I have made woodburned spoons for a few years now. My hubby bought me a good quality wood burning kit when we lived up north. The spoons you can buy at the Dollar Store or at Walmart. They make for a customized and thoughtful gift. PLUS they are also useful! I want my friends who receive them to actually use them.
These were a recent gift for a friend of mine. She bakes quite a bit so these were fitting.
Simple designs work best I've found. The less intricate the better. The bits on the end of the wood burner can be quite cumbersome to work with. One of my favorites spoons was the bee spoon. My twin sister had a business, called Bee Creative Designs. When she died, I found myself thinking of her whenever I saw bees! Some people see cardinals...I see bees.
I like spoons that have a pattern on the front as well as the back.
Tips for Successful Wood Burning
- Keep the design simple.
- Sketch out your design first lightly with a pencil.
- Use a decent quality wood burning kit that has numerous attachments.
- Make sure you are relaxed and have at least an hour to yourself to create
- Keep the tools out of reach of kids and animals. The burning is extremely hot.
- Use a woodburning rest, to hold the tool when not in use.
- Rest your hand if you get tired.
- You may feel like you need an iron grip on the tool but a lighter touch tends to work better for most designs.
- Don't expect great results the first time. I've thrown some spoons in the firepit that didn't come up to snuff.
I've even done rolling pins, bear claws and custom wood swords!