Making A Driftwood Tree

Driftwood is plentiful around here, especially the day after we've had high winds and rough seas. Here is my finished version of what I came up after I decided to gather a collection of some of the smaller pieces I found. 

The shore always seems to lend me inspiration on the days when I most crave it.   

 

Whether rounded, thin, broad or gnarly, any collection of driftwood will work. 

 

And probably any container will work too, but I selected what I had on hand -- one of our raku pots. 

Because the tree will tend to get a little top heavy, to weight the base I used a tree stump that would fit into the pot and drilled a 1/4" hole in the center to insert the dowel that will help provide stability.   To help cover up the stump and to fill in all the gaps around the perimeter, I added this soft green moss that I plucked from where it grows on the branches of some of the old dead pine trees here on the coast. 

   

After I had a nice layer of moss built up on the base, I just started drilling 1/2" holes in the center of all of the pieces of driftwood.  Then I  began layering them up by slipping them down over the dowel in crisscross fashion beginning with the longer pieces, continuing to taper them shorter in length as the tree began to take shape.  For the very top piece, I drilled a smaller 1/4" hole to have it fit a bit more snug, that will serve to hold it all in place. 

And that's all there was to it, very simple really, but actually it took me a while to figure it all out. 

I enjoyed this project so much, that I've already made plans to make a much larger one.   Also, I admit I'm not the best at tutorials, but if you want to make one too and you have any questions, please just let me know!  Plus, I don't let you know nearly enough, but I really do appreciate and love reading all of your comments, and I thank you for each and every one of them you have ever left for me.