Woodturning: Croc-I-Gator Conifer. 😁 Bird’s Mouth Bowls and Weed Pots

I brought home some alligator juniper from our trip out west because I love the bark and wanted to try some pieces with the bark remaining. Bird’s mouth bowls and weed pots made good choices for this, especially since the branch I brought home was only about 4.5” in diameter.

[@jimellison3358]

Great to see you back Lise my wife miss your videos

[@LisaRamlow]

Hey Jim, I appreciate that! It’s great to be back 😁

[@noahcount7132]

Awww, Lisa. I would have admired and appreciated those three pieces to the point of nearly drooling, had it not been for the effect of the blue patching material you used. You still get a thumbs up for presenting good videos. 👍

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Noah! I get it and am with you for the most part. Wasn’t my intended outcome but sometimes 💩 happens 🤷‍♀️🤣. But it’s a good reminder that everyone has different tastes and just because something may not be my favorite, doesn’t mean someone else won’t like it. I sold this little pot about an hour after I posted this video so yay for beauty being in the eye of the beholder! 😃

[@amandatallis9875]

Hi Lisa what a nice piece of wood I like the grain and markings, and the bark. The bird mouth bowl is magnificent well done. Thanks for a great video can't wait for your next one. Your trio pots you turned are marvellous, Take care of yourself. Amanda xx

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Amanda, I appreciate it! Next time imma bring my chainsaw and get some proper sized pieces 😁

[@vincenthunter465]

While blue may not be your favorite, at least you remember to put color in it, unlike someone I know rather well. Beautiful work, Lisa.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Vincent! Apparently lots of people liked the blue just fine - sold this little guy already. 😁

[@_zhawkeye_9808]

...well, I think they all turned out great!!!...and even though you may not like the milliput color, just know that it IS someone's favorite color and they'll absolutely love 'em...👍 Matt

[@LisaRamlow]

Right you are Matt, think this little guy already has a new home 🤣

[@_zhawkeye_9808]

@@LisaRamlow 👍 Matt

[@victorprimack2070]

Looks great Lisa. I’ve missed you turning. Nice to have you back!

[@LisaRamlow]

Hey Victor! It’s great to be back, and to be missed 😊

[@alinmayerthorpe7801]

Neat looking projects from the different kind of wood, love the colors and your wood combinations and it looks like you and Bayley had fun on your holiday, well done and thanks! Cheers Al

[@LisaRamlow]

Thank you Al! 😁

[@stevescott8655]

Beautiful result! The turquoise color of the milliput looks great. Appropriate for a piece of wood from the Great Southwest. 👍

[@LisaRamlow]

Thank you!

[@janeoverby2151]

As Phil Anderson says you have F.O.G. wood. The grain on that Juniper is stunning. Glad you and Marie and the Beagle had a great vacation. Good to see you back in the shop, Lisa.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Jane! Yeah this is definitely FOG wood 🤣

[@pambozkurt5277]

Love the grain and bark! Great little bowl. Well done.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Pam!

[@terrylembke8100]

Miss , Lisa . I think your bowl looks awesome . The contrasting color of your filler is perfect . If you put this piece on a table at an art show , it will sell . The only way it would sell faster , would be not to fill it at all . Good work , Lisa. All the best Terry

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Terry! I do leave a lot of natural defects in my work but these seemed more distracting to me than the turquoise. And as you and others have said, people will like it - this little guy already has a new home 😁

[@terrylembke8100]

@@LisaRamlow you do great work , Lisa. Keep on turning kid .

[@micah06v8]

That is a really cute bowl! If you don't like the blue you can always Dremel it down just a little bit and then use your colored epoxy on top of it to cover it. That way it will be the color you want and you would have the milliput as the backing to hold the resin in.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Micah! That’s a great idea - although in the meantime I’ve sold the pot with the turquoise so I guess lots of people liked it just fine. And another turner suggested that robin’s egg blue was quite appropriate for a bird’s mouth pot and I thought, why yes, yes it is! 😁

[@johnpollard9828]

Hi Lisa, I'm new to woodturning. I love your videos. I appreciate you mentioning where you get ideas from. I've gone down rabbit holes with several other artists you've mentioned. I've learned tons from you so far.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks John! There are some really talented people out there doing really amazing things!

[@jackthompson5092]

Beautiful little pots Lisa. I do love the live edge on them.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Jack!

[@andreamassari9099]

I really like the turquoise coloring. Kinda reminds of Arizona. Nice!!!

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Andrea! Generally I like turquoise (and all the blue everything!) but these are so small I would have preferred a slightly less-bright color. But it looks like I’ve already sold this little pot so another reminder that other people like things that I may not so much 🤷‍♀️😃

[@andreamassari9099]

@@LisaRamlow My Bro-In-Law says that's why they make Fords and Chevys. Even though I personally prefer VWs. 😂

[@jackburton6085]

Nice work Lisa! Love the shape of the little pots, hope they make it!

