I’m so pumped! Not only do I get to annoy Eric on Friday with my questions, so do many of you! As I always say… the more the merrier! So I posted this week to send in your questions and I selected a few for Eric to answer. (I have compiled a ‘Questions List’ so if you don’t see your question this week, check back next Friday.)
So we have some questions via email and one question from Twitter.
From Joanne Howard: Eric, I know you have a particular way that you finish your wood. I just recently bought your kit. Is there a reason for all these steps other than to make the wood look nice? Any protective reasons? I used to just use some oil and put on one swipe and that was it. Please elaborate so that we can all take the lesson from the master! Lol. And by the way, let baseball season begin!
Eric: Dear Joanne, I have seen your baskets and you’re asking me why you should put more time into the finishing of your basket materials? Really, that’s like saying the fried chicken and beer in the Red Sox club house this past September had nothing to do with their historic collapse. Yes, there is a protective reason for the finish I use instead of, as you put it… “some oil.” Read my “Finishing Your Baskets.” I hope this helps and your Yankees *#*^!** this season! (Oops. I had to edit that. This is a clean blog!)
Are you looking forward to our trip to N.C. with Chance?
Eric: Yes. I’m looking forward to trying out that new “thunder shirt” your mom sent (or what we now call it “the doggie snuggie”)
Eric, your next question is from Twitter: I work with clay and my hands are extremely dry. Do you experience the same thing and if so, what do you use on your hands?
Eric: Luckily, I don’t have that issue. If I was working on making the black ash weaving materials all day, everyday, I could see it being a problem. Making the materials involves having your hands in and out of water all day and that ends up drying your hands out. Since my craft involves many different tasks, I am never doing the same thing for too long, thankfully. However, in the old days of the “Basket shop” where I apprenticed, and my hands were getting beat up pretty bad, we used Bag Balm Ointment. It has been made in Vermont for over 100 years. It is thick and was originally made for cow udders. Doesn’t sound too appealing but if I was a potter with sore dry hands, I would give it a try.
The next question comes from “Anonymous.” If you were to win the $300,000,000 Powerball Jackpot, how much would you give your brother- and sister-in-law?
Eric: Anonymous, huh? I think we all know who this question is from. I would give them Chance for three weeks while we shopped for a new home.
(editor’s note: that is not nice. Since I would probably be in control of this money, I’d say to “Anonymous” that you would never have any monetary worries again.)
If you were not a basketmaker, what else would you have done?
Eric: Actually, in high school I took design courses and wanted to get into graphic design. And at the old “Basket Shop” I was editor of the Basket Shop News and designed it. So I would probably be similar to what Lynne does now (but not as talented and successful as her of course).
(editor’s note: Sounds like someone is trying to butter me up for something…)
Thanks everyone for your participation! If you would like to ask Eric a question for next Friday’s Five Questions, send them to questions@thebasketmakerswife.com or you can Twitter them as well to @brushandbasket.
If you are interested in the Bag Balm or doggie Thunder Shirt that Eric mentioned, click below:
