Poetry, Graffiti and Wildfires

In early June, a lovely couple from the Kootenays commissioned a set of Touch Wood Rings. Matty is a Graffiti Artist and Leesa is a writer. We had so much fun working with them and were delighted to learn that they would be passing through our area and were adventuresome enough to want to come out and meet us and pick up their rings in person.

David and I live remote and off grid west of Williams Lake ~ it's not the easiest place to get to; over the years we've met only a few of our thousands of awesome Touch Wood clients.
Leesa and Matty were planning a trip across BC and over to Haida Gwaii where they planned on being engaged. Not only were we looking forward to meeting them, but then they'd be heading to Haida Gwaii; the home of my heart. I had the good fortune of being a child on those magical rainforest islands.
So. June was a pretty normal kind of June. We had a flush of summer weather and were making summer plans; things we wanted to do around the property, a few quick trips we wanted to make, scheduling visits from family and friends who wanted to come out and visit.

And then All Hell Broke Loose. Wildfires erupted on July 7th. We were placed on Evacuation Order on July 10th. 62 days in total. An entire summer surrounded by the worst wildfires in BC's recorded history.

Leesa and Matty were planning their trip. Roads and highways were closing all over the province as wildfires flared and new fires sprang up. There was no way in to our place and no way out. The City of Williams Lake was evacuated and so even though David completed their rings, there was no way to deliver them ... This was a first for us in 17 years of  making rings.  Matty and Leesa took it all in stride. They found another route around to get to Haida Gwaii but had to forego having their rings with them and we were sorely disappointed.

The evacuation orders for the residents of Williams Lake were finally lifted and we were able to ship once Canada Post resumed service. It was a very difficult and stressful summer but in the end we are just SO thankful that we didn't lose our home or property Others, sadly, did not fare so well.

Once Matty and Leesa were back in the Kootenays, they wrote saying .... "We are home and the long awaited moment finally arrived today when we trotted down to the post office to pick up the most important package. 

We shipped along happily to the lakefront to open the envelope like children on Christmas morning. 

We absolutely love the rings and, of course, they fit us like they have always been a natural part of our bodies. Thank so much! From our hearts to yours. Matty and Leesa."

And then earlier this month (Jan 2018) we opened our email to find these awesome pics and a happy note from our Kootenay friends.

"Matty and I recently got married in Hawaii and we wanted to send you a few pics of the rings. We are thrilled to have them out and about​​! They are comfortable and beautiful and we love them so. 

Thank you for being an important part of our union. ... we brought the Hawaiian Koa wood back to its homeland for a visit :) 

Much love, Matty and Leesa"

Matty and Leesa's rings were made of Hawaiian Koa Wood with Purpleheart wood liners and inlays of Lapis Lazuli, Mother of Pearl and Oak with natural knots.

TOUCH WOOD RINGS 

Sharing some Love ~ from Meghan and Mary

Dear David and Nicola,

I wanted to write to you to thank you sincerely for creating such an extraordinary gift of love for Mary and I. Your Touch Wood Ring is unlike anything I've ever seen before. 

It fits perfectly and glistens beautifully in the sunlight. The stone and the Purple Heart Wood inlays are incredible. People love to linger over every impressive detail that you have carefully carved into the ring.

Mary proposed in a very memorable way and the ring is just stunning. We are both very happily engaged, and we have you to thank for giving us the token to remember that by. 

We hope you are enjoying the month of June and we hope to meet you someday.  

Thanks again for all the love and care you put into the making and the process of communicating about this ring. We will always remember this.

Best, 

Meghan

Thank you Meghan 💕 It was our absolute pleasure and honour to work with Mary on your ring. 

Mary put so much love and thought and care into it's design ~ and David thoroughly enjoyed creating it for both of you!  We send our dearest love ~ now and always ~ and wish you and Mary immeasurable joy in the days and years to come.  Congratulations and warm hugs from both of us to both of you.  

My Myrtle Moment

Some of the woods David works with I just fall in love with. Oregon Myrtle is one of those woods. 

Here are a few examples of Touch Wood Rings incorporating Oregon Myrtle. The horizontal inlay on this juniper heartwood ring is Myrtle. The inlay is a 'full moon' ™  mother of pearl.

The interior liner on this Grenadilla / African Blackwood ring is Myrtle and it's also one of the spiraled inlays.

The single spiraled inlay on this juniper heartwood ring is Myrtle.

Brent and Sarah's Black Walnut rings have inlays of Myrtle wood. Sarah's ring also has a crushed shell inlay.  I'm partial to the wider myrtle inlay on Brent's ring as it lets us see the beautiful cross hatched grain that David coaxed out of the wood.

