Hi! I want to introduce to you a new member in my finger puppets family. She came to bring me a lot of chocolat on this Easter holidays: please say hello to Rosemary, my Easter bunny!

But she is not alone, someone has to look after this cute little bunny. Bob, the elephant is Rosemary´s company.

How to do them?

I used rest of used yarns.

- Crochet a little square (the size will depend on the yarn you use and on the finger size). You can use single crochet or double crochet. In my case I made Rosemary with single crochet and Bob with double crochet (body) and single crochet (head).

- When you think that the body is long enough, you increase a little to make the head´s shape (I increased 3 or 4 stitches along 3 rows, but this depends on the yarn you´re using).

- After that, you decrease, but this time don´t be afraid to over do it: crochet two and skip the next one along 2 rows. The important thing is that you don´t have more than 10 stitches.

- Then, sew the piece, leaving a hole in the down side (that´s way you can put your finger in). Put some cotton to make the head rounder.

- To fiinish your puppet add the details according to the animal you are doing and make the eyes with a contrasting color. This is not a big deal and there isn´t a strict technique: just put the hook in the correct place of the head to make the ears, trunk, mouth…

The finger puppets are a cute and easy gift. You can send me links or pics of your fnished puppets to share with us!

Gebyok Center has specializing in the reproduction of the traditional house of Kudus with its part, but not shut the possibility to provide furniture and other antique decoration that match with the design interior of the traditional house of Kudus or for other purpose that suit with the buyer needs.

The providing of the other products are include antique furniture like table and chairs for living room, bed, divan as relaxing place, wooden carved box as a deposit box, etc. All is part of the commitment of Gebyok Center to dedicate the best product results of the finest wooden carved art of Kudus for the customers.

This fall, our magazine is sponsoring the first-ever weekend conference devoted to hand tools and learning to use them.

We're calling it the Woodworking in America conference, and we'll be bringing together the country's best hand-tool woodworkers and manufacturers for a symposium in Berea, Ky., on Nov. 14-16.

There will be more than 40 short classes on tools and techniques during the long weekend, plus a marketplace where toolmakers can display (and sell) their wares, social events with the demonstrators and toolmakers and more.

So who is going to be there? Here's the list of people who have agreed to teach seminars during Woodworking in America as of this date (with more to come):

Roy Underhill: Known as "St. Roy" to the legion of fans who watch "The Woodwright's Shop" on PBS, Roy worked at Colonial Williamsburg and then launched his show about traditional hand tools.

Frank Klausz: One of the country's consummate craftsmen, Frank is a professional New Jersey cabinetmaker who trained in Hungary and has a lifetime of experience with the full range of handwork.

Michael Dunbar: Founder of The Windsor Institute, Michael has single handedly revived the craft of building Windsor chairs, has trained thousands of woodworkers and is a passionate student of the art and history of handcraft.

Adam Cherubini: The author of Popular Woodworking's popular "Arts & Mysteries" column, Adam is a devoted 18th-century woodworker who builds period pieces using period tools.

James Blauvelt: A Connecticut cabinetmaker, joiner and carpenter, James owns Bluefield Joiners and is a student and teacher of Japanese tools and traditions.

Robin Lee: The president of Lee Valley Tools in Ottawa, Ontario, Robin has been a driving force behind the expansion of the Veritas line of premium handplanes and a caretaker of the company's immense tool collection.

Thomas Lie-Nielsen: The founder of Lie-Nielsen Toolworks in Warren, Me., Thomas has been making and selling premium traditional hand tools for 27 years. Thomas's company was the trailblazer in reviving many traditional forms of tools that had been lost.

Larry Williams and Don McConnell: Two of the principals behind Clark & Williams in Eureka Springs, Ark., Larry and Don are bottomless wells of information about traditional tools and their workings. Both are accomplished woodworkers, planemakers and tool historians.

John Economaki: The founder of Bridge City Tool Works in Portland, Ore., John has long been a pioneer in developing new (and very beautiful) forms of hand tools for woodworkers.

Konrad Sauer: The owner of Sauer & Steiner Toolworks in Ontario, Konrad is one of the leading makers of custom infill handplanes.

Wayne Anderson:Wayne specializes in designing and building custom infill handplanes that are deeply rooted in the past but are each a completely original work of art.

Ron Hock: One of the earliest and most important players in the revival of handtools, Ron makes high-quality replacement plane irons, chipbreakers and marking knives in Ft. Bragg, Calif.

Mike Wenzloff: The founder of Wenzloff & Sons sawmakers in Forest Grove, Ore., Mike is a long-time woodworker and expert in saws and saw sharpening. His premium saw business has exploded in the last two years.

Joel Moskowitz: The founder of Tools for Working Wood and an expert on woodworking history, Joel has recently been making many traditional hand tools, as well as selling them through his catalog and web site.

Clarence Blanchard: The publisher of "The Fine Tool Journal" and the president of Brown Auction Services, Clarence sees more old tools in a week than most of us see in a lifetime.

Kevin Drake: After studying under James Krenov at the College of the Redwoods, Kevin founded Glen-Drake Toolworks, where he combines woodworking, toolmaking and education. His innovative tools have received numerous awards; we named his Tite-Mark one of the "Best 12 Tools Ever." 

If you are interested in attending, please visit the web site that is dedicated to this conference at WoodworkinginAmerica.com and sign up for the conference's newsletter (the sign-up box is on the top right of the page). You'll then be the first to be notified of when registration will open (it will be before July 1) and the pricing for this event.

Attendance will be limited to a few hundred people (we want to keep the event intimate and manageable), so be sure to register as soon as slots become available. We are expecting the conference to sell out.

There are more announcements and surprises ahead that I cannot share with you right now, so please stay tuned to the blog and the conference's newsletter.

— Christopher Schwarz

One of the least commonly understood aspects of woodworking is the art of wood finishing. Bob Flexner has probably done more than anyone anywhere to part the veil of mystery and confusion which surrounds this complex art form. His classic book Understanding Wood Finishing is generally considered to be the most comprehensive publication ever written on the subject.

We are pleased to announce that Bob is returning to Highland Woodworking February 2-3, 2008 for a two-day seminar in which he will demonstrate and explain many of the techniques that he has perfected over the years. Bob will show you how to identify any finishing product despite what the label states, how to predict its behavior, how to apply it successfully, and how to treat it thereafter. He will teach you techniques for dyeing, staining, bleaching and filling; for applying oils, varnishes and lacquers, and for "finishing the finish."

If you attend, you'll take home a thorough understanding of finishes plus the confidence to use the right finish for the right application. To avoid disappointment, please sign up early as space will be limited.

DEMONSTRATION SEMINAR
Saturday & Sunday, February 2-3, 2008 from 9 am to 5 pm

Recommended reading: Understanding Wood Finishing