Viking table revisited...

Well I was able to finally make it back to visit this beast. This dining room table can sit twelve and probably weighs 250 lbs! It's a monster... Made from reclaimed ship hatch covers and salvaged heart pine, this table was made to bring people together to enjoy friendships. I'm told it has succeeded! Oh the stories, dinners, games, and new life (Violet Snow) this table has witnessed! So glad it's being put to great use! 

small end table

You know, one of the most over looked pieces of furniture might just be the end table. No facts to necessarily back this up, but think... normally smushed in a corner, in-between a couch and a wall or forgotten about next to a chair in a part of the house no one even knows exists. This is crap! I mean, Somebody (more than likely a complete stranger) cared enough to take time out of their life whether, their job or not, to build this special piece for you to set a lamp on to read next to or to hold your precious tv remotes... this person built this thing for a reason.... to make your life a bit more comfortable. Heres an attempt on a side table with doors and feet from ol' Georgia barn wood.

cypress stump table

I finally got a chance to connect up with some clients an was able to snatch up this coffee table from them to get some photos. I cant take any credit for "building" this table because i really didn't do anything to it. Its its own piece. All i did was clean the muck from it, flatten and smooth the top, and put a finish on it.  This stump was pulled out of the swamps in central Florida and easily ages over a few hundred years old. I love the decay and the beauty of the aged wood, or whats left of it, and the dang rings at the top are some of the most beautiful I've ever seen. It even comes with a small chewed out hole where I'm shure a mouse or some animal lived. I dont mean to sound like a hippy but I love this tree! cheers- john

Elephants

I just had to post this... I've loved animals all my life, There's just something about them that is so striking to me. I feel that they are much more intelligent than we give them credit for and it may sound stupid, but there's a lot to learn from them. Recently I have been reading, watching, and learning mor about animals in captivity, being forced to live in less than humane cages and carry out certain tasks just to please there captors and audiences around the world. Did you know there are more Bengal tigers prisoned in the state of Texas than there are prowling in India? For $500 you can buy a tiger. That's absurd.
My mom sent me this email... It hit me pretty hard cause, to me, it proves animals have feelings, thoughts, and most importantly, hearts. This is a touching story and feel free to share it to whom ever you want! And please!.... Support organizations against animals in captivity. There's so many out there, just google and hundreds will pop up. This is just one story. Ill list a few organizations and documentaries I like at the bottom of this post. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this, and sometime, spend a bit looking at this on the Internet or watch a documentary. And the next time a circus or fair comes to town. Don't go. The more people that know what's goin on here the more difference it will make! -best, John


THE ELEPHANTS JOURNEYED TO PAY RESPECT, BUT HOW DID THEY KNOW?

Lawrence Anthony, a legend in South Africa and author of 3 books including the bestseller The Elephant Whisperer, bravely rescued wildlife and rehabilitated elephants all over the globe from human atrocities, including the courageous rescue of Baghdad Zoo animals during US invasion in 2003.



On March 7, 2012 Lawrence Anthony died.

He is remembered and missed by his wife, 2 sons, 2 grandsons & numerous elephants.

Two days after his passing, the wild elephants showed up at his home led by two large matriarchs. Separate wild herds arrived in droves to say goodbye to their beloved man-friend.



A total of 31 elephants had patiently walked over 12 miles to get to his South African House.









Witnessing this spectacle, humans were obviously in awe not only because of the supreme intelligence and precise timing that these elephants sensed about Lawrence's passing, but also because of the profound memory and emotion the beloved animals evoked in such an organized way:



Walking slowly - for days -

Making their way in a solemn one-by-one queue from their habitat to his house. Lawrence's wife, Francoise, was especially touched, knowing that the elephants had not been to his house prior to that day for well over 3 years! But yet they knew where they were going.



The elephants obviously wanted to pay their deep respects, honoring their friend who'd saved their lives - so much respect that they stayed for 2 days 2 nights without eating anything..

Then one morning, they left, making their long journey back home......





SOMETHING IN THE UNIVERSE IS GREATER AND DEEPER THAN HUMAN INTELLIGENCE



Look at....

http://elephantleague.org/elephants-in-captivity/

http://www.wspa-international.org/



Watch...

The cove

Elephant in the living room


thanks for reading.

Bold bean coffee.

I've been a bit busy lately to put any blogs up. I have a bunch more to write about soon! Anyhow, bold bean coffee roasters needed a pastery display. Here is what happend with that. I'm glad to say, both owners and the chef have told me the pastery sales have skyrocketed! Thanks again to bold bean for letting me work on such fun project! Cheers, john

Better late than never.

Christmas gifts In at Shiloh furniture! Email us at john@shilohfurniture.com if interested!

Hand made, limited edition, bottle openers made from black walnut. All with 100+ year old Indian head pennies and leather strap. Blue, yellow, or natural.-$30 each.

Chalk board tablets! These handy tablets are great for notes, lists, reminders. Bring it to the grocery store and wipe away items when you get them. Or great as a gift! Sizes very slightly but are around 6"X 10". Available in walnut or salvaged heart pine. With leather straps and chalk pencil. -$55 each

Have a merry Christmas! From, your friends at Shiloh Furniture.

Moca of jacksonville

So, lately I've felt more so like a framer than any kind of furniture builder, Wich isn't a bad thing at all. I've spent many years framing and to be honest I miss it quite a bit.
Recently I had a cool opportunity to be a part of an installation at the museum of contemporary art here in jacksonville.
The artist name is dr. Ian Bogost and he created a video game called "simony". The game explores the acts of buying your way into the church and or heaven. So the game makes you assend the stairs into the light at the top and either earn your way to the top of the leader board Wich is projected on the wall above, or you can swipe your card at the game and you instantly become the leader.
Ian wanted a fixture that had the game elevated far from the ground that the player must climb up. We went back and fourth on designs and I think I even remember somebody mentioning buying an old staircase the airlines use to get the passengers up into the airplane. So, after going back and fourth on a few designs, Dave dough man of love joy construction came up with an ingenious design and Ian loved it! So it was settled. But this thing is 20 feet across, 20 feet deep and 12 feet high! There was an installation already in the space at the museum do building it in place at the museum was out of the question. Where could we build this monstrosity? Dave and I came to the terrifying realization that we were going to have to build it in the shop. Dave is my land lord so I figured what ever happens to the space he'd be healed half accountable! We ended up building the structure in pieces and going off of pure faith that the parts would all fit together smoothly at the moca on installation day.
We got the structure built and somehow delivered and surprising enough it all fit together perfectly! The artist and curator of the museum loved it!
This project was a fun one to work on and even better to see people being able to enjoy it as they accent their way to the top... Litterly.