"These rings are simply amazing! We were just floored by how simple, clean and comfortable they were. They fit perfectly; like an old friend. My (Brent's) ring fits so well with (the unusual shape of my hand), I loved the way David didn't just taper it, but just made a space for my finger. It looks great and feels better. Sarah's looks amazing with her shell and she said its a perfect fit. Both of the rings go on quite easily but fit snug once they are on so there is no danger of them slipping off. Thank you for your amazing work and the love you put into it. We are so happy that we could share this experience with you. Brent and Sarah"

Myrtle has also been called pepperwood, spicebush, cinnamon bush, peppernut tree, headache tree, mountain laurel, and balm of heaven. 

Myrtle grows very slowly. The slow growth produces a close grained and fine textured wood. Oregon Myrtlewood offers a wide variety of beautiful colors and grain patterns.

As with most trees; the color of the wood is often influenced by the minerals in the soil. The colors of Oregon Myrtle range from blond to black with many shades of honey, browns, satiny grays, with reds and greens in between. 

The myrtle plant has long been a symbol of love and an emblem for marriage. It is also believed to be the flower of the gods, being sacred to the Greek goddess Aphrodite.

Myrtle wood is often used as a wedding garland or decorations for the marriage ceremony, and utilized in many wedding rituals.
The myrtle also symbolizes good fortune. It is believed that cultivating a myrtle plant will usher in peace and love to your home. Myrtle is considered a representation for long life, as well as joyful living.

Thanks to the Myrtlewood Gallery and Aunty Flo's website.  And as always, thanks to the awesome people we work with who wear a Touch Wood Ring.  

Right-handed wooden wedding rings

 

Almost a year ago, we had the pleasure of working with Tina and Ben from Denmark. 
They were really fun to work with and we thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them a little. They commissioned their wedding rings of a deep rich Hawaiian Koa with inlays of Eucalyptus and crushed shell.

A couple of weeks ago, we got this email from Ben with some really pretty pics of their rings resting on Tina's bouquet, and on their wedded hands.
Ben's last paragraph had me in stitches.

"Hope all is well you up your end of the literal woods!
I've been meaning to drop you a line for a while - after we got married in August last year time has just flown on relentlessly, but here you are, some photos of your workmanship in action. I take it from your website, that you have an abundant source of pictures of rings, but I thought just in case you didn't have any of rings shipped to Denmark, exchanged in Copenhagen town hall and photographed in provincial Germany in my folk's garden (our family wedding gig)...;-)

We love our rings. The only challenge arises that we've chosen to go the Scandinavian route of wearing them on the right hand (that's the traditional way around here and at least 50% of people I observe do this) In my job I meet my fair share of ham-fisted engineering dudes who at least half the time are also right-hand-weaponised, and boy...do they manage to scrunch my science-lab-boy paws when there is double lording of the rings...But apart from hand-shaking with the Viking descendants all is very well :-)
All the best from us two to you two, hope bush and business is treating you well,

Ben and Tina

 

 Our love and very best wishes to you two too Tina and Ben.  
And thank you!! 😊

So what do we know about the placement of the wedding ring? 

The established North American wedding industry typically has the wedding ring on the fourth finger of our left hand.  In this vein, the engagement ring is worn 'down the aisle' on the right hand and transferred to the the left hand after the wedding ring is on your finger. 

It's a humbling thing when that symbol of love is a Touch Wood Ring.

If you google the 'right hand / left hand' question you'll come up with a great many articles touting theories and 'centuries old beliefs' for why a wedding ring is 'traditionally' worn on the left hand, fourth finger. 

In some European countries as Ben points out, wearing your wedding ring on your right hand is the norm. 

There's a 2010 blog post from 25karats that gives us a "new millennium guide" to western meanings of a right handed wedding ring. 

Interesting article but ~omg~ I'd have to carry a cheat sheet in my wallet and ask a bunch of really personal questions. It's probably best just to do whatever makes you and your beloved happy!  

Touch Wood ~ Across the Pond

Every day we receive emails from people all over the world. Old friends and new. Every day I am touched by the loving, caring people who take the time to write to us; to inquire about a Touch Wood Ring and to tell us about themselves, their lives and their loves. 

They share their stories with David and I and they put their trust in us. It is a humbling thing. 

                                            

Michelle and Tez live in a village in England. There is so much more to their story of course, but briefly; they met in Chester in 2000, they were engaged in 2002 then finally married in December 2016!   And to that we say Congratulations and Much Love!!


