There are many substances that can be used to make a variety of things with. Many things can be made out of cloth, wire, cardboard, plastic. But my favorite thing to use is wood. I love working with wood for many different reasons.
One reason is character. Walking through the woods each type of tree has a personality. Cedar and Pine can be so big and bold yet also small and dark. Maples are stately and Beech seem so authoritative in their composer. They each have a character all their own. Finding a limb to work with is so easy in a forest full of various trees. I enjoy to look for that stick that is twisted in a strange way. Or has a split , those sort of differences can create amazing looks. They give each piece personality and uniqueness. Another reason that I enjoy wood is how it resonates a feeling of warmth. A log home always feels much warmer and brings a sense of calm. The same goes for anything made out of wood. Wood is natures way of showing it's beauty. It is simplistic yet beautiful.
Another reason I enjoy to work with wood is it's diversity. You can shape it, colour it and create so many things out of it. Not just many different items but also many different designs in one item. For example a simple pair of earrings can turn into many different colours, shapes or styles using the same piece of wood. It is so versatile that your imagination has almost no boundaries.
Using my hands to create something is my favorite part. I enjoy to dig right in there with the saw and handsaw my pieces. Then hand sand them to perfection, the smell of the wood drifting up as I get dustier. The smell is amazing! Preserving them with my natural oils and waxing them with a scented wax. Watching the process take shape and turn from a piece of wood in the forest to a beautiful dazzling earring or pendant puts a smile on my face.
I also love using wood because of the fact that it is a renewal resource, especially when you use it in an Eco-friendly way. One small branch that may be found on the forest floor can give you many many earrings. That is conservation at it's finest. Anything made from plastic or unnatural materials has a negative carbon footprint. Of which I try to avoid everyday of my life. Being a steward of the earth my mission is to create beauty without any harm to the earth.
I am now thinking of branching out and trying to work with some rock and different minerals found on the ground. That is different entirely in how it feels to work with. I enjoy it as much, it is another form of natures beauty that has another type of energy all its own. But I still think my favorite natural medium will always be wood. That is why I am creating more today. Been sanding away for hours getting some pieces ready. Soon will be going on a walk to see if I can find some amazing walking sticks and see what more designs I can create.