Brazilian Cherry is quite similar to Jatoba. It has a lovely medium brown color, and interlocking grain that polishes up to be as shiny and smooth as glass. Sometimes the wood has subtle color changes that add interest and intrigue to the piece, so I like to use it for any number of different items.

Bubinga has such a warm glow to it -- the color is reddish brown, and the grain often shines when you hold it under the light. I love to combine it with Turquoise because the stones seem to jump right to you.

Cherry, one of the U.S.'s most cherished domestic hardwoods has been beloved for centuries because of it's incredible rich color that only grows more beautiful with age.

Goncalo Alves is quite a beautiful warm brown color. It's a very "cozy" wood, and reminds me of toasty quilts, and tea with honey. A pleasant wood to work with altogether.

Honduras Rosewood, Dalbergia stevensonii, has fine grain lines of chocolate brown on medium brown. It is definitely one of my favorite rosewoods to work with because of its visual texture, as well as its tendency (like most rosewoods) to polish up to be as smooth as glass. It feels substantial in the hand, and is a joy to work with.

Huangana is one of my favorite woods to work with. It has subtle shading, wonderful color variations, and a fantastic texture that polishes up to be ultra-smooth and shiny with only a little bit of coaxing.

Jarrah has an almost purplish glow to its brown color, so I like to combine it with different purples and pinks to play on that very subtle coloration. A wood native to Australia, Figured Jarrah can be very unusual and quite beautiful.

Jatoba is similar to Brazilian Cherry; it has a very distinctive end-grain pattern of arcs and dots. Jatoba is one of those beautifully smooth woods that has a rich brown color that sometimes varies from darker to lighter. A strong wood that polishes up as smooth as glass.

Jeckelberry is not a wood I use very often, but it strikes me as being somewhat like Coigue in terms of the deep fawn color, and ease of cutting. When I do use this wood, it is usually for ornamentation.

Leopardwood has incredible grain patterns; when cut, reveal tiny ovals of shineyness -- rather like fish scales shimmering in the sunlight. A type of Lacewood, Leopardwood tends to be on the darker side than what is commonly referred to as "Lacewood," which makes the contrast between the "scales" and the matrix wood all the more distinct.

Mahogany isn't the color that most people assume -- the deep reddish brown that is generally associated with ancient libraries. Mahogany is, instead, a golden light brown color, whose cells shine in the light. Lightweight and sunshiney.

Mara has very interesting grain patterns, which reminds me of the speckled look of tortoise-shell cats, (of which I have a small collection :). because of this effect, it is also similar to Palm, and when cut, reveals confetti-like patterns around round ornamentation, as in the photo. Mara also has considerable color variation, shading from light tan to rich reddish brown with dark streaks.

Oak has always been known as one of the strongest of trees. It has a lovely brown color, and often reveals medullary rays, which run perpendicular to the grain lines, so it creates added interest in a piece.

Pyinma (Curly Figure) is not a wood I use very often, but I like it nonetheless. It reminds me of Asian Satinwood in terms of working -- the shavings glide off effortlessly. Shown in the photo is Curly Pyinma, with characteristic chatoyant stripes that appear almost 3-D in the light.

Sapele is related to Mahogany, and has a very interesting shiny grain pattern. It polishes up to be very smooth and is very easy to work with. I generally use it as a different color variation to Mahogany.

Tsin Win is a relative of Wenge, and has very tight, thin graining that produces wonderful patterns when cut. Tsin Win, however, has the curious property of becoming darker when exposed to sunlight, so any piece I create must be "tanned" for several weeks in my window before I put it up for sale. (Unless, of course, you'd like a surprise.)

Walnut, a domestic and common hardwood to the U.S., has a lovely medium brown shade that works well with many pieces I create. Walnut can also be figured, and I currently have several pieces that have wonderful chatoyant "curly" stripes.

Ziricote is often found for sale with mixed-color pieces that show both the heart and sapwood. Sometimes this gives a stripey effect, but in this particular piece, (see photo), was rather Holstein-like in appearance. A fun wood to use now and again.