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

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Fun accents tables highlight the connection between concrete and wood. I think it's the contrasting nature of these materials that I'm so attracted to... the precision and technical details that goes into woodworking and the concrete mold construction, and then how you have to give up control and let the flow of the sand and aggregate do it's things. There is a push and pull between these two materials that gives their union both tension and harmony. Isn't that life in a nutshell? Special thanks to @markmelonas and @buddy_rhodes for all the education in concrete! . . . . . #woodworking #endtable #sofatable #gfrcconcrete #buddyrhodes #woodworking #concretefurniture
Thanks to everyone who supports small businesses! If you are ever interested in pieces like these concrete+wood wall hangings or anything else you see on my website, always feel free to DM me. To all the small businesses out there, just keep swimming! . . . . #smallbusinesssaturday #smallbusiness #smallbusinesswoman #veteranbusiness #womenowned #supporthandmade #givehandmade #shopsmall #gfrcconcrete #concreteart #walnut #liveedge
From our table to all of yours, Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. May you be surrounded by friends, love, and pumpkin pie :-) . . . . . #turkeyday #liveedgetable #walnuttable #diningroomdesign #diningroomtable #liveedgefurniture
A huge thank you to my two wonderful assistants and to @visartsrva #craftanddesign2018 for such an amazing show this weekend. So many engaging conversations about the importance of craftsmanship and the details required to make heirloom furniture. (And it always helps when your 4-yr-old niece waves at the passes by) :-) . . . . #teamworkmakesthedreamwork #bestassistants #accenttables
Stop by booth 410 to check out accent tables, wall hangings, end tables, a media console, and concrete pendants @visartsrva #craftanddesign2018..11am - 6pm . . . . #rvamakers #rvaart#visartsrva#endtable #sofatable #handmade  #concrete #buddyrhodes #pendantlights #woodworking
A wonderful first day at @visartsrva #craftanddesign2018.. Come to booth 410 tomorrow at the RVA Main Street Station to feel the velvty satin maple or cool, smooth concrete. 11am - 6pm . . . . #rvamakers #rvaart#visartsrva #concrete #buddyrhodes #craft #woodworking #handmade #maple
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