Handcarved Wooden Spoons

Spoon Letter & Care for recipients of my spoons

I believe you can celebrate life with the simple act of enjoying a good meal. Whether it is by yourself or in sharing dishes with your friends, family, community. I hope this spoon brings you some joy in nourishment. 

I put together a few recommendations to keep your spoon looking nice.

Wash your spoon by hand with warm water and soap. I use a standard soft dish sponge taking care to use light pressure.  Do not put it in the dishwasher. Prolonged water submersion and heat can cause the spoon to crack and remove the protective oil.  Air dry fully before storing your spoon in a drawer or utensil holder. 

I’ve sealed the spoons with food-safe oil. These oils cure and harden to help protect the wood.

After some time, the oil may wear off the surface of the spoon. This is fine and won’t impact the spoon but if the spoon is looking dusty/dry you can freshen the look by reapplying a food safe oil.  Common curing oils (Tung, walnut, flax seed, hemp seed can be found at most grocery stores. Or, you can leave it dry.  The spoon will simply patina and wear a bit more than it would with a protective oil. 

I tried my best to make your spoon beautiful for everyday use so don’t be afraid to get it in your hands and put it to work. (Maybe avoid shoveling ice-cream as they are likely not quite strong enough to handle the force).

Each spoon will have its own longevity of life. It may last generations as an heirloom piece, or it may crack after a time.  If it doesn’t last a lifetime you can always return it to the woods.  

I hope you enjoy it!  Best, Kay

Carving Story

In 2020, Kaylyn began her exploration into greenwood carving after her career became remote due to Covid-19. During that summer she began putting efforts into learning how to carve functional objects from freshly salvaged green wood to make utensils for her new home as well as as a meditative practice and way to connect with the natural areas in her local community. The spoons and bowls she carved became gifts for friends and family as a way to share meals together despite the distance and isolation we experienced during lockdowns and time apart. Carving became not only a creative pursuit, but also a way to connect. Her work has been featured in the Carving on the Edge Festival: Artist Profile (2021), Quercus Magazine: Voices Profile (Jan/Feb 2022) , and in the article Woodcarving: Finding Flow, Community in the Curve of a Spoon by the Associated Press published in Bloomberg Pursuits (2022). She is an active participant in the Seattle Spoon Club and of the Rise Up and Carve virtual carving community where she has created carving templates, hosted community sessions, and shared skill-based knowledge in virtual sessions.

Kaylyn became a featured Artist as part of the Terminus: A Glacier Memorial Project with Olympic National Park and her piece carved from Red Alder sourced in the meltwater watershed of White Mountain Glacier was displayed on exhibit in the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center (2023).