We will be importing olive wood to make beautiful and symbolic pens. Stay tuned
We love to make things and hope that the products we make will make you happy.
We are Jonathan and Jan Lance, parents of eight children, handcrafters elegante. We have always liked to make unique things for our family and friends. We are always up to something. Many people have told us we should sell our unique items. So here we are. We have had to learn all kinds of new things, especially the making of a website. I never knew there was so much going on behind the scenes. We hope you find our blend of woodworking, laser engraving, and textile products useful and enjoyable for yourself and for others.
We are located in Gilroy, California, the garlic capital of the world. The Garlic Festival is held yearly in the park just behind our home. Food isn't food without GARLIC! Yup, even ice cream.
We have run various businesses for over 25 years. This is our first attempt at an online shop. We are it. We design, we prototype, we research, we prototype again, we create a final product and make it just for you.
Created by me, Jan, a mother of eight, to bring more of Christ into Christmas for my family.
how it got started
More than 10 years ago I was Inspired by a stylized stained glass Christmas card, and designed a traditional nativity scene. I included the Holy Family, Shepherds, Wise Men, Angels, Stars and Animals. Using a brief verse of scripture and a carol verse to be sung each night, I developed a 24 day family devotional tradition. This daily tradition is loved and still carried out by the 4 children at home, and also the 4 with their own families and homes. Now shared with each of you to enjoy with your families. Bring Christ into the center of your Christmas Celebration with this classic Nativity Advent Calendar. Start a family tradition that will last for generations. Celebrate the birth of Christ all month with a visual reminder the whole family will remember in years to come.
handcrafted
This Nativity Calendar is handcrafted of wool blend felt or recycled acrylic felt, for quality and durability. Each figure is carefully layered to recreate the look of stained glass. Each figure rests in its own place in the window, and one each day is added to the center to make up the nativity scene, with the christ child arriving on Christmas Eve. With the durable felt figures. children can safely redesign the scene over and over, Soft wool blend felt adheres to itself, no hooks necessary.
what you get
This item can be purchased completely assembled, as a kit containing precut pieces, or a pattern.
The assembled calendar and kit come with a wood dowel, ribbon for hanging, a black backing panel with sewn casing for the dowel to fit in, blue window shapes, sky and ground and figures:
Cave style stable
Mary and Joseph
Three shepherds
Three sheep
Three kings
Donkey and Cow
Manger with or without hay
Angel
Angel choir
Bright Star
6 smaller stars
The baby Jesus
At 3, our then youngest son, shushed everyone during church as a violinist played a duet. "Quiet, lis-en" he whispered loudly. We had never seen any child so enthused about music from any particular instrument. After making some inquiries as to how to teach violin to one so young, we found out that the violinist was a Suzuki teacher. Never having heard of this method we were in for a lifestyle change!
He started Suzuki violin lessons at 3 1/2 with a macaroni and cheese box and paint stir stick taped together and spray painted brown for a "box violin". This was a good start but his training on this basic tool was limited to the basic first few twinkle games.
passing it on
After over 16 years of Suzuki training, teaching, numerous summer camps, institutes, and 3 teacher changes, we know the value of Dr. Suzuki's nurturing by love and determined to pass this on to our grandchildren. As they contemplated their first granddaughter starting Suzuki violin at her third birthday, Jonathan applied his woodworking skills to the creation of a wood outline violin, small and light but with the look and feel of a real violin and made to last through several siblings.
This "better than a box violin" attracted the attention of our current violin teacher; and with her input we added features that would give more possibilities for its use in additional training of pre-twinklers and twinklers. How to make a box violin? It is not needed because of the better than a box violin and your end result will be less than satisfactory and will not be able to be passed down to siblings.
quality at it's best
This violin is made from clear pine wood. It is carefully laser engraved, cut out, sanded, and professionally sprayed with hardy and environmentally friendly waterborne urethane. It is made to last! Of course, the wood grain on each violin will look a little different, it will be one of a kind. That's how cool nature is.
This is the perfect Christmas gift for your children, grandchildren, brother, sister, parents anybody who loves to see the temple.
Let us know the temple of your choice, and what you would like to be engraved on the face, and you have a unique, one of a kind gift. They will be thrilled to have this hanging on their tree.
Suggestions for the choice of temple: the temple that they were married in, their favorite temple, temple they visit most oftern. Choice of words: Husband and wife's name, children's names, grandchildrens names, your own childs name, a special date, or saying.
The size of the ornament is roughly 4 x 5 inches. It comes with 2011 engraved on it and whatever else you may want. The engraving must be on one side of the ornament. They are 1/8 inch thick wood and come with a hole and gold thread.
The original television, this handcrafted solid wood amusement piece, was designed by a lifetime woodworker for his family to enjoy.
Fun to change
Inspired by a simpler piece at a friends home, he developed a method for swapping the horses with other figures. Now you can have a 4 horse carousel, then swap for santa and his reindeer, or circus animals. Christmas and circus animals sets sold separately.
Relaxing
Just push the wooden figures to wind up the ribbons and watch as it calmly unwinds and rewinds for relaxing movement. Very soothing. No batteries needed! Gravity happens!!! I dare you to put it in the middle of a group and just see what happens.
quality at it's best
We use clear pine for the figures and the center pieces. They are first laser etched with filigree details and then cut out by hand in my shop. Then they are carefully sanded and stained and prepared to ship to you.
Please note that due to the natural qualities of wood, the woodgrain may vary from the ones in the photo. Your maypole carousel will be one of a kind, that's how cool nature is!
This item is the 12 inch high, 11 inch wide.You will receive the base and pole, spinner center and spokes with ribbons attached and 4 horses. Your maypole carousel will need some basic assembly. Follow the simple instructions and you will be appreciating its soothing movement in minutes.
grandkids love it
kids love it
adults love it!
put it in the middle of a group and just watch!!!
good for all seasons (just change the module)
These scissors were hand made in my shop when my daughter wanted to make one for her craft room. Of course everyone loves it and so we are offering this product to everyone.
spiffy up your workspace
Spruce up any hair salon, crafty room, or sewing room with these realistic wooden scissors. They actually move and operate but they do not cut.
quality at its best
They are made out of clear pine and professionally sprayed with hardy and environmentally friendly waterborne urethane. Please note that due to the natural qualities of wood, the woodgrain may vary from the scissors in the photo. Your scissors will be one of a kind, that's how cool nature is!
customizing
We also offer laser customization. You can add any name or words that you would like. Personalize it with a hair salon name, a hair stylist name, or just about anything that you coud want. The words will be inscribed by laser onto the blade area.
It comes in two sizes
- 24 x 9 inch
- 16 x 6 inch
Our youngest son was having trouble keeping his bow hold relaxed and strong.
time to get ingenious
Jan cut holes out of a piece of sticky felt to guide his fingers to the correct spots, and within a few weeks his bow hold was so well done that his teacher remarked that she hadn't had to correct it for the whole lesson! This little piece of felt turned out to be a great help to getting a correct bow hold.
how it works
When the fingers are aligned with the holes they relax into the correct bow hold, making bowing easier and playing more consistent and improving tone quality. This pliable, slightly tacky, felt patch attaches easily to the stick and frog.
This classy black fabric case fits all three sizes of our better than a box violin.
The sturdy nylon zipper and cotton webbing straps make this case the perfect companion.
It's soft padded top and bottom pampers your better than a box violin.
With two interior pockets you can safely stow accessories (or treats) away from inquisitive siblings.
Not to be outdone, there are two loops to slide the bow into for safekeeping!
