Handmade gifts - bread boards...

I love making handmade gifts for Christmas when I can. I decided that this year I wanted to make something that I've been lusting over for quite some time, and that is bread boards! I think they are so beautiful! I would love a stack of worn bread boards sitting on my kitchen counter someday. Here are some pictures I looked at to give me some bread board inspiration:

 

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There are a ton more on my kitchen pinterest board if you want more bread board eye candy.

I have to say that I have learned that even though I have a father in law with lots of wood working tools and a very willing husband, I really do get in over my head with these wood projects sometimes. This was one of those times! My husband did most of the work. Turns out I get a little scared of using the band saw and it's hard to work in the garage with a newborn that can't be out there. I'm so grateful that my husband was a good sport and did most of the cutting for me and that I was able to do the sanding and the oiling on my own ;).

But here is my first attempt at making my own bread boards...

Not too shabby! We did two different types of handles, and I loved them both!

We spent an afternoon at MacBeath Hardwood looking at all the different pretty wood they have there. I loved the walnut, but that stuff is so expensive! So we went with this pretty Ash wood.

The board on the left is after I rubbed the food grade safe conditioning oil on it. The other boards are the raw wood. I found some butcher block conditioner at Home Depot that I rubbed them down with once they were all sanded and ready. 

It was a fun project! But a lot more work than I anticipated and could really handle on my own ;). They aren't perfect, but made with lots of love.