New spoon with milk paint

I’m still on a carving kick, and I finished this maple spoon shortly after our trip to Kentucky. April was in the midst of painting her Windsor chair, and I was inspired to paint the handle after seeing a number of carved spoons with painted handles online. I used a bit of her milk paint and was pleased with how it enhanced the look of this spoon.

I’m pretty over this hard maple, though, and definitely want to get my hands on some softer, more friendly carving material. Yikes. I also need to work on my knife (and knife sharpening) skills, too. I’m a big drawknife fan, and like to carve with them, but I am beginning to see the benefits of using a straight knife for spoon carving only.

On a side note, the milk paint makes for a really, really sweet smooth finish on the handle. Love how that feels.

Another view