Category: Arts and Crafts

A few years ago I started making handmade rosaries. I like to think I make really nice ones, but some turn out better than others.

Today I tried to build a kinetic sculpture for my kids. I remember seeing pictures from South Africa, where kids build wire car push toys called draadkar. I figured it couldn’t be too hard to make something similar. Classic blunder.

One of the Rosary’s that I am most proud of making is from beautiful Tibetan Agate. The brown and green Dzi Agate is satisfyingly heavy. I don’t know if I would want to carry this one in my pocket all day, but this striped agate Rosary is great to pray with. I finished it with a pardon crucifix and a Miraculous Medal center piece.

I finished a second Ball Head War Club. This is also made of maple, but it is about 19″ long and has a 3″ ball on the end. This style is often listed as an Algonquian style, but I can not find a definitive source for clarification.

Years ago I found a fun picture called Deus Ex Machina by the artist Susan Sturgill. Honestly, I know nothing about her other than she is from Columbus, OH. I love this picture. It has hung in at least three offices. It makes me smile every time I look at it hanging on my wall.

Here is a Ball Head War Club that I just finished. Made of hard maple. Why? Why not!

This is a rosary I was proud to have made a few years back. It was for a raffle at our parishes celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I was happy that we used it just as a door prize so that everyone had a chance to win, and hopefully pray with it. I uses Cloisonne Beads, and an Our Lady of Guadalupe center piece.

My six year old made this beautiful Easter Card. She didn’t aske for any help from either my wife or myself, and I am very proud of her work.

“Always do sober what you said you’d do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.” – Ernest Hemingway

“The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.” – Flannery O’Connor