With this project, I discovered a new random hobby: making things for friends from portions of tree branches that I helped cut down or remove for that specific person. Let me explain.
A group of us from church were asked to help a widow in our neighborhood remove some old trees that had began to die. As we cut down the tree, about a third of the tree was decaying and the cross sections of the branches and stump showed a distinct coloration for the live and dead portions. The widow was sad to see the tree go as it was a signature piece of her backyard and represented a lot of the good times with family that she remembered. I set a cross section of a branch aside, hoping I could make something special for her.
I made this small coin dish and surprised her with it at her door step one evening. The dead portion of the tree ended up providing beautiful coloring to the piece. When I gave it to her, she thought it was a great symbol of how even rough times can be turned into beautiful masterpieces. She has since told me that it has meant so much to her and she has it displayed in her house.
