Back when I started carving, almost 10 years ago now, I said some crazy goals to my husband, Ben. One of those goals was to compete at the English Open held at the Sandringham Estate each year, which I managed to achieve after 5 years of carving. Another of those goals was to compete in an international competition abroad. 

In January, Raimondas put out an ad inviting carvers to apply for the Steel Beavers competition in Lithuania. I had been following the competition for 2 years as my fellow carver, Jonny Chainsaw, had competed there previously. I had also met Raimondas and his son at several events in the UK, so I felt comfortable flying across countries to compete. After checking the dates, I realised I was available to compete. It did mean leaving my husband, Linocut Horror, to do his biggest show, Horror Con, alone. Fortunately, we both had successful and exciting weekends.

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When I was accepted, I was surprised and overwhelmed. I phoned Ben and my Dad straightaway. I did not know then, but I would be the first woman to compete in this competition. Following the initial excitement came the nerves. I am very lucky to have such a lovely community of carvers who gave me pointers for planning and packing. Things that I would not have considered, such as taking a good adapter for power tools, bars and chains, safety clothing, a spanner, and a paint brush. Everyone was so supportive. Once I knew what to take, the battle with the baggage weight restriction began. I then found out some excellent news that my fellow carver Para, from Ireland, would also be competing, so we were able to share some tools, which solved the weight problem.

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It was my first time flying solo, but luckily everything went very smoothly. Very kindly, Raimondas was waiting for me at the airport with some other friendly carvers. I knew, instantly, that I would have a great time. 

The homestead we stayed at was adorable, and, being the only female, I got a room to myself. We all dined together, which was a great way to get to know each other. The main house had a sauna, a lake to swim in and a huge table to gather around. I tried some strange alcohol around that table!

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Now for the competition, the log draw took place on Wednesday. I drew number 17. I like pulling a later number as there is less to choose from. I had a design in mind which had to be adapted slightly to accommodate the wood I received. In the original design, I wanted the piece’s hair to flow around the body, but this log was too narrow, so I altered the hair to flow upwards. Being an international carver, we were lent saws to which we applied our own bars and chains. I mostly used the same saw with 2 different bars during the entire carve. Para also lent me his 6-inch carving bar, which was a dream. 

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The first day of the competition was hard. Everyone got stuck into getting the blocking out complete. The second day was open to the public, which meant there was a break from our competition pieces to compete in an hour-long speed carve at midday. I went with my two owls on a love heart design, which should have been easy, but I found it a little challenging with unfamiliar tools. By the end of the day, I was happy with where my competition had gotten to, and I knew I would be able to finish the piece in time. This was a long day, and I was pleased to see the sauna when we got back to the house. 

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I felt calm going into the third day. I got a lot of tips from the other carvers regarding the face on my piece. Faces are a skill I have been developing over the last year, and I am proud of how far I have come. I stayed true to the free-flowing style I wanted and the slightly rough finish I like. Looking around, there were some amazing carvings; all of them were so different. At this point, I was starting to feel the fatigue setting in, so I took a break from my piece to chat with the other carvers. It is so interesting to talk to everyone about their processes and their carving lives. Before the day ended, I did the burn and added some colour. I felt happy that all I had to do in the morning was to oil the piece. 

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The final day began, and I started to worry that my piece would not sell as it was an unfamiliar design to me. I was happy with the piece, but you never know how they will be received by the public. For this day’s speed carve, I did something completely different to usual and carved a children’s chair with two owls and a moon. This was extremely well received, which boosted my confidence in my main piece.

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Once the carving time was over, there was a buzz in the air. The judging was fun as we got to pick the carver’s choice award. It is always hard to choose, as there were so many amazing pieces. I followed the entire auction as it is so interesting to see which piece is received and to speak to my fellow carvers without the pressure of the carve looming. I was very happy with how my piece was received, and I got some lovely feedback from everyone. After such a high, we all had an early night. 

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On the final day of my Lithuania trip, Raimondas took us sightseeing as we were in his home town. The views were amazing, and I wish I had a few more days to discover the country. The Lithuanian countryside reminded me of my home in the Fens, as they are both very flat and beautiful. I am certain I will visit again despite eating Beaver for lunch!

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The overall experience was incredible. I am so grateful to Raimondas and his son, the other carvers and the homestead owners for making it such a wonderful experience. Huge thank you as well to the sponsors who provided oil, fuel, t-shirts, hats, drinks and the best Stihl coat. The carving community around the world is lovely and friendly. I am honoured to be a part of it. I feel as though I have found my people.