LABOR OF LOVE
Charcuterie Boards are all the rage these days to serve an artful presentation of meats, cheeses, artisan breads, olives, fruit, and nuts on a wooden cutting board.
Long-time Oswego resident, Ed Arnold has been wood-working his entire life and was encouraged to share his gift with the community by allowing visitors into his personal workshop to make their own cutting boards from wood pieces of Walnut, Cherry, Sapele, Hickory, Maple, Padauk, Purple Heart, and Oak glued together and sanded. The cutting boards can then be personalized with laser engraving and handles can be added if you want to create a charcuterie board or serving tray.
I was excited to have my girls’ home from college this summer to join me along with some of my girlfriends to make our own. None of us had ever made anything like this from scratch. Ed was a phenomenal, patient teacher who guided us step by step from laying out our color selections to how to work the sander - which was strangely therapeutic and had a bit of an ASMR feel. We each took such pride at our craftsmanship and enjoyed our chat time while we waited for the glue to dry.
Once the drying was complete, we had the option to personalize our cutting boards with handles to create a serving tray, as well as add laser engraving. The creative appeal of this project to add something so personal such as a meaningful quote from dad, an inspirational message, sorority Greek letters, or a family name was the icing on the cake. You can choose words, symbols, photos, really anything – if you can dream, you can build it! Ed shared with us a grandmother’s handwritten recipe that was lasered onto a cutting board which gave a whole new meaning to serving up family tradition.
We each felt such great pride with our labor of love, and I would highly recommend this as a family project, date night, group activity, GNO, etc….
Overview
Make your own cutting board using your choice of wood pieces of Walnut, Cherry, Sapele, Hickory, Maple, Padauk, Purple Heart, and Oak glued together and sanded. The cutting boards can be personalized with laser engraving and handles can be added if you want to create a charcuterie board or serving tray. Hands on fun!
Ed’s Laser Engraving
54 Riverwood Drive, Oswego
(630) 999-5461
Hours: By appointment Monday through Saturday
Price $: Varies based on product selected.
ABOUT THE WRITER
Naperville mom Kristen Kucharski graduated from Illinois State University in 1992 with an International Business Degree. She has two energetic daughters and her house is always full of children. Kristen’s column titled, Mom's Little Black Book, is a monthly feature written for moms who are looking for ways to keep their kids busy. Read her past columns at www.glancermagazine.com/bloggers
