Lovely Stick Darling!

We know how it is when you're thinking about your stick. When you have your stick on your mind, thinking of something unique and imaginative is always more exciting than the same old same old, right? Using it the same way every time gets monotonous pretty quickly and that can lead to apathy. Once you get there, it won't be long before you're thinking "why do I keep this thing anyway?" wait, that's me! But seriously, we would absolutely love to take your stick and show you at least one cool thing you didn't know you could do with it. I know you're thinking "no way" but we really would love to do it for you. Have you ever stuck your stick in a tree? Me neither. But I did put my stick into some holes in a block of wood. You know I put a clamp on it, too. "Tree Shelves" I like to use Crepe Myrtle branches because they are bumpy, twisty and shapely. They are pretty strong, too. The process for making these shelves is easy but I can get lost studying branches and visualizing the finished shelf.The finish on these three shelves is a special metallic paint (copper) which has been sprayed with an oxidizer to give them an old look. I like to carve the under-sides of shelves that will be hung high on the wall for a little more interest. There are no visible fasteners and the base of the branch appears to grow out from the wall. The branch doesn't actually hold the shelf up. It rests against the wall providing support pretty much the way a traditional shelf bracket does. To join the branch to the shelf, holes are drilled at approximately the same angle as the branches intersecting the shelf. I don't attempt a perfect fit since they will be filled with epoxy. On the back edge of the shelf, I drill holes at a steep upward angle as deep as I can without breaking through the surface. Nails (or straight pins for smaller shelves) are driven into the wall at that same angle hold the shelf tight to the wall. The shelves below have a bronze oxidized finish. (click a pic to enlarge, browser back button to return)