On Willows, on a Hot Spring Day

“... I do not know the dreams from which I have come,/sent into the world without the blessing of a kiss, behind the/willow trees, beside the darkened pansies on the deck beside/the ships, rocking, I have written this, across the back of the/sky, wearing a small and yellow shirt, near the reptile house,/mammalian, no bigger than the herd…” 

from “The Bridge” by Lisa Jarnot

a willow engagement ring from Simply Wood Rings

It’s warm and humid in the studio today and so we’ve been thinking a lot about thirst. A willow tree thrives best at the edge of the water, working hard, stretching its roots outward for sustenance. Perhaps it’s all the heat, but we totally “get” where the willow is coming from today.

Across global cultures, the thirsty willow has been a symbol for keeping in touch with our kindred history and those that came before. Its leaves were used by the ancient Egyptians to control pain, a precursor to modern aspirin. A willow soothes and connects. Because of this, a willow ring is a wonderful way to honor special moments, relationships, and lives, and we think our engagement-profile willow ring says a big, joyous thing in an elegant, quiet, design-forward way.

Our willow is sourced from our friends at Horigan Urban Forest, who found a fallen willow tree at a Skokie elementary school that had been loved a bit too much by the local kids. With its all-wood abstracted engagement profile, and warm honeyed tone, it’s a great fit for minimalists and romantics alike. And to fit this beauty of a ring to your life, we offer wood burning personalizations. What could be better.

For now we’ll drink a big glass of water, remember last winter’s snow and ice, and be grateful for being right where we are.

Puzzle Rings!

Today I would like to talk about puzzle rings. There are many thing about these rings that are wonderful, but I think overall it's a great we to bring three rings to a central theme.

The idea is that the engagement ring and one wedding band fit together like a puzzle. Then there is a curved line that follows the puzzle shape of the ring. This line is added to the larger wedding band, to tie all three rings together!

We've only made a few set's so far, we hope to make more. What do you think about them?

Friends at Simply Wood Rings

It's always nice to put a face to the name! This was I photo I received from two if the nicest people I've ever gotten to work with!

If you have some photo's you'd like to share with us, shoot me an email!

craftsman@simplywoodrings.com

And here's a little photo of me!

Or, if you're in the area, stop on in and say hello! We're located in the fun filled area of Pilsen, in Chicago.

Branch Box Set from Simply Wood Rings: A "How to"

Want a complete set of wood rings including a branch box made of wood you provide? It's as easy as pie! Follow these instructions: 

1. Choose your wood. Is there a type of wood that is special to you and your partner? Or just a type that you are drawn too? Perhaps you have an old piece of furniture, a baseball bat, a tree that was planted when you were born, a special tree you used to climb? Any of these options are possible! 

2. Send us a piece of your chosen wood. To create the rings we need a piece of straight wood that is 2 x 2 x 12 inches. And a branch piece that is at least 2 x 2 x 5 inches. It is possible to combine these two and send a piece that is 2 x 2 x 17-18 inches. 

3. Approve your design. Contact Allison by email or phone (craftsman@simplywoodrings.com, 312 590 6070) to conceptualize and approve your designs. There are so many options! Consider the following: Will you include other materials in your design such as, stones, wood, metal, etc. How will you incorporate other materials? What are your ring sizes? Do you want a thicker ring or a thinner ring? And check out our gallery to generate ideas. 

4. Wait for it! Our rings are custom made for you! They take about 6-8 weeks to complete so be patient and know that you are getting two beautiful wood rings that incorporate materials that are meaningful to you! (If you need your rings sooner we offer an Expedited Service for a fee of $65)

5. After a few weeks you will receive a package in the mail. You will open it. In that box will the most beautiful wood ring set you've ever seen. You will be amazed by the careful craftsmanship and the natural beauty of the materials. You will probably cry tears of joy! 

6. Tell all your friends how much you love Simply Wood Rings (via Facebook and Twitter) 

Voila! If you have any questions, please email or call! Check out our website to see rings we've made in the past! Check out more examples below! 

Contact: 

Allison Taylor

Customer Liaison

craftsman@simplywoodrings.com

312 590 6070

FREE Refinishing For Life!

Do all things with love. 
-Og Mandino

We love the ephemeral character of wood and how it reminds us to be conscious of the natural world. As a consequence of the nature of the material, its important to be conscious of your wooden ring as well. We like that! Here at Simply Wood Rings we feel that caring for your ring provides a chance to consider what the ring symbolizes in your life.

Life can get crazy, so we've made it fairly easy to care for your ring by offering free refinishing until death do you part! The wear and tear of your ring will remove some of the water safe finish. We suggest that as soon as you see wear, you send us your rings. We will lovingly re-finish and polish them back to new! It's as simple as that!

By caring for your ring you are nurturing the love that the ring was created to symbolize.

The wood inlay of these rings is actually their old rings!

NB - For a free refinish, we ask that the customer covers the cost of shipping.

Shot gun, Bang!

Rosewood band with shot gun shell inlay

Yes! It's true! We inlayed a shot gun shell casing into a ring! Why, you ask? Our dear customer's father was a fallen soldier. After the honorary twenty-one gun salute at his funeral, one of the casings was picked up as a remembrance.

The ring will be a surprise wedding ring for the son of the Veteran from his loving wife-to-be! How beautiful! Not only will it be a symbol of the couples commitment to each other but also, a reminder of the sacrifices we must make and the courage it takes to do so!

An Ocean of Love Ring Teak with Birch liner with plastic samples
(from the Pacific Ocean)
and various crushed stones. 

Land before Time RingPadauk with Dinosaur Bone and
Meteorite inlay

Here at Simply Wood Rings, we've inlayed many interesting objects into our customer's rings. A marine biologist studying the effects of plastic on sea life wanted to incorporate plastic into her ring! A man who believed the essence of a being is contained in the hair had us inlay his own hair in the form of a dread lock! We've inlayed dinosaur bone, provided stones, flowers, sand from around the world, meteorite, wood, crystals, and even glitter! The possibilities are truly endless!

Being able to provide customers with objects that are embedded with meaning that will comfort, encourage and honor their love is an opportunity we'll never take for granted!

View more examples of our incredible inlays at our Gallery!

Simply Wood Rings Gallery : http://simplywoodrings.com/wood_ring_gallery/index.html