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.  

Wooden Rings and Active Duty

Lucaya and her now husband Matthew are Active Duty service members serving a two-year tour in South Korea.  They are an amazing couple and were so much fun to work with.

When David was finished his work and we sent the final photos of their rings, Lucaya wrote, "We are speechless.  I had seen some remarkable rings on your website but nothing really prepared me to see something that we brainstormed together with little bits of taped-up-paper, (I kid you not, we made little paper rings and drew on the inlays with pens at different widths and options) ...to what we see now!  These rings are absolutely stunning, I cannot congratulate you enough for an excellent job!"

After their wedding and honeymoon, another wonderful letter and some great pics!!  They wrote: "The rings are just perfect!  We could not believe how light they are!  It is stunning that so much work and craftsmanship can fit into something so TINY!!!   David is an absolute artist!  Thank you so so so so so so so much! We have returned to stressful Korea now, sun-burnt and blissfully happy after an AMAZING honeymoon along Thailand's glowingly beautiful shores.  

Due to some army emergencies, we had to get married March 26th instead of April 1st as we had hoped, so we quickly went to the embassy and did the scavenger hunt that was Korean wedding paperwork and then presented the rings to each other in a Thai restaurant, (we figured it was appropriate), situated on a lock.  We had talked for a year of placing locks around the world as we traveled, and our first was to be on Seoul Tower, where we had our first date, on the day of our wedding. Well, we had to wait until the day of our honeymoon, (April 1st) to actually place the lock, which we did on our way to the airport, that was where we said our vows to each other.

 Once in Thailand, we took some photos of the rings up against age-old mangrove trees, nestled within the prayer flowers that encompass the trunk of the tree

 

and more photos with the rings placed along the weathered wood of a traditional Thai longboat at sunset.

And finally, with a very heavy heart we had to leave...from Seoul to Taipei to Bangkok to Krabi to Ko Phi Phi Don to Ao Luk to Ao Nang, back to Bangkok, then on to Ho Chi Minh City and finally back to Seoul.  What a wonderful trip and thank you so much for giving us such a beautiful part of it!"

 David and I are so grateful to Matt and Lucaya ~ thanks for being a couple of bright lights in our days.     Perhaps one year we'll see you two and one of those locks on a gate or fence out here on these 50 acres.  Much Love to you both ~ now and always.