Nature's Gift

    I was on one of my usual runs several weeks ago and happened upon the coolest thing!
    So picture this, I'm running and look over at a tree. I see the strangest thing sticking out from it. I think to myself, "What in the world did someone stick in that tree?" Curiosity gets the best of me and I move in closer. This "thing" was actually growing out of the tree. The texture and shape were so amazing that I knew immediately it needed to be framed and hung in my house!
    I snapped of the end and ran the next 2 miles holding it and trying not to jiggle it too much. I bet I was quite the sight!

   The tree that produced this wonderful gift was a Mountain Laurel. I have the same tree in front of my house and I've never seen it produce anything like this.
   Due the the wavy edges and pretty little spines, I knew it was going to be tricky to frame. I entertained the idea of a shadow box, but I couldn't find the right shape. 
   Here's how I solved the problem...

I bought a perfectly good picture, in order to tear it apart. Logical, right?

   You can see in this shot that the insert is 3-D. I figured this would give me the wiggle room I needed so my "thing" wouldn't get smooshed.

   This is the part where you hold your breath, as you destroy this picture, and hope that your idea will actually work.

   

I precede to cut...

Good so far.

Remove the ugliness. 

 I bought 2 pieces of paper to act like the mat for the new creation. 

Two rectangular cuts later and I'm all set. 

I dabbed a little mounting putty on the back to secure it into place.

Ta-dah! It's okay to stop holding your breath now because you've seen the final product and lo and behold, it turned out nice!

  Here it is in its new home. I'm sorry, poor tree, that I stole your creation but I promise to appreciate it every time I gaze at its wonderfulness!

For those of you who are wondering, it was hanging upside down when I found it in its natural state. Okay, so who's going to be the smartie that fills me in on what my "thing" is?

If you're looking for someone to help you create beautiful "things" in your house, contact me so we can get started!

**Gift certificates available for design services. Go now and drop a few hints to your best gift buyer!"

Linking to the following sites:

Tip Junkie

DIY by Design

House of Hepworths

The Shabby Nest