Unusual Fun Gifts

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Do you like to give unusual fun gifts? One of the best parts of gift-giving is gifting things nobody else has thought of or found. Below are some suggestions for the perfect gift from you for graduation, 4th of July, Pennypincher's Thursday or for any special day! 

An oven rack puller / pusher is a fine personalized gift, and it makes a neat wall hanging. Do you have a daughter or niece who's just learning from mom how to cook? She'd like this! This one is 9½" long, but size is a variable. Perhaps your gift for the patio BBQ man would be 3 feet long!

And the chain saw, with someone's name in it, also would be a very prized present. The perfect thing, both for a backyard fuss-budget with a fireplace or a fan of chainsaw massacre movies. Both of these items are certainly in the Unusual Fun Gifts category.

The handle was 5" x 7". I don't have a warehouse full of finished woodworking gifts, so I can't give specifications such as colors, etc.  I wouldn't be able to guess whose name you'd like scrolled into this chain saw.

If you're interested in this, or in any of the fun and unusual gifts below, contact me by email at:  Contact Us

Or you can write me at: Bob Betting, 5 S. Allison, Lakewood, CO 80226

There are many possibilities we'd have to talk about, such as the type of wood you like, the size of the gift, the colors (if you want it stained), what kind of finish, any deadlines to be met, the price, and of course the name you want scrolled into it.

Because of the many variables I can't quote exact prices. But the oven puller would be $10 to $15, depending on the length of the name and type of wood chosen. The chain saw would be more in the neighborhood of $50 because so many hours are required to carve the chain. Shipping costs are extra. Among all the other options you can also choose PayPal for payment.

Here's another that can be personalized for the avid nature lover. Or for the husband who refuses to ask directions. When he opens it up he'd see "You are here, Harvey". But only if his name is Harvey. This is 4" x 6", but can be smaller.

Many other gifts can be personalized. A hammer with his or her name in the handle for example, could be super.

A baseball bat for a young boy (I'll be accused of gender discrimination) will be a treasured gift. The smaller bat (1¼" long) was done as a zipper pull. The cutting of a name or initials in it is a challenge. For the larger bat I'm now using a 16" bat that carries an official Louisville Slugger stamp.

The original pattern for this intarsia giraffe was 18" from nose to neck and I knew I wanted it much smaller. But I reduced it far too much, and didn't recognize that until I started on the eyes. Each eye has 5 parts and I thought I'd maybe never get it done, especially since it was only the 4th intarsia piece I'd tried.

The 'spots' on the neck were cut and they fit almost perfectly without sanding. I'm unduly proud of it.

But nobody can hire me to make another giraffe this small.

 

 

This project is an example of how a small addition of intarsia can dress up a design. Just think how this will dress up his (or her) desk. And of course the choice of intarsia subjects is almost infinite. All these gifts would be made to order, therefore we would talk about the time required to finish any of them.

  

 

 

This clock, and similar patterns, is very attractive. It all depends on the wood and finish chosen. This one stands about 6" tall. Again, the base can be personalized. Clocks come in hundreds of patterns to choose from, some of which are very theme oriented. I can put in a clock face with a basketball player, golfer, et al. Clock patterns can also be very large.

Personalization provides a lot more meaning to a gift. Everyone loves a present that is personalized. My niece still talks about the 2 favorite gifts she got in her younger years: a wooden jewelry box with her name scrolled into it, and 5 pillows, each one with a letter of her name. You can give the gift that creates memories.

 

This jewelry box is the perfect graduation, wedding or baby gift. There can be a great many variations, especially in types of handle. Different woods can be used, in varying colors. It can be made with 1/4" or 3/8" thick wood, and it can be taller, shorter or larger. It looks like a woven basket. The one is 3½" wide x 5" long x 2½" tall. If you're a rich person, you could give it as a gift, but filled with jewelry.

In fact, should you ever give jewelry as a gift unless you give the box to store it in?

This is sort of a beginner's intarsia. The method is called segmentation, where the entire project is cut from one piece of 1" thick wood such as poplar. Then each cut piece is stained or painted the desired color, but they aren't rounded or otherwise shaped. All pieces are glued together at slightly different heights resulting in a startling 3-D effect. This wolf is 8" tall, but of course any pattern can be adjusted to almost any size.

