We Have A Winner!!!

Big congratulations go out to JANE BUCH of Florida who purchased her tickets at this year's North American Festival of Wales in Scranton P.A.

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Jane and thank everyone who contributed to the West Coast Eisteddfod. If you were not the lucky winner this year fear not, 2013 is just around the corner and we will be announcing new and exciting plans as the WCE goes into its fifth year.

On a personal note, I would very much like to thank my carving partner Laura Jenkins Gorun who came along on an even crazier ride than the one we went on the last time we carved an Eisteddfod Spoon.  Although it seemed like everything that could conspire against us did, we managed to pull off a beautiful spoon that I couldn't be more proud of!!   I don't know if I'll be able to talk her into coming back for another round next year, but if I can...I  guarantee that we'll come up with something even MORE spectacular!!  We're on a roll!

I'd also like to thank Jen Delyth for her lovely, lovely 'tree of life' and Chris Chandler for coming up with our 'Celebrate Your Roots' theme!   What a treat for Laura and I to work with artists from outside the lovespoon world and to see a project like this come together even though none of us have ever met in person.

Most of all, I would like to thank everyone who donated to the West Coast Eisteddfod!!  Sorry that you couldn't all win but I hope that this year's spoon will have encouraged you to try again next year when we reveal the West Coast Eisteddfod lovespoon Mark 5!

Here's a shot of Chris Chandler burning down the house at the finale of  the West Coast Eisteddfod 2012!

Spoon Draw Coming!!

Due to a surge of last minute entries for the West Coast Eisteddfod 2012 lovespoon, we couldn't get the tickets ready in time for a draw during the actual event on Saturday night.  Sorry about this delay!!!  To everybody who is waiting to see if they have won,  we are going to hold the draw tomorrow in downtown Portland.   We will be selecting a person from the lunchtime crowd (completely at random) to make the draw and will film it so that everyone knows the draw is completely above board!!!
So the good news is: YOU"RE STILL IN WITH A CHANCE!!!
Stay tuned for the blog tomorrow announcing the winner and hopefully showing some pics from the event!

ONLY HOURS TO GO!!!!

Jen Delyth's Tree of Life design with some additional Celtic heart knotwork.

With just a few hours left before we close the donation box up and start putting the draw tickets into the drum, you've got a brief chance left to get in on the action!  Our beautiful West Coast Eisteddfod 2012 lovespoon could be yours for just ONE DOLLAR!   Every dollar you donate (just go to the donate box at the top right of the page) entitles you to one ticket in the draw.  The more dollars you can spare, the more tickets and chances you will get!!   It's easy and safe to donate and you won't be hassled with spam or requests for more money!!  
As I look over the pictures of the completed spoon, it's hard to believe that it all came from this one elegant design of Jen Delyth's!   Her 'Tree of Life" design seemed perfect for our 4th year theme of, "Celebrate Your Roots" and now that its done I can whole-heartedly say it IS perfect!!!

From whence it all began!

Now the hard work starts

So with a humble cherry plank and a design which Laura and I had debated back and forth (with rather more civility and decorum than has been seen on the US political scene lately) until we had it 'just right', work began in earnest!  Laura took the bowl end and I went for the top end so that we could each try the sections of the spoon which appealed to each of us the most.   Laura made a beautiful job of the 4 balls running in their little organic cage and after an interminable wait while the spoon wended its laborious way through the labyrinthine caverns of Canada Customs, I got cracking on the 'Tree of Life' and the little dragon, leaves and stars detail of the spoon's crown section.

Hey Presto!!  One Eisteddfod spoon!

It took a little longer than we expected for the spoon to get to me and it made things considerably more exciting as I raced the clock to get it ready in time for this year's West Coast Eisteddfod event in Portland on October 13th.   But as you can see from the pic, we got it done and the spoon has been sent registered, insured and tracking numbered by Express Post!  If the postal services of Canada and the US are anywhere near as good as their word, the package should hit Portland today!!

So there it is....this year's Eisteddfod spoon is ready to go to its new home!   To everyone who has donated, Laura and I wish you the very best luck in winning!!!  To those of you who haven't donated, hit that DONATE button now!!!!

Nearly There!!

