John Carlson
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john-carlson.bsky.social
John Carlson
@john-carlson.bsky.social
890 followers 1.3K following 250 posts
There are over 8 billion people on the planet Earth. It's hard to believe the whole world revolves around me. We are all creative beings, so if it could be true for me its true for every being. That's a whole lot of spinning heads!
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john-carlson.bsky.social
Our first snow! The Toulouse geese don't care. They've been through this drill before. #barnyard #FarmLife
Five Toulouse geese eating and rinsing in the first snow of the season.
November 26, 2025 at 5:09 PM
john-carlson.bsky.social
A new double-sided chip-carved-star ornament, or 'rosette.' This one is based on eight equal divisions of a circle. The spiral elements of the second side were based on a design from mychipcarving.com. I previously used this on the cross I carved also. #ChipCarving #WoodCarving
Side one of a double-sided Chip-carved ornament, basswood, finished with Tung Oil. Side two of a double-sided Chip-carved ornament, basswood, finished with Tung Oil.
November 7, 2025 at 1:41 AM
john-carlson.bsky.social
Someone playing my musical spoons at the Driftless Folk Fesival! In my spare time, I still chip away at my unfinished projects. #WoodCarving #SpoonCarving #MusicalInstruments
September 3, 2025 at 2:02 AM
john-carlson.bsky.social
Another bird finished. This one is carved from the invasive honeysuckle that I helped to remove from a local nature center.
A honeysuckle bird, side view A honeysuckle bird, front left view. Honeysuckle bird top view Honeysuckle bird bottom view
August 22, 2025 at 1:55 AM
john-carlson.bsky.social
Two custom-made basswood spoons, hand carved with the letter A. Two more comforting-love birds, one from white pine and the other from butternut. All four are finished with walnut oil. #WoodCarving #ChipCarving completed today!
One white pine bird, two basswood spoons with chip carving and one butternut bird. All finished with walnut oil. One white pine bird, two basswood spoons with chip carving and one butternut bird. All finished with walnut oil. One white pine bird, two basswood spoons with chip carving and one butternut bird. All finished with walnut oil.
August 20, 2025 at 10:27 PM
john-carlson.bsky.social
The cross I carved won Best of Show in July
Cross with Chip Carving, purple and blue ribbons attached
August 19, 2025 at 9:58 PM
john-carlson.bsky.social
I've been busy with work, woodcarving, clowning, farm chores, teaching classes, canoeing, and other stuff.
Under pressure, I have produced some of my best work though!
New #ChipCarving work
Chip carving on round basswood disk Small cross with chip carving, english oak stain Finished round ornament with chip carving Four out of the eight ornament designs i completed.
August 19, 2025 at 9:52 PM
john-carlson.bsky.social
Five Toulouse goslings hatched out. it's fun to see them grow!
Five goslings huddled together , near four adult geese The pile of goslings near mom, trying to rest and stay warm.
July 10, 2025 at 3:26 AM
john-carlson.bsky.social
Sixteen #ChipCarving designs in progress, all based on six equal divisions of a circle.
Eight round basswood ornaments. Chip carving in progress. Eight round basswood ornaments. Chip carving in progress.
June 1, 2025 at 10:13 AM
john-carlson.bsky.social
My brother showed me this Picaso picture I created for him many years ago. I copied Picaso's peace dove sketch and signature, burned the lines and painted it with acrylic paint. This piece of pine had a natural horizon line. Doesn't have to be fancy to be cool. #Pyrography
May 31, 2025 at 2:07 PM
john-carlson.bsky.social
Progress before I created more unfinished projects! Haha.
#WoodCarving #ChipCarving
Round chip-carved ornaments, or Rosettes. All of these are going to have carving on both sides. Basswood.
May 28, 2025 at 6:45 PM
john-carlson.bsky.social
I did a demonstration on how to use a compass and ruler to divide up circles to make your own chip carving designs. All five of these rosettes started out with six equal divisions of a circle. It's easy to learn and creates great variation by dividing up the interiors.
#ChipCarving #WoodCarving
Five partially-completed chip carvings on basswood sheets. All based on six divisions of a circle. Knife, compass and pencil sitting on the table next to the carvings.
May 7, 2025 at 12:39 AM
john-carlson.bsky.social
I wrapped up all my Spring classes. Now I sigh and breathe. This Spring, I taught three Pysanky workshops, three chip carving classes, led a kids articulated fish puppet workshop and used them in a Mayday parade, and attended a forty-hour Naturalist volunteer course.
Plus, diving a schoolbus daily.
May 7, 2025 at 12:28 AM
john-carlson.bsky.social
Greenwood-bird carving, phase one: Rough out the blank from a log, using axe, knife and saw.
