It's a holly tree - well, actually, it's three pieces of holly that we cut in the garden and tied together into the shape of one tree. I don't know what this year's carving will be yet, but you can see a previous year's Neolithic Venus in the middle there :-D
Oh, the carving is me. I was fortunate to have a father whose thought process went 'Hmm, what would be a good gift for an 8 year old girl? Ah, of course! A set of very sharp craft knives and a small pile of wood, what could be more delightful???'
And then a few years back I was lucky enough to do a carving course with one of the few remaining full time artisan wood carvers, which was excellent in many ways, not least because he helped me buy a set of proper grown up Swiss steel chisels. My icon is actually a carving that is hanging on our tree - although I post-processed it quite a lot after photographing.
We originally came up with the idea the year we were snowed in and couldn't get out to buy a tree, but as the holly *really* needed pruning, it seemed too good to waste!
We went for holly the year we were snowed in and couldn't get out to buy a tree. It doesn't have that pine smell, but on the other hand, every time I look at it I am reminded that the garden has been that little bit more subdued, so hurray!
Merry Boxing Day (can boxing day be merry? I intend it should be!)
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2012-12-24 07:45 pm (UTC)One just cuts one down from the grounds...
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Date: 2012-12-24 07:51 pm (UTC)Quiz from the Times a few years back - "How posh are you?" Question 1 -
"You grew up on an estate. Did it have:
a) 4,000 acres
b) 4,000 houses
c) 4 wheels"
I was able to honestly answer, a). (Well, not that honestly; it actually had 14,000 acres. But who's counting.)
no subject
Date: 2012-12-24 08:40 pm (UTC)And it needed chopping anyway...
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Date: 2012-12-24 08:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-26 09:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-24 09:29 pm (UTC)Who does the carving?
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Date: 2012-12-26 09:55 am (UTC)And then a few years back I was lucky enough to do a carving course with one of the few remaining full time artisan wood carvers, which was excellent in many ways, not least because he helped me buy a set of proper grown up Swiss steel chisels. My icon is actually a carving that is hanging on our tree - although I post-processed it quite a lot after photographing.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-25 07:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-26 09:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-25 09:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-26 09:58 am (UTC)We originally came up with the idea the year we were snowed in and couldn't get out to buy a tree, but as the holly *really* needed pruning, it seemed too good to waste!
no subject
Date: 2012-12-25 10:03 pm (UTC)I hope you both had a good day.
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Date: 2012-12-26 10:04 am (UTC)Merry Boxing Day (can boxing day be merry? I intend it should be!)
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Date: 2012-12-26 03:20 am (UTC)Merry Christmas!
no subject
Date: 2012-12-26 10:00 am (UTC)And a happy Boxing day to you!