Sara's Cutting Board

My coworker, Sara, has a carved wooden flying pig called Ham Sammy. He would sit on the edge of Sara's desk until he started getting pig-napped by other co-workers. Sara has brought Ham Sammy on all of her travels. He's a world-traveling pig. And you can't really think of Sara without thinking about her adorable pig.

When Sara got engaged, I knew I would have to do something her themed around Ham Sammy. I was loving the whole wood-burning process, and really liking the idea of giving a custom cutting board to people as wedding presents. Sara is also an amazing chef, so having something related to cooking was an additional plus. So I went looking for cutting boards with the intention of burning Ham Sammy onto it's surface.

I was so floored when I came across animal-shaped cutting boards at a craft store. And especially excited to see there was one in the perfect pig shape. I sketched out a feathery wing, and the requisite pig parts. added a tad bit of shading, and some details like hairs on his head, ears, and tail. It wasn't exactly what Ham Sammy looked like, but I thought it was a cute representation.

I finished the board off with Sara and Patrick's initials and the year. How cute is it that their initials call to mind another perfect pair (salt and pepper). I threw that into the card that I actually remembered to include with the board.

Seeing her face light up when she saw the board was amazing and reminded me of how much I love making personal gifts for people. Sara shared a story about Ham Sammy after explaining his significance to the newer members of our department, and I knew centering her gift around him was the right move. While the original may be globe-"trotting" (pun intended) with Sara, I'm happy to know that my version will always be there for Sara and her hubby at home.

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