Falling in love

Ask anyone who has known me since I was about 5 years old.  I fall in love all the time; with people, places, ideas...  It just so happens that the work David and I do has over the years amassed a community of people who are imminently loveable. Here is one small family I had the pleasure of falling in love with this year.

 

Marcie first contacted us in January.  Marcie and Dan make their home in the beautiful Columbia Valley of British Columbia.  Dan makes maps for Kootenay and Yoho Parks so they spend lots of time in the mountains.  Marcie was working on Chinook and Coho salmon projects with DFO but now she's very happy to be the primary caregiver to their beloved son; River.  River is just over a year old now and what a beautiful family they are.

This from Marcie's initial letter:  "My partner Dan and I are getting married this year and were going to forgo rings until I came across Touch Wood Rings.  The rings David creates are absolutely beautiful!  We are excited to find something that resonates with us and fits with our lifestyle and our values.  We hope that you are able to make a couple of rings for us."

And off we went...   Marcie and I talked for a few months about different ideas for their rings, what woods they might want to use and design ideas. And we talked about all sorts of other things too.  Rocks and gardens and children, birds and beavers and the changing seasons; that kind of thing.  Her emails always felt like sitting down and having a coffee together.

In the end, they decided to have David craft them rings of Pacific Yew Wood  with Birch and Walnut.

Dan and Marcie each wrote us beautiful letters after they received their rings.  This first one from Dan:

"Hi Nicola,  Just writing to say Thank you both with all our hearts for the beautiful rings. I picked them up today. The pictures you sent of them were fantastic and got us very excited, but in our hands they are just gorgeous.

David, you have an amazing talent and you both are extremely creative. Thanks for learning your artisan trade so well and providing a perfect option for so many people who don't want the traditional gold and diamond ring. The detail is stunning, the pieces of wood you use are so very interesting. I love that there is a unique grain in the wood, and some distinct markings that I'll get to know, memorize and love over time. By the way, despite the multiple sizings and sizes we received, the rings are a perfect fit!
We feel very lucky to have stumbled across your website, and more-so that you are relatively local.   Nicola, it's been wonderful looking over Marcie's shoulder to read your emails and look at the wonderful pictures you sent as winter unfolded into spring. It would be even more wonderful to meet the two of you in person one day. We look forward to the chance of it happening. Keep us in mind if you ever travel through our area as well. We'd love to have you as visitors.    All the best, Dan"

And from Marcie ...

"Hi Nicola    I just wanted to thank both you and David for our beautiful rings.  I know Dan already sent you a note, but I also wanted to say thanks.
David truly is an amazing artist; we marvel at the skill and craftsmanship of the rings.  He chose the wood very well and we feel they just glow.  He must be a very patient fellow to do such fine work - it seems exceedingly difficult to me.  We will cherish these rings.  Having wood rings is very meaningful to us, but more so because they were made with such obvious love and passion.  I feel the rings will hold the warmth and love that both David and you put into them.
I have truly enjoyed our emails and getting to know you.  We will stay in touch for sure, and will come by to say hi when we get a chance to travel to your area.
Take very good care.  Marcie"

Dan and Marcie are happily married now ~  they were very happily unmarried too :)  Marcie dropped a note just this past week with a few of pics from their summer celebration and a bit of an update.  She tells us it was a lovely at home wedding.  My side note : As anyone who has done an at home wedding knows; while it sounds oh so simple and easy, it really is a tremendous amount of work.  Hats off to you both!!

They had about 40 family and friends join them and had a celebration and feast that lasted two days.  Poor River fell sick though, and was a tad overwhelmed by the deluge of people but he made it through :) 

And Marcie wrote: "Before we exchanged rings, I took a moment to explain the significance of our rings to everyone and told them about you too.  Everyone was very impressed by them.  Our wedding commissioner was impressed too - not only has he never seen wood rings, he said he has never heard anyone talk about their rings before.  Of course I had too, because they are so special.  Thank you!"

 David and I are humbled and honoured to have played a small part in a special moment in your lives together Dan and Marcie and River.  And to work with you to create these symbols of your love for each other. It has been our absolute pleasure dear friends.  

Onward ever onward.

Oak Wood Rings

"In the acorn lies the Oak."

'And in the Oak tree; the Rings.' 

Each of the Touch Wood Rings showcased here incorporates Oak Wood.

There is so much variation in every wood and David (in my humble opinion) has such an artistic eye for exposing the unique beauty in each piece of wood.

Todd's ring is made from a small branch of 150 year old Post Oak, the interior liner is Maple.

 

Every Touch Wood Ring is commissioned and custom designed and each ring is individually hand crafted by the Pioneer of the steam bent wood ring ... my beloved; David Finch. He's been creating wooden rings for over a decade now and we have developed a wonderful family of Touch Wood friends from all over the world!  We are well and truly blessed...