With less than a week to go before the 2012 West Coast Eisteddfod kicks off, here's another look at our incredible lovespoon for all of those 'undecided' donors out there!!  If you haven't yet donated a buck or two (or more) to the Eisteddfod, you are going to miss out on a chance to win this spoon for your very own!!!   Each dollar you donate equals one ticket for our big raffle draw during this years Eisteddfod event... the more you donate, the better your odds become!
This is quite possibly the best lovespoon we have carved for the Eisteddfod (although we love them all) and I think that Laura and I are going from strength to strength as we perfect our designing and carving teamwork!!The detailing on this year's spoon is exquisite!  Laura spent many painstaking hours going over my crude sketches to refine the knotwork and perfect her sinuous vine details.  The results of her dedication are plain to see!!!

Our little Welsh dragon strikes a brave (but not unfriendly) pose as he guards over the spoon, his tongue and tail weaving through the 4 Canadian maple leaves and 4 American stars which symbolize the international nature of the Eisteddfod.  Everything is carved on both sides, so this spoon looks great both from the front, or if you hang it up wrong, from the back too!!

This may well be my favourite part of the spoon!   Look at that gorgeous cherry bowl and the way the grain sweeps through it...fabulous!!!  The 4 balls in the organic cage (representing the 4 years of the Eisteddfod) are a carving triumph for Laura.  The detailing and finishing are perfect and I guarantee, the winner of this spoon will spend many hours rolling the little balls back and forth and enjoying the silky feel of the wooden vinework!

And here's one more look at Jen Delyth's beautiful tree of life design which she so very kindly allowed us to use as the focal point for this years Eisteddfod spoon.  I think this lovely tree with its interlocking branches and leaves is the perfect symbol for our Eisteddfod lovespoon...arts and artists coming together in a spirit of cooperation to create an artwork of exceptional beauty!  How sweet is THAT?    

As an additional bonus...the winner of this year's spoon will also receive an exculusive copy of Chris Chandler's poem on celebrating your roots (which was the inspiration for this year's spoon) printed with a high rez graphic background designed by Jen Delyth!   This is a great prize on its own!!!!

So please head to the Donate box at the top right of this page and get involved for your chance to win this beautiful spoon!!   Time is ticking at a brisk rate and you'll kick yourself if that annoying neighbour of yours who always wins everything takes this home too, just because you didn't enter!!!

DONE!!!!!

I've just put in a 3 day marathon carving session to get the West Coast Eisteddfod Lovespoon ready for its big day!   I'm thrilled to bits with the result and I'm hoping that seeing it done will encourage lots of donations to our favourite cause!!  Remember, this beauty that Laura and I have slogged over for the last few months could be yours for one measly dollar!!!  Every dollar you contribute to the West Coast Eisteddfod entitles you to a chance at winning what is surely our best effort yet!   I defy you to find a lovespoon like THIS anywhere for a BUCK!!!!!!
I think that Laura has absolutely excelled herself with her gorgeous ball in cage detail.  Check out those sinuous vine details!! At the start of this project, Laura was a bit of a grinder with the design and in her own words, 'fussed over every detail'.  Now that it's done, you can see that her efforts were absolutely worth it! Laura and I are in love with this spoon and we don't really want to give it away...but give it away we will!
In case you're wondering why the spoon is sort of two-toned, its because Laura's section at the bottom was carved a couple of months back and is oxidizing.  That rich amber tone you see on the bowl is what the whole spoon will have in another couple of months when my section at the top settles in a bit!  This spoon is going to be a stunner!!!!!

Just to show that we didn't 'leave it all' on the front aspect, here's a picture of the back of the spoon showing that all Laura's meticulous planning has continued onto the back!!  Its like having 2 spoons for the price of one!!!

Man, I just love how Jen Delyth's 'Tree of Life' turned out!  One day it would be fun to try a bigger one and go for a bit more detail on the roots and branches, but for now, this looks pretty sweet!  Trying to remember where all those vines went around the heart, leaves and dragon made me scratch my head a few times and I had to call Laura for a sketch, but in the end its all good!!
And one last treat is this close up of Laura's beautiful work on that cage with the 4 balls (one for every year of the Eisteddfod) which shows just how 'touchable' her carving is!!
I'm totally PUMPED about this spoon...I hope that you will be too!   Just remember that time is rapidly running out for you to get in on a chance to take it home!!!   Please donate to help support the West Coast Eisteddfod today!!!!  Just click on the box at the top right of the page...it's simple, safe, secure and you WON'T get hassled with any unwanted spam from any of us!!