It differs from intarsia, where the different colors are so because of different woods used. In order to get some colors, exotic wood is required. Also, intarsia pieces are each shaped and rounded before being glued. Put in a link to the intarsia article. A segmentation project uses less time and cheaper material for scrolling, but more time for staining. Intarsia requires more time for cutting, much more time for shaping and fitting and more cost in the various kinds of wood used.

These would be unusual gifts, but you'd want to choose the subject matter so it fits the giftee. Let's talk.

Another segmentation pattern I like is above, which I've done at 16" and 10" tall.

 

A set of patterns popular with me is called Scenic Saws. In this case a client asked me to personalize it as a gift, so I scrolled 'Wilk' in the blade for him, as instructed. Scenic Saws has at least 12 patterns ranging from wildlife to trains to nature. Different wood for the handle and contrasting screw plugs are variations.

These are again in 3-D. The side view would show the front and back of the seahorses when seen at right angles to this scan. My sister collects seahorses, so these were a gift for her and are hung as in the photo below.

Perhaps the most interesting feature is the wood color. They were cut from Colorply. The producers cut poplar (wood) into veneer slices (very thin), stain each layer, then glue them back together in different patterns. The wood blocks are made for turning on a lathe, but I thought they may work for some scrollsaw patterns, and I like them! 

 

 

The center pattern is one of many dozen available. I'd enjoy working with you to choose the one(s) you like. They are fascinating. Contact me for a quote.

 

 

 This is a 3-D toothpick holder, about 2½" tall which looks almost the same from any side. The toothpicks go in the top and rest in a hollow in the base. Do you have a dentist or dental hygienist graduating?

 It would surely be a unique wedding gift! 

 

 

 

 

 

I was very lucky (in cutting this from Colorply) that the patterns perfectly balanced on the hummingbird's wings. Do you need a gift for a good friend in a bird-watching club? Contact me to discuss some ideas.

 

I'd enjoy visiting with you.  

 

 

There are several patterns available for flowers and vases. Is your friend a gardener? Or attracts bees?

  

This is a child's toy puzzle called Elephants in a Peanut.  Fun and unusual gifts don't come much more unusual than this.  This one was cut 11½" wide, but next time I'll use 'peanut' color for the shell. 

 

The woven clock is an attractive piece. Of course the use of a variety of wood combinations offers a great many pleasing project possibilities. Keep in mind that if I'm doing more than 1 project of the same kind, I can usually save time. So if you order multiple gifts, there will be a good discount.

 

 

 

On the upper left are two 3-D patterns done by Diana Thompson. The bookmark, cut from 1/32" ply, can have almost any figure topping it besides the wolf. And if you give it as a gift, will it become a rare antique? How do you bookmark a Kindle these days?

 

 

 

 

Both to the right and below are other examples of 3-D patterns, called compound figures. People with unusual lives or hobbies deserve unusual gifts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And there are few gifts more unusual than those made using log art. There are several themes that are popular. The following were fashioned from logs in our firewood pile. In all cases the front part of the log that was cut from the 'stage' is kept so that it can be used as a cover.

 

 

 

My sister collects seahorses, so I designed and made this one for her.

The various items displayed in log art appear to be 3-D because they are at various depths inside the log. Most of those below are not my designs, but all were modified to fit to the log (or my mood).

 

 

The bark was removed from the log on the right. The probability is that the person you have in mind for a gift won't fit the above subject. It's almost guaranteed he or she won't fit in the next one.

 

 Some sparsely applied glitter looks good in the black sky below, but it doesn't show up in the photo.

 

You may be able to think of a fitting subject for a gift for your special person and occasion. We can make it happen! Contact me.

For the record, we have no more useable logs in our wood pile. If you would like to order one of these unusual gifts I'd have to buy some wood.

 

 

 

  

Oops. I forgot that I did design this last one too.

 

 

 

I'm sure you will find something attractive in this variety of unusual fun gifts. For those who may be inspired to take up scrolling, there are lots of hints on this site that may help you to avoid many of the mistakes I made. Click on my articles in Faq.

If you'd like a custom-made piece, I would work with you to come up with the design, colors, wood, size, methodology etc. you would like. And if not, we won't do the project. But if you'd like more info you can contact me by email at: famden2@comcast.net

Or by writing to: Bob Betting, 5 S. Allison St., Lakewood, CO 80226

You could also call me, but I don't have an 800 number. Yet. But I could call you back.