Ear Tickler _ Ear Pick | Wooden Children | Gift

The wooden children are a series we began planning in the summer. Collecting twigs in the mountains daily, the woodcraft artisan (referred to as "the craftsman" hereafter) practices his knife skills and tactile sense each day. The aspiration is to craft a wooden child each day through practice and feeling. After nearly three months, we are finally ready to share them with you! ❫ ❫ ❫ We gather and collect branches. We appreciate things retaining their original form, rather than how humans define or frame them. Thus, when the craftsman prepares the wood, he follows its natural grain and works with the wood's inherent posture, carving with a chisel, stroke by stroke, slowly refining it. Every time I see the wooden children the craftsman makes, I can't help but marvel at this delicate handicraft, like something from Thumbelina! Just as cleaning one's ears is a delicate matter, we cannot see inside our ears, only through touch, gently, slowly, and delicately, can we feel the contact of the eardrum's skin. ❫ ❫ ❫ Why did we decide to make ear picks? There are numerous acupoints within the ear. Traditional Chinese Medicine states, "The ear is where the meridians converge." The arrangement of ear acupoints resembles an inverted fetus within the mother's womb. The first time I saw this, I thought it was incredibly charming! Ear acupoints are like a miniature human body. For instance, before practicing dance in Japan, teachers would ask us to gently press the "Shenmen" acupoint on the ear for ten minutes to calm the mind. Regular ear massage can also alleviate headaches, menstrual pain, bloating, and tension. Nowadays, Traditional Chinese Medicine even offers ear acupuncture for weight loss... It's beneficial to gently touch your ears often. And each branch we collect has a unique thickness and curve. Each one is one-of-a-kind. After finishing each ear pick, the craftsman happily explains the differences between them to me, from the arc of the tip, the thickness, the curves, to the variations in width.... ) ❩ ❫ ❫ ❫ ❩ With each ear pick, we include a simple, hand-drawn map of ear acupoints! Using natural wood to gently clean/massage your ears and those of your loved ones is truly a romantic gesture~~ ❫ ❩ https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50513803457_9f75e724fe_b.jpg Each ear pick is different, possessing its own unique posture. I found the process of photographing them so soothing. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50513638056_62a11e5dde_b.jpg Collecting branches from different trees results in ear picks that are all unique! https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50513803097_fa0d0e7a57_b.jpg Gathering small twigs, little by little. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50512926543_c2a61072c0_b.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50513637531_578408d52f_b.jpg Sharpening the blades is the most crucial first step in creating the wooden children. Blade sharpening is akin to a meditative practice. We selected two types of whetstones (coarse and fine). The fine stone is inscribed with "For sharpening eel knives," – do sushi chefs use this same whetstone? First, soak it in water for half an hour, then begin slowly sharpening the blade under running water. When the craftsman first started learning woodworking, he practiced sharpening blades daily, much like kneading clay is the initial step in pottery – familiarizing oneself with the tools! https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50513637391_180925221a_b.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50513637286_87128afa3d_b.jpg The process and tools for creating the wooden children. Woodworking tools laid out look so impressive. But the blades are extremely sharp, so it's best we just admire them from a distance. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50513802432_ec4c1dbd2f_b.jpg I used a tamagoyaki brush holder to create a "home" for the chisels. Because some chisels have larger heads and slender bodies, I specifically designed a waist in the pen holder so the chisels wouldn't wobble inside. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50513802242_7df2f2ba23_b.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50512925788_bfa110c72f_b.jpg I said these look like little mushroom sprites! The craftsman said each one is smiling~ https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50513636721_42cc66d714_b.jpg The marks of the chisel, stroke by stroke, and the wood's natural form are present in every single piece. They look beautiful just placed on a table... https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50513801987_e938a0f20b_b.jpg While sharpening the blades, two furry judges were behind, inspecting.... Origin/Manufacturing Method Made in Taiwan, Handmade