Phase two: use one knife to round and shape the bird.
#WoodCarving
These Buckthorn birds are especially cool to me, because I am carving these from an invasive tree that I helped clear from a local park.
A bird shape roughed out from a buckthorn log, sitting on a stump. Tools used: hand axe, bushcraft knife, camp saw, and baton. The buckthorn bird sitting on a stump, in the rounding/shaping phase. My favorite small slöjd-style Knife sitting on the stump next to the bird.
April 18, 2025 at 11:48 PM
john-carlson.bsky.social
Another successful Pysanky class today! Another seven new Pysanky creators for Ukraine!
#Pysanky #PysankyForUkraine
May Good prevail over Evil!
April 6, 2025 at 3:00 AM
john-carlson.bsky.social
Pysanky class success! I had a wonderful time today with these lovely people creating #Pysanky #PysanyForUkraine
Pulling a pysanka out of the dye bath Melting the wax off at the end! Drawing a design My class setup, work in progress.
March 30, 2025 at 12:06 AM
john-carlson.bsky.social
I'm preparing the new jars of dye for my pysanky class on Saturday!
A clear plastic bin holding 23 pint-sized wide-mouthed canning jars. Four jars contain prepared mixtures of boiled distilled water, vinegar and dye powder from Ukrainian Eggcessories.
March 26, 2025 at 11:14 AM
john-carlson.bsky.social
The day-before yesterday, I was excited to see the signs of Spring all around me. A pair of swans had returned to the little slough behind my workplace. Also a pair of mallard ducks were there swimming near the swans. Yesterday a snow storm, today it is winter again. #Nature
A swan observed through a thicket of branches. A swan and mallard duck swim nearby each other And today there is snow!
March 20, 2025 at 12:24 PM
john-carlson.bsky.social
I finished Pysanka number four from the Ukrainian Design Book 1.
And I started another unfinished carving project. (LOL) The Rochester, MN woodcarving show is next weekend so I'd better get some more woodcarvings finished!
#ChipCarving #WoodCarving #Pysanky #PysankyForUkraine
A basswood cross,a work in progress, with hatchet-style knife and five pysanky. Symbols are prayers
March 17, 2025 at 12:08 AM
john-carlson.bsky.social
I just received the packet of 28 new egg dyes from Ukrainian EggCessories in Canada. And today I received the first goose egg of the season from my Toulouse goose! Now I'm eating the most delicious egg-and-ham sandwich.
#Pysanky #PysankyForUkraine
Bag of 28 packets of egg dyes next to the color chart The hollowed-out goose egg next to my sandwich, multi-grain bread, sitting on a red plate Open sandwich, goose egg mixed with seasonings and chunks of ham, bread with mayo and yellow mustard. Shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese on top of the egg. A very thick egg sandwich. I should have used only half of the goose egg!
March 11, 2025 at 6:08 PM
john-carlson.bsky.social
Love prevails over Evil.
#Pysanky #PysankyForUkraine
March 5, 2025 at 6:54 PM
john-carlson.bsky.social
A perfect activity for a blustery-winter-storm day. Pysanky Prayers for Ukraine!
#Pysanky #PysankyForUkraine
Ukrainian Design Book 1, Pysanka 3, in progress, white chicken egg on a blue cusion on a book, with partially-waxed pencil lines Symbols gym meaning, Flower - life, growth, love and Charity. Ram's horn - strength and leadership. Color Red - Happiness, hope or passion
March 5, 2025 at 2:33 PM
john-carlson.bsky.social
I'll be working my way through all the Pysanky books and patterns I have, and then I'll find more
Here is Pysanka number 2, Ukrainian Design Book 1.
I express my gratitude and honor the Teachers who have left such legacies for future generations. #Pysanky #PysankyForUkraine
Love prevails over Evil
Two pysanky on a hand-carved wooden display stand. Ukrainian Design Book 1, Pysanka 2 sitting on a blue denim cushion, on top of the book. The symbols intentionally written on this pysanka, for 🇺🇦
March 3, 2025 at 2:41 AM
john-carlson.bsky.social
Im warming up and checking my dyes with my first new Pysanka in quite a while. This one is based on the first design in Ukrainian Design Book 1.
#Pysanky #PysankyForUkraine
Love prevails over Evil.
Ukrainian Design Book 1 Face view of Pysanka 1, Design Book 1 Side view of pysanka 1, design book1 The designs are more than random lines and dots. Colors and symbols are written intentionally like prayers.
March 2, 2025 at 5:45 AM
john-carlson.bsky.social
March 1, 2025 at 3:14 AM