Michelle shared with me that "Tez didn't even want a ring as he can't wear one due to his work, and didn't really like rings ~ but when he saw how special Touch Wood Rings were he agreed!! So this was the perfect solution! I discovered Touch Wood Rings when our beautiful friends got two for their wedding and I have ask them to show me their rings every time we meet as I love them so much!"
Below are Michelle's dear friends' rings.  Commissioned in November 2011, Chris and Angela's Touch Wood Rings are English Oak with spiraled inlays of crushed jade.

Michelle and Tez designed their rings incorporating Juniper heartwood, Birds Eye Maple and a mother of pearl inlay for Michelle's ring.  

As David began work on their rings, Michelle and I got to know each other better.  I sent her a pic of our new pup. I admit I am seriously smitten :) It's been six years since we buried our last old pup and David and I were both ready.  Here's the 6 month old addition to our family.

After introducing Kali to Michelle, she invited me to join a small group of friends and their fur babies on Facebook.  I'm really enjoying the group. 

When David completed work on Tez and Michelle's ring we shipped them off across the pond and waited.  In 15 years we've done this thousands of times and we still hold our breath.  

On a Tuesday morning in early December, David and I were in town having breakfast at our favourite diner.  My Messenger dinged.  It was Michelle announcing the arrival of their rings!  She and Tez were home and Michelle shared the opening of the package with us with pics and commentary.  That was So delightful.  To share those moments from half way across the world... David and I were both really touched.

Michelle and Tez were married on the twenty-second of December. Michelle wrote: "The rings have made the wedding! We are overwhelmed with the attention to detail; love; warmth and encouragement from you and David. The whole process from start to end was a really exciting process and brought something truly unique and special to our wedding."

And so ~ here's to the start of a new year, lots of celebrations of love and the beginning of new friendships. Much love to you and Tez, Michelle ~ and to your four legged friends too.

"The most beautiful proposal ... "

Todd and I started our conversations in August of this year.  He talked about being drawn to our work and wanting to create the perfect ring for the love of his life.  Todd was so warm and an absolute delight to work with! A genuinely good soul and a true romantic. 
While we were in the planning stages for Cori's ring, Todd sent along this photograph of himself and Cori, as he wrote; "sharing love and life'.

Shortly after Todd's (oh-my-goodness, this-is-how-it's-done) proposal, we received this heart warming letter from his beloved Cori.  

Dear David and Nicola. Good evening. My name is Cori. We haven't met previously but the two of you were a part of a moment that changed my life.  I am typing now with a beautiful ring on my finger and my new fiance sitting by my side.  

On Friday, November 11th, Todd came into my classroom.  (I'm a 7th grade teacher).  He delivered a single long-stem rose and chatted with my students for a bit.  They, like anyone who meets him, were enchanted.  He then informed them that he would be taking me away for the day.  I was quite surprised, as I had classes to teach.  That was already taken care of, though.  Todd had arranged for the principal of the school to cover for me for the rest of the day.  

Todd and I climbed into his truck and started head south under the guise of going to visit his mom.  He informed me we had one little stop to make first - a short hike.  

On the way down, we marveled at the beautiful landscape as we always do.  Trees in particular draw both of us.  So much so, that at home is a copy of a breathtaking picture book by an author and photographer by the name of Mark Hirsch.  Mr. Hirsch had found a beautiful burr oak in southern Wisconsin and had spent a year taking a picture of that majestic tree every single day.  Different angles.  Different views.  Different lighting.  But all of them were amazing.  He put all of his photographs in a book and Todd gave it to me as a birthday present some time ago.  It is a treasure.  

After a couple of hours of driving, we pull into a cornfield.  Confused, I scanned the landscape...and saw THAT TREE!!! I was absolutely thrilled!  I grabbed his hand and bounded like a kid to the tree, thrilled that he had found it and taken me there.  I still had no idea what was going on.  I was just basking in his sweetness and the beauty of that tree.  After a few minutes, he motioned to a limb and indicated there was something hanging there.  I came to investigate and found the most beautiful ring I have EVER seen.  When he dropped to his knee and asked me to marry him, my heart nearly exploded.

As I cried tears of joy, wrapped in his arms, I noticed a man with a tripod trudging toward us.  Todd had arranged for Mark Hirsch, the author and photographer of that book to come capture our moments!  Not only that, but Todd had received permission from the landowners for the two of us to camp there underneath the branches of that amazing tree.  

Cori's Red Cedar Ring with Birch interior liner and a braided Birch Bark inlay

It was truly the most beautiful proposal I have ever heard of...and I got to stand in the middle of it.  He put so much time and effort into making it special, meaningful and absolutely perfect.  

The ring is such an important and stunning part of making it perfect.  I love it!  I absolutely love it.  It is truly the most beautiful thing I have ever seen and it means more to me than anyone (except maybe Todd) could possibly know.  

