A beautiful gift
Posted by lapazfarm on September 19th, 2006 filed in montessori, JBugFor her birthday recently Jbug received a most beauiful gift.
But let me go back a bit.
Quite some time ago I had mentioned to my step-dad that I would love to have some wooden blocks for JBug. I said I would like them to be out of different kinds of natural wood, two blocks of each kind, so that she could do some sorting and matching activities. He said he thought he could manage that.
Well…he did more than manage! This is what Grandpa made JBug for her birthday!
This gorgeous hand-made mahogany and ebony jewelry box! But that’s not all…

Inside the box is the most beautiful set of blocks I have ever seen!

They are made of ten kinds of wood including exotics like yellow-heart, teak, and ebony as well as redwood, poplar, pine, cherry and oak and a couple I am not sure about but will have to find out. They are all natural (not stained) and absolutely lovely to hold.
Here they are out of the box:

The picture really does not do them justice! They are smooth and polished, with an amazing variety of not only color, but weight! The whole family finds themselves drawn to these blocks, just to feel and hold them, sort them by color, examine the different grains and smell their scents. Glorious! Thank you so much Grandpa Phil for a gift that JBug will treasure, I am sure, for many, many years!
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September 19th, 2006 at 2:00 pm
Very nice! Doesn’t it make you want to show him pictures of other things to make?
September 19th, 2006 at 2:29 pm
Gorgeous! I can totally see why everyone is drawn to them - I want to pick them up myself! We’re wondering, do they have varying odors as well?
Lapazfarm says: A little bit. Right now they smell mostly like the oil he rubbed them with. But you can catch a whiff of different scents when you handle them awhile, so I think as time wears on they will smell more and more like their natural wood scent.
September 19th, 2006 at 2:32 pm
Oh wow! How very lucky for your darling daughter! Infinitely better than the standard Montessori set! Hmmm… could I convince him to sell a set to us too? *winks*
September 19th, 2006 at 3:01 pm
Absolutely beautiful. What a treasure! Both the blocks AND your step-dad
September 19th, 2006 at 3:02 pm
Oh my goodness! It’s absolutely beautifuyl! Grampa loves his Jbug very much.
I bet it will become a treasured family heirloom.
September 19th, 2006 at 3:10 pm
Am I allowed to be envious? To have a grandfather make such a beautiful gift, and out of love, too. They are just gorgeous. Would he make these to order for others, hint, hint?
Phenomenal!
September 19th, 2006 at 3:12 pm
They would make lovely Christmas gifts, wouldn’t they?
Oh, and I am trying to convince him to build a wooden play kitchen for her for Christmas. I hope!
September 19th, 2006 at 3:55 pm
Those are amazing.
September 19th, 2006 at 4:01 pm
I think he has something he can selll….
He did an excellent job!
September 19th, 2006 at 6:58 pm
Theresa, you have such a neat blog with great ideas! Those Montessori blocks are beautiful. And your son’s awesome notebooks make me want to make notebooks, too! My son goes to public school, but I hope that when he’s a little older, he’ll enjoy projects like that.
September 19th, 2006 at 8:36 pm
These are really beautiful, Theresa! My dad was a master model shipwright and used to have drawers full of exotic wood around his home. I always loved to see the beautiful colors and grains. What a special gift from the heart for JBug.
September 19th, 2006 at 9:11 pm
What a special gift for JBug!
September 19th, 2006 at 11:12 pm
Breathtaking! I’ll take three!
September 20th, 2006 at 12:23 pm
That is incredible. What a totally awesome gift!
September 21st, 2006 at 4:51 am
I think he could easily start a home business!!! How beautiful!!
Karen