These rings were created for Nick and Tara with Birch, Oak, Blackwood, River stone and wintergreen leaf.

Samuel's ring was made of Cherry wood with a Natural Oak Knot inlay

  

Greyed Maple Ring with a wide Oak Inlay for Daniel.

Adam's wider, tapered Ring of Solid Oak with a featured knot.

Jennifer commissioned this Slightly tapered Oak Wood Ring for her beloved.

Maple rings with oak inlays including natural knots for Melissa and Marc

 

On our website we have a page called the 'Meanings of Woods'. 

Many of the folks we create wooden rings for choose a particular wood mindful of it's mythic or spiritual properties. I'm not suggesting I have any particular knowledge of these qualities, but I have done a good deal of research over the years and have shared some of what we've learned with you.

"Oak is often described as the most sacred of trees. It carries the energy of kingship and wise rule, personal sovereignty, authority, power, protection, sealing or opening doors, endurance, and invocation of wisdom, fertility, and abundance.  

Sometimes called the "King of Trees". Oak is often associated with strength of character and endurance as well as protection, strength, success, and stability.  It has been called the Celestial tree of the Druids (Celtic)."

Sam's Tapered Oak ring with an inlay of Hawaiian Koa and full moon inlay of the same Oak.

 Light toned Oak with a butterscotch amber full moon inlay created for Maureen.

Jackie's Oak wood ring with an arbutus inlay and an interior liner of Eucalyptus

Jeff and Alison's Oak rings with Cherry wood interiors.

In my next Wood Post, we'll look at the world of Hawaiian Koa Wood and how David has turned this awesome wood into a kaleidoscope of beautiful rings.   We look forward to hearing from you anytime and thanks so much for dropping by!
Warmly, as ever
Nicola

Timothy and Lindsay; those smiles!!

In January of this year (oh and doesn't our snowy winter world look so inviting on this late July day ...)

we received an initial inquiry from a gentleman by the name of Timothy.  

This is an excerpt from his initial email:   "I am looking for a male wedding band. I am fortunate enough to have come across your website and cannot believe the degree of beauty and uniqueness that your wedding rings convey. They truly are artistic masterpieces. After seeing your craftsmanship and reading about your backgrounds and small business, I am certain I would love to order a ring through you. I currently reside in Baltimore, Maryland and work in public health with a particular focus on climate change/sustainable development issues. Naturally, your business model of sustainable lifestyles (solar power, small-scale farming, living off the land) and rings that are harvested from nature really resonated with me and would provide a very deep connection to my own life philosophy and goals. 

Meet Timothy and Lindsay ~ a few years ago on a visit to Ireland  

And on their engagement weekend visiting one of their favorite spots: The Oregon Coast

 

Getting to know Tim and Lindsay and working with Timothy on his ring was a joyful experience for David and I.   In mid March Timothy wrote:

"The ring arrived in the mail today. First of all, it is absolutely GORGEOUS. The overall design and intricate details in the wood are extraordinary and are more than I could have hoped for. It is exactly what I envisioned! Secondly, it fits absolutely perfect! I have to admit, I was a little worried about the sizing, but it could not fit any better.

Thank you so much again for your time, effort and courtesies throughout this process. You two have been an absolute joy to work with, and it is amazing to me that there are still people in this world who operate their business practice under the assumption of trust. I think that alone speaks volumes to the type of people you are, and my only wish was that there were more people in this world like you. Lindsey and I will certainly keep in touch, and I hope you do the same as well. We wish you nothing but the best in the future, and hope life brings you many joys. Thank you again and I will be in touch."

Then another wonderful email came to us in June.

"I just wanted to write you to say hello and share some feedback regarding the beautiful ring that you and David made for me. Lindsey and I had our marriage celebration the past two weekends in Baltimore and Milwaukee and it was the first time we have seen many of our family and friends in quite a while. Everyone that saw my ring were blown away at how beautiful and unique the ring was; they had no idea that such an idea for a wedding band even existed. After telling the story of how they are individually hand-crafted only added to peoples’ amazement. They raved about the artistic quality and thought it was such a neat story. I too continue to gaze at it with the same amount of excitement and astonishment every time I put it on. Anyways, I just thought I would pass along the extremely positive feedback that I have received the past couple weeks regarding the work that you and David both do."

 Our new friends with the beautiful smiles; Happily Married 

"Timothy, when people like you and Lindsay come into our lives and share yourselves with us, it enriches our lives tremendously!  David really enjoyed making your ring and felt a strong connection to you through the making.  It`s been an absolute joy talking with you  from your very first email Timothy.  We wish you and Lindsay good health and happiness and decades of dreams coming true!"