Debra’s Valentine’s Day present from me this year was this stylized heart, carved from Purpleheart. The rough cutout was about 2-3/4 inches tall, 2-1/2 inches wide, and 1 inch thick. I cut it from a 6″ x 12″ x 1″ piece of Purpleheart that a friend gave me some time ago.

I did the cutout on the bandsaw, of course, and shaping with the Foredom power carver. After that, a lot of sanding with 100, 120, 220, 400, 600, 800, and 1,200 grit paper. Finish is Howard Feed ‘n Wax.

The heart is just the right size to fit in the hand, and it’s very pleasant to hold or to rub absently, similar to a worry stone.