It is a bit early to begin the sculpting on the Vala’s Pumpkin Patch pirate ship, but after a week of welding the armature and tying on the lath, we opted to do something a little more fun. The first bit of sculpting is critical as it sets the tone and style for the rest of the project. We were looking to create a wooden skull as the ship’s figurehead - a super fun piece befitting Cap’n Elias’s ship. Matt did the awesome woodgrain. We decided to make one tooth of gold, complete with a rivet to hold it in place. Our painting crew is excited to paint this fun piece. Stay tuned…
Superstar Lainey!
It takes an extremely skilled team to create our imaginative projects. More importantly, it takes a team that works well together, each doing their specialized task and also helping each other. Lainey is our youngest team member and has been working with us since she finished high school a few years ago. Lainey’s critical role in our company is that of a support person, and this involves a wide variety of tasks. She does landscaping and housekeeping at the Hazelnut Inn, helps with the kids, as well as many jobs in the shop. Loved by all, and always eager, cheerful and helpful, she needs little direction. Lainey works full-time each summer, and part-time when she returns to the University each fall. This coming fall, she has a very full schedule in school as she does her third and fourth year studies and has decided to take a leave of three months at work. Today was Lainey’s last day at work (for now), and the entire crew was delighted to surprise her with a lunch barbecue to send her off to her studies. We wish Lainey well and look forward to her return in the new year.
Pirate ship stern
One more day of welding is needed to finish the stern portion of the pirate ship armature for Vala’s Pumpkin Patch. This massive piece certainly dominates the shop! As fast as I complete the welding of the pencil rod armature, the crew is close behind, tying on the diamond lath. The poop deck, which is now fully wired, will be mounted on top of the stern when it arrives in Nebraska. When fully assembled, the ship will be over twenty-two feet tall, twenty-eight feet long and just a little under eight and a half feet wide.