Today I went back to work after our wonderful weekend.  Every single person that saw that ring on my finger remarked how beautiful it was, how perfect it was and how it was 'me'.  
The work Todd and the two of you put into making this symbol on my finger is humbling. I can't thank you enough.  The ring you crafted will be on my finger for the rest of my life and I am thrilled, proud and humbled to wear it.  

Filled with love and happiness, Cori 

David and I wish you and Todd a lifetime of Pocket Moment treasures. Thank you both so much for coming into our lives and for sharing with us the immense love you have with each other.  XO  

Kindred Spirits and their Wooden Rings

A couple of notes from new friends and kindred spirits; Danielle and Brandon of Virginia

"Thank you so much for your beautiful craftsmanship and for your friendly spirit. We have really enjoyed receiving your email updates with beautiful landscape photos. Your thoughtful personal touches have made this process even more enjoyable for us."

And then their rings arrived and they wrote:

"Our rings are even more beautiful in person than they are in photos! I am just mesmerized by how lovely and detailed, delicate yet sturdy they are. We tried them on and they fit, as you said, "like old friends". I think we will have no trouble getting used to wearing them. Thank you for making this whole process so warm and enjoyable. I know we will always fondly remember this experience of watching our most meaningful possessions be crafted just for us. 

I hope rings like this will replace diamonds over time and will recommend Touch Wood Rings to anyone looking for a one-of-a-kind ring. Thank you for your beautiful work and I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!"

Their rings are Black Walnut with inlays of dark green Jade 

bordered by narrow white birch.

Working with Brandon and Danielle was just a dream.  They were so great to work with and we do feel as though we've made some new friends.  
We send our dearest love to you both and look forward to hearing from you again anytime. We hope that your upcoming wedding celebration and the years that follow are as bright and positive as the two of you are ~ thanks for reaching out to us to help you create these symbols of your love for each other. It has been very much our pleasure.

Mulberry, Serviceberry, Chokecherry and Cherry

Is there a type of wood you really love or a tree that's special to you?

Can you picture wearing a ring made from a branch of that tree?

Here are a few examples of David's 'Branch Wood Rings'.

Bill's Mulberry, Apple and Oak Woods above and

his Mulberry Ring with Apple and Oak inlays 

That's Kathy and Val's Serviceberry Wood above and the

Serviceberry Rings David created with cross spiraled Lapis Lazuli inlays 

bordered by narrow Maple

  It's a little like Christmas morning when a parcel arrives with a branch or a rock or a little envelope of dried flower petals from some other corner of the world.  

Someone has thoughtfully gathered and packaged those things and they've entrusted us to make them something beautiful from their raw materials ~ something worthy of their feelings for their beloved.  It's a humbling thing.

Kristen and Dan sent this Chokecherry wood (from their wedding tree)
and these are their Walnut and chokecherry rings.

Drop us an email if you like. We'll let you know how to choose your branch and how best to send your wood, or stones or shell (or coffee grounds or sage or sweetgrass :) just about anything that you'd like David to use a wee bit of in your ring.  

It's one way to make your ring extra special and have it tell your own unique story.

 Here's the stone and shell Abby sent

and her Cherry Wood

And the ring David created for her beloved. 

Greyed Maple with Abby's Cherry Wood and inlay material.

The possibilities are endless.
We look forward to hearing your ideas.
As always ~ thanks so much for stopping by.

Danny and Melissa's Mexican Wedding Celebration

Danny is originally from Australia.  He met Melissa who is from Manitoba and he's been in Canada off and on for about 6 years.  Melissa and Danny married in July and will be settling on the west coast of Canada.  Danny and I began our conversations in the spring. He settled on woods that were symbolic of both their homes as Melissa pointed out. :)  Australian Blackwood with two offset inlays of Canadian Maple.

Earlier this month Melissa and Danny wrote and shared some beautiful pics with us of their celebration.  "Everything went really well with the wedding and the ring was a big hit! Everyone was pretty amazed by it so again thank you to both yourself and David for all the effort you have put in. It was a very small but very special wedding for us. (Danny's) family traveled all the way from Australia to Canada then to Mexico to be with us on our special day. Again just wanted to say a big thank you for your contribution to our wedding day! "

It was a great pleasure working with Danny and Melissa.  David and I wish you both tremendous happiness in the days and years ahead.  And welcome to Canada Danny. We're so glad you and Melissa chose Canada's beautiful west coast as your home. 

Their lovely wedding photos are by Viktor of Adventure Photos at Iberostar Paraiso Lindo, Riviera Maya, Mexico.