Sunday, December 13, 2009

Day 13 Inspired by Nature Boy

Last week Nature Boy (AKA Honey) brought home a hobo pot full of birch bark chits he manufactures for "talking tickets" at campfire sessions at work The Institute for Outdoor Education and Environmental Studies). Kids get to say what they liked the best about their experience and throw their talking ticket into the fire, they send their positive experiences and thoughts up to the Great Spirit. He said to see what I could do with them.
After thinking about this battered and blackened pot a full of birch bark for over a week,I finally thought of what to do ! Then I had to think of HOW to do it !
Believe it or not I saw my EXACT idea downtown with many refinements at a great store called Home By Design, it is unbelievable a store exists like this in Wiarton. SWANK !
That did not deter me at all at making my "rough " version.
First Nature Boy constructed a cardboard cone for me, thank goodness as my brain doesn't really work that way too well. I can do it but he can DO it faster and better. We covered it with paper and I tried to use a couple of adhering technologies and finally gave in and used the glue gun. Well.... it worked and very effectively.
Not sure what to do at the top we hit upon this solution and it suits us very well.

Things I might do differently ? I like the way the upper "branches" stick out. I would plump out the bottom layer by first applying a row of round tooth picks or using birch bark that was curling outward naturally. Some of the bark was very thick, I would peel these into layers.
I love the look of the birch!
Thank you so much for all your comments, I found them wonderfully encouraging, I hope they continue !

4 comments:

  1. The tree looks great, but I'm still fascinated by the 'talking tickets' concept - that's bloody brilliant on multiple levels! Kids must love it!

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  2. I like this one much better than the one in the store. Looks like it needs a friend!

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  3. Hmmmm, now this has me thinking....stryofoam cone, push pins and wool....think it would work?

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  4. Tammy I sure beileve it would, wouldn't it be pretty to use rows of different coloured tweeds and textures ? Maybe a good way to use up samples from Rebecca Erb... Now you got me thinking.

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