For the young witch or wizard, there is no more anticipated moment than the sorting - in the first few minutes at wizarding school, you find which house will be like your family while you receive your magical education. For those of daring nerve and chivalry, a ruby-patterned handle is just the wand for you. Emerald-marbled handles go well with those who like snakes, and won't be left behind. Maybe you're a top-grade student - the sapphire handle may be just the thing for you. Or if you're hard working and loyal, or maybe you just like badgers - go for the citrine handle.
My personal projects always take a backseat to customers, so I'm thrilled to have this one done. Turning acrylics was a bit of a stretch for me, where I've always stuck to solid woods before, but the results are stunning. Which wand chooses you? Click on a handle below to see details for that wand.
I've been excited about this project for a long time. As usual, my personal projects take a back-seat to customers, so I'm thrilled to finally have these done.
Waiting List Information
Featured Project
Monday, March 8, 2010
Wizarding School House Wands
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Virtual Farmers Market - Facebook Group Only
Well, the Farmers Market was a success this year - originally the plan had been to use whatever money we made to increase inventory and buy some new tools, but it ended up becoming an important part of our family's income as things got tight - darned recession, you know...
Anyway, pictured above is most of the inventory I have left, and I'm offering it to members of my facebook group at Farmers Market prices - great Christmas gifts, if you're an early shopper, and prices much less than what I normally offer things for. See the list below. If you want to buy, don't use the "buy now" button on the respective pages unless you want to pay regular price, but rather, email me at mike@mikeswoodwork.net and I'll send you an invoice for the item at the correct price. Happy shopping, and thanks.
Shown in photo above:
1-Drawer, White: Regular $35, Farmers Market Price $25
1-Drawer, Black: Regular $35, Farmers Market Price: $25
2-Drawer, White: Regular $50, Farmers Market Price: $35
2-Drawer, Black: Regular $50, sold
Single-Barrel Pistol: Regular $5, Farmers Market Price: $4
Double-Barrel Pistol: Regular $7.50, Farmers Market Price: $6
Rifle: Regular $12.50, Farmers Market Price: $10
Pictured from left to right: Ambrosia Maple(sold), Walnut(sold), Purpleheart (sold), Blackwood (sold), Olivewood(sold), Elm (sold), Padauk (sold), Zebrawood (sold)
Yew: Regular $18, SOLD
Yellowheart: Regular $23, SOLD
Cocobolo and Black Titanium European Pen: Regular $50, Farmers Market $30
Black and White Ebony and Chrome Slimline Pen and Pencil Set: Regular $75, Farmers Market $50
Monday, July 6, 2009
The Death Eaters are Coming - Don't Go Unarmed!!
Just in time for the movie release, more Harry-Potter-style magic wands are available through my Muggle Wandmaker shop. Get your wizard robes ready, draw your lightening shaped scars on your foreheads, get your round glasses, and most importantly, your wand - mother's love can only save you from the death eaters so many times, don't push your luck! And seeing as my prices run about half of most other hardwood hand-turned wandmakers out there, like Alivans, or the Gilded Quill, parents can afford to equip their children as well! OK so you don't get a cardboard box to throw away, but you're after what's inside anyway.
And if you like Harry Potter, you should love this: I just shipped 26 wands to the Bamberg Summer School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Bamberg, Germany. Each summer, young muggles aspiring to become talented witches and wizards like Ron, Hermione, Harry and other Hogwarts friends board at a real castle and attend classes for several weeks in subjects like Charms, Potions, Care of Magical Creatures, and Defense Against The Dark Arts. Last year they even had guests from Beauxbatons and Durmstrangs for the Triwizard Tournament. A specail thanks to Headmistress Daniela Schreyer, for the order. Makes me wish I was a kid in Germany!
Students are welcomed in to the main entrance from the castle grounds for two weeks of intenstive magical education.
The guests from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang arrived for the Triwizard Tournament
Dinner in the Great Hall, anticipating the selection of the school champions
The second task - eating gillyweed apparently wasn't the kids' favorite part.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
www.mugglewandmaker.com Now Up and Running
My favorite quick projects are pens and magic wands - they're nice, little packaged projects that I can start and finish in one session in the shop, so if I market them more than other things, that's because they're easier to fit into the busy life of a father of 5 boys. SO I'm quite excited that www.mugglewandmaker.com is finally up and running. I've posted all of my old wand postings from my toys page there, and added the wands I made at Christmas time. I hope to soon add sections like I have on my Design Your Pen page, letting you choose your wood, your shape, etc, as well as to add some information about wand care and a little bio about Muggle Wandmaker. In any case, I'm happy with how the page turned out, and wanted to say thanks to Endless Images Photography for the nice job photographing my sign and my sawdust pile so I could make the graphics for the page.
So, Harry Potter fans, visit the page, check it out, and if you don't want to be unarmed when the death eaters attack during the upcoming movie release of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, order now before it's too late ;).
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
A Good Year of Great Projects
A little over a year ago I got my start with my lathe. I had been burned out on woodwork for a while from taking some risks - spending money on materials and then not selling projects, or taking too much time on jobs. Once I got into woodturning, though, it was fun again. I made my first bowl, and thought it was way cool. Then I came up with a new business plan: NO drawing from family money, period. Make stuff from wood I have on hand with tools I already have, and then sell it, or take custom orders. Use half the profit to buy more wood and tools, the other half goes into the family finances. And set up a web page for custom orders. My wife was a little skeptical at first, but I was confident that it would work out, so I set up my page.