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Jack! So far so good 😁

[@susanburrows5288]

Never seen that type of juniper before, very interesting. Both the little pots and the vases looked like fun projects, the grain and bark adding a lot to the final pieces. I agree it is too bad about the holes from the pith, I wish the resin would have worked, I'm personally not fond of the turquois look.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Susan! I have some ideas to try next time - I think they’ll work out nicely and won’t limit me to whatever color epoxy I have on hand

[@mnp1964]

Looks great Lisa I knew when you stopped and looked at it the first time that this was going to be something special love the bark to bad the pith came out I really would have liked the dark fillet over the blue but that's life looks great Blessings

[@LisaRamlow]

Thank you! I’ll definitely be making more of these 😁

[@lakesidesusan6745]

Just found you site! I love beautiful wood! Such a treat to watch you. Greetings from Lake Oconee GA.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks so much

[@cookiescoop6065]

Those turned out beautifully have a great weekend ✌️

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks and you too!

[@patdavis1468]

Very nice, I really like them👍🏻❤️

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Pat!

[@edwardukleja4583]

Hi Lisa, I “discovered” you recently and have watched and enjoyed many of your videos. I often use Milliput to fill cracks, voids etc but always use the black version.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Edward! Yes, I need to get some neutral colors. I love me some blue….well, everything 🤣… but sometimes you don’t want it so contrasty

[@MarkThompson-ms5wn]

great work

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Mark!

[@jimdaly5077]

Nice. 👍

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Jim!

[@michaelfelixb1316]

Klein aber fein, sehr schön gemacht 👏👌

[@LisaRamlow]

Thank you Michael!

[@DougMilleratWoodSpunRound]

Like the wood. Love what you did with it. Not so sure about the color of the milliput. I’m thinking coffee grounds and CA might have worked with the wood better. Great use of fire wood. You done good!

[@LisaRamlow]

Hey Doug! Yeah I wasn’t sure the ACA was gonna work on this pot cuz the holes were bigger and since my 5-minute epoxy went off the Milliput was all I had left. But I have to remember that everyone’s tastes are different - I’ve already sold this little guy 😁

[@mpart_woodlathe-stuff]

Found wood like that yields really good, non-traditional pieces ! I really like them all. And how boring if a turner's Plan A always works eh ? Take care. -Mike p.s. nice spark plug wrench handle - me? I prefer PVS piping (doesn't hurt when it falls on yer toes)

[@LisaRamlow]

Hey Mike! Yeah PVC might be a better option. I had this one kinda stuck to the tailstock assembly where the live center storage is but apparently my little rare earth magnet has gone MIA 🤣

[@mpart_woodlathe-stuff]

@@LisaRamlow 👍😎

[@bigboy9706]

Turned out nice. Couldn't you have put some kinda of pigment in the miliput to change the color to contrast with the wood. BTW I like that you saved some of the bark on the top. Until the next video be blessed

[@LisaRamlow]

Hey Micheal! The Milliput comes in two solid logs, a whitish and the turquoise color, and then you mix them together until uniform. It comes in tons of different colors, I just only have the turquoise. I’m not sure that it would set properly if I mixed in extra stuff, tho I did think about it - great minds and all 🙃

[@karengilchrist9774]

I see what you mean about the milliput. Too bad you didnt have black, that would have matched. Super cute little pot though!

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Karen! I’ve got some better ideas for next time I run into this issue.

[@jayscott306]

Great work, and so good to see you back, Lisa! That bark made the neatest live edge. You put it to great use, though I have to agree on the Milliput. The robin's egg blue works for the birds' mouth vessels. :)

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Jay! I think you’re right - robin’s egg blue is definitely fitting for a bird’s mouth pot 😃

[@yourturnheirlooms9297]

Great pieces! Do have any trouble with movement as they dry?

[@LisaRamlow]

Not so far and I think they’d have moved by now 👍

[@erbakantiftik9397]

👋👌👍👏🌹🌺💖

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks!

[@harveypflugerh5901]

Cool pots but I find the turquoise distracting and a bit to bright. Something like coffee grounds might have blended in nicely.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Harvey! Yeah, I agree - it was just all I had on hand. Gotta replenish my stock of 5-minute epoxy!

[@davo-h1t]

LR do you have new hair???? 😮

[@LisaRamlow]

Hey Chris! Nope, it’s just not pulled back into a double ponytail top-knot thing like normal 🤣

[@dennisdunnigan97]

Just leave the holes. Don't fill them!

[@LisaRamlow]

In this case I found them more distracting than the bright turquoise 🤷‍♀️