtreetotable#furniture #furnituredesign #designchair
It's moments like this that make me thankful that I always make extra pieces. Forgetting to place my spacers alongside my fence when routing the straight bit cut of this sliding dovetail, it's now too wide. Thanks to Mario, Sam, Brian, and Terre, I learned long ago to always, always, always makes extra pieces and take them through EVERY step of the process. So instead of finding matching walnut, milling it to exact thickness, ripping it to width, cutting end angles, serting up the mortiser, and cutting 2 angle mortises, I grabbed one of my extra side rails from the stack. And Jacqui, who's been so wonderful in helping with these chairs, hit the nail on the head when she said, "Ah! Yes, punch-in-the-guts crisis averted!" I couldn't say it better myself :-) . . . . #wip #makerslife #alwaysmakeextras #mistakeshappen #anounceofprevention #vermontwoodworkingschool @vt_woodworkingschool @terre_vt @messinadesignercraftsman @jacqui__stewart
Dress right, dress. All lined up and ready for finish. Applying that first cost of finish is such a rewarding experience as a furniture maker. The wood finally reveals it's true colors, grain, and character. It's the next 3 costs that get a little tedious ;-) . . . . #wip #handcradtedfurniture #handmade#studiofurniture #chairdesign
Each crest rail goes from rectangular to domed with the help of my favorite tool in the shop, my spokeshave. This is such a touchable area of the chair, and I love that you can feel the work of the hand.
Three 1/8" veneer layers get glued together, put to bed in the vacuum press overnight, and wake up as happy little chair back splats. There are two of these curved pieces per chair with a 7/8" gap between them. . . . #wip #finelycrafted #furniture #modern #moderndesign
I swear I am making good progress on those chairs, but spending a weekend @aworkshopofourown in Baltimore with the incredible @markmelonas is an invigorating, inspiring, and process-heavy break. Playing with concrete again (this might be my new obsession), this time making molds with @smoothon before pouring concrete. My mind is spinning with the possibilities!.... I've got to get back to real life tomorrow and work on chairs, but I'll shed some light on this project soon :-) . . . . . #baltimore #woowork #wooworkshop #women #womenowned #concrete #concretemolds #moldmaking #handmade #walnut #lighting #pendantlight #woodart #concreteart #buddyrhodes #gfrc #gfrcconcrete #smoothon #womeninwoodworking #womeninconcrete #girlpower
The mountains have always been a source of inspiration and awe. The crisp air breathes new life. And the rising sun is a majestic bonus. . . . . #inspiration #mountains #thisisthelife
So many veneers, so little time. The backs of the chairs are made from 3 layers and each back has two splats with a 7/8" gap between them. Their next stop is into the vacuum bag to get their shape. . . . . #wip #finelycrafted #furniture #modern #moderndesign#boutique #style #bespoke#custommade #personalhome #soul#studiofurniture #fromtreetotable #walnutchair #handmadefurniture #customfurniture#custommade #diningchair#interiorinspiration  #diningroom#diningroomdecor #diningroomchair#madeinrva #benevolent #homedesign
Back at work on the chair legs. The beauty of the #shaperorigin is that the first 3/8" was perfectly shaped (along with all the jointer that goes with it). Bandsaw close to the line and then flush trim around the edge. Rinse and repeat 26 more times. . . . . #wip #finelycrafted #furniture #modern #moderndesign#boutique #style #bespoke#custommade #personalhome #soul#studiofurniture #fromtreetotable #walnutchair #handmadefurniture #customfurniture#custommade #diningchair#interiorinspiration  #diningroom#diningroomdecor #diningroomchair#madeinrva #benevolent #homedesign