I still remember the first email I got asking about stuff. I felt like the scene from Tommy Boy about "JoJo the Idiot Circus Boy" who gets so excited about his sale that he loses the business, tearing up his dinner roll - youtube it if you want. Great clip! Then, about a year ago - start of April last year anyway, I closed my first sale from my web page - $500 of custom frames for a school fundraiser. My business was off to a great start. Of course, that's the biggest order I've had, but it was great.
Since then I've had fun. I've "met" interesting people across the country, and expanded my product offerings to over 120 items.
I've learned that woodturning is my favorite and that I will sell woodturning things for less than what I should because I enjoy it so much. Any excuse to work in woodturning is a good one - see the spindles in the jewelry display...
I've learned that wood pens don't sound that exciting till you hold one and use one, and then you can't help but become emotionally attached to it - see the comments on a purpleheart pen I made, for example.
I've learned that kids still love wood toys every bit as much, if not more, than action figures and things that beep and flash. And to sell magic wands, it works well to give a kid with siblings a wand for his or her birthday and then wait till Christmas for their parents to order wands for the rest of the kids.
I've learned that, for whatever reason, Penny Hockey boards sell, but Penny Soccer boards don't. Go figure.
I've made some people very happy with their orders - the segmented bowl set here got me the comment "You have no idea how happy these bowls have made me. "
And sadly enough, I've learned that what I think is beautiful and striking isn't always beautiful and striking to everyone - this bowl got me the comment "I have put the box in a spare bedroom for now and will deal with it all later. I don't even really want to look at any of it just now; I need to clear my mind first. " You see, she didn't like the white spot in the wood. I was very sorry, and offered to pay shipping to have her send the bowl back and replace it with one without the sapwood, but she wouldn't do it. I think that if she was really that upset, she would have taken me up on my offer. Anyway, one unhappy customer out of over 36 in the last year, though more than I would like, is still not too shabby.
So it's been fun. I've made some cool stuff, and made most of my customers very happy with their custom-made stuff-Woodwork, By Design. My wife and kids now get excited about it and have even started making their own projects
This next year should be good. Coming soon: Salt and Pepper shakers, Salt and Pepper Grinders, ceiling fan chain bobs, a page dedicated just to magic wands, a chess set, cutting boards, a smaller rocking horse, an American Girl sized canopy bed by my wife, and more. Thanks to all who have helped support my habbit this last year. And to say thanks for reading my blog, mention this post and get $5 off your order. See you in the woodshop!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Muggle Wandmaker
Imagine a witch or wizard without a magic wand? It's like a dog without a nose or a teenager without an ipod. It's just not right. You wouldn't dream of sending your young witch or wizard out into the outside world unprotected - you never know what the muggles might be up to, or worse, death eaters...Be prepared. And remember, the wand chooses the wizard.
I've been a muggle wandmaker now for about 9 months, and put the best of my muggle woodturning abilities into each one. The wood has a magic of its own, and all my wands are solid wood, without dyes or stains. Choose from solid two-piece construction or use single-piece construction. $1 per inch wand for single-piece construction, add $5 for a two-piece wand. This includes wood if it's in-stock. Special order for wood adds cost. I think you'll see the price compares favorably to the other fine wandmakers out there such as Alivans and the Guilded Quil. Each wand included a description of the wood including wandlore of the magical properies. Quality drawstring fabric bags are available for an additional $10.00
All my wands are made individually, from wood selected by the pickiest bowtruckles in Riverdale. Designed for the young witch or wizard, with metaphysical magical cores that can be identified only by the witch or wizard of the wand's chosing. Tested and inspected by my own children via wizard duel, and guaranteed to provide loads of spellcasting fun.
The wands in the photo are from cherry, oak, alder, walnut and oak, and maple and purpleheart. And don't miss my newest walnut wizard wand that I recently completed.
Oh, and just to clarify, I'm not a druid, celt, witch or wizard. I'm not even a squib - full muggle through and through. And the magic these wands contain is every bit as real as Harry Potter, Merlin, Gandalf, Middle Earth, and Hogwarts. In other words, these are on my TOYS page for a reason.
Place an Order:
Email anytime: mike@mikeswoodwork.net
Evening Phone: (801)627-8822, ask for Mike
Company Profile
- Mike's Woodwork By Design
- Hand-made classic wood toys, gifts, pens, furniture, kitchenware, and more, all lead free, most made from renewable wood resources, and all made in small-town USA. If there's something you're looking for, let me know and I'll let you know if I can do it, how much it will cost, and how long it will take. Some of my projects have included bunk-beds, shelves, frames in standard and custom sizes, coat racks, benches, rubber band guns, hand-turned bowls, segmented salad bowls, chess pieces, magic wands - Harry Potter type, etc.
Associates and Friends and other links
- Endless Images - The BEST Videographer, and now Photographer, I Know
- Flowers in Your Hair - My SIL's work - gotta see it!
- The Board Game Guy - Totally Cool, and not the typical, board games - way fun.
- Mike's Book Reviews - my perspective on books I've read recently.
- The Art of Dan Staten - my brother paints some cool stuff, only his medium is entirely electronic. Check it out.
- Ogden 25th Street Farmers and Art Market - find out when you can get my stuff CHEAP
- Woodcraft - exotic and domestic wood
- Craft Supplies USA - good source for exotic woods
Keyring Consecrated Oil, Perfume, or Essential Oil Vials
Harry-Potter Style Magic Wands
