Branch and Twig Whittling: Woodcarving in One of Its Purest Forms.

With little more than a knife, a branch and a dose of concentration this book will show you how to create unique keepsakes that are fun to make, will be appreciated as gifts, or can be popular items for sale.

Author Chris Lubkemann a woodcarver since age 7 is pleased to share his lifelong love of whittling in Whittling Twigs & Branches. Inside, you'll find everything you need to master the basic woodworking technique called curling to create birds, trees and flowers.

• Getting started: choosing and sharpening the right knife, plus characteristics of the best wood species
• Basics of making curls: tips and techniques on the basic cutting strokes and details on creating tail curls
• Whittling a rooster: guidance on creating the body and the tail, details on painting and finishing and choosing a base
• How-tos on other designs: including pheasants, herons, roadrunners and miniature trees and flowers
• Troubleshooting: advice on what to do when a carving doesn't proceed as planned

Also inside is a picture gallery of finished pieces including table lamps, whimsical characters, letter openers, desk plaques and chess sets, to give you inspiration in your own work.

Author Chris Lubkemann was born to missionary parents in Brazil where sawing, planing, hammering and building were a part of daily life. Scraps of wood became ready playthings as they took shape in Chris' young hands. There were boats, furniture, treehouses, traps and slingshots. He received encouragement from his parents to build and create.

In1972 Chris first published his notes on carving when he wrote and illustrated an instruction sheet on how to whittle a rooster from a small forked branch. In the 40 years since then, his original sketches and instructions have expanded. fine-tuned and changed. In addition to producing a number of his whilttling instruction sheets in English, thousands of copies in Portugese have been distributed around the Iberian Peninsula.

Chris is a regular contributor to Chip Chats magazine's Branching Out feature column. The Little Book of Whittling is Chris Lubkemann's second published titled. He previously wrote Whittling Twigs & Branches.

Chris' work in the ministry has taken him to many foreign countries and throughout the United States. Wherever he has gone, he has always had a pocketknife close by with a handful of twigs and branches. So, the simple craft picked up more than 37 years ago continues to be shared and passed on to people from all over the world.

After a run-down on choosing and sharpening a knife and on finding twigs and branches in the right shape, species and dryness, Lubkemann shows you how to whittle adorable birds with fanned tails.

The author, a missionary, started carving forked-branch roosters in 1966 and has expanded his repertoire to other birds, trees, flowers and more. He has an artistic eye and a solid technique that involves slicing a branch in thin layers that curl up, becoming tree branches, flower petals and pheasant tails. Illustrations show how to create figures out of certain branch configurations, including small details and painting.

You can also learn how to mount your figures on found wood with a natural look, something the author has a knack for; and how to carve a letter opener.

If you're looking for a super-portable and inexpensive new woodworking hobby, consider this 70-page softccover priced at $9.95. www.FoxChapelPublishing.com.