What Else Can I Burn?

I inherited a love of keeping my hands busy from a mother and grandmother who both loved to create. In my search for my own niche, I found pyrography. I was browsing through Pinterest for random ideas and ran across some pyrography projects. I was fascinated by the detail and the depth of the images. I went to my local Walmart and purchased a cheap woodburning kit and found a scrap piece of wood and made my first attempt. It was not much but I was hooked.

It was not long before I was looking for better equipment, something that allowed more options, and then I was introduced to the Razortip Burning system and everything changed. So many types of tips! So many options

My first big project came only a short three months after I started burning.

This beautiful piece was a 4'x 3' pine tabletop with elk and a forest background. It was both terrifying and exciting to do. It was my first paid piece and I loved doing it. Thank heavens I at least understood the basics of drawing, which helped in visualizing the details that were needed. This was a Christmas gift from a family to their father. It was a pleasure seeing it all come together.

I have since done a lot of silly pieces, serious pieces, custom orders, and experiments. I burn on wood, leather, and gourds, and I still find joy in watching it come to life under the burning tip, it is an amazing process. I love the possibilities pyrography offers, from simple words to complex images. My favorite projects are custom orders. To see their expressions when the project is done is priceless.

As I work on projects, especially customized requests at Christmas time, I think of that moment when they open this piece on Christmas morning. It sometimes seems a bit surreal to think that something I made could be a part of someone's Christmas. I had a recent customer tell me that she knew her daughter would squeal with happiness when she opened her gift. What a compliment. The fact that something I love doing is also loved by those I share it with makes this a win-win all the way around.

Another person asked if I ever get bored doing the same piece over and over. I thought about it for a moment but could honestly say no. Each piece, no matter how many times I do it looks and feels different. It is the wood. No two pieces of wood are the same, the grain, the texture, even the smell of the wood is unique. My Story Book boxes are the repeat offenders...but making them is like reading the story over again. Peter Pan, Harry Potter, Winnie the Pooh, Lord of the Rings, just to name the top ones. Who will come up with the newest version? I love a challenge. "Can you make this?" is one of my favorite questions.

People often ask me how I can do this, or comment on my ability or "talent" to create these pieces. My response is usually the same. I have always drawn. Pencils, pens, chalk, are some of the mediums I love to use. So, transitioning to a burning tool was not too hard of a leap, learning to use the tools required has been the challenge as with any new art medium.

No matter what it is, if you love doing something, put in the effort to do it right. Give yourself time, lots of practice, and patience to learn. It is a rare thing when someone can just "do" something without taking the time to learn, of course there are those where it takes less time than it does for others.

For me, it is the process in the project itself that I enjoy, even the ones that do not turn out the way I had imagined. I learn new things which each piece I complete. The most common lesson is to slow down, to not rush the project in my desire to see the finished results. When I slow down, I can enjoy the ever-changing image as I add the layers and develop the depth to the project.

So, for those of you who wish you could (in whatever it is you enjoy doing), there is no reason not to. Take the leap...enjoy the ride and be happy with every learning moment in your journey. I am so happy that I chose to pick up that first inexpensive burning tool, it has brought me countless hours of joy, not only in the creating but the giving.