INSPIRATION [twigs]

I love nature, twigs being my favorite part. Something about the texture, and the smells, and the flexibility. Or maybe its just because they are so perfectly imperfectly organic (um does that even make sense??). Regardless, a shot of color can bring a beautiful balance of all things cohesive and modern to a timeless (organic) piece like twigs. (Did you learn nothing from last week's INSPIRATION wild in white??)!

TWIG PLATE: I love the beautiful texture this can bring to any room, bringing almost a rustic chic, or even flowing perfectly with a beachy theme. The original is made of sanded willow branches woven together. For your own imperfect version why not grab some local branches in your yard, and layer them to your liking! I suggest using the bottom (not the top) of a can (such as olives-or something larger) to create a base to grow off of. It gives just enough height to keep it from laying flat, and a small enough base to keep it from moving. Use superglue (or hot glue) to attach and finish it off with a coat of your favorite color spray paint!

EARRINGS: These are too cute and fun, not to do! Grab a couple small twigs and strip them of extra branches creating two long branches. The key to this project is finding branches the same length/width and still alive! Soak them in water if they are too dry for 12-24 hours before bending. To keep the shape glue together to create the circle, and let dry for 24 hours. I would also dip in a sealant (such as polyurethane) to keep it from getting too dry and brittle later. When its dry attach earrings hooks or posts, and paint with your favorite nail polish to give some color!

CANDLESTICKS: I'm not going to lie, I saw these on High Low Project, and fell in love so I had to share this idea! Sabrina Soto found large branches with some weight to them, and sanded to create a beautiful sculptural feel. She used a double edge screw in the top, tied to a string, then poured water and paint into a bin to drunk the branch to give it a watery silver look. Unfortunately this means you waste a lot of paint. So here's another suggestion for the same look. Instead of a double sided screw (to screw the candle on), if you find one thick enough, you can drill into it to create a hole to stick the candles into! Finish off with a coat of spray paint and perfection!

TWIG VOTIVE: Grab another can of olives and grab the bottom part again, then use those twigs to create a ring around the top of it, using hot glue (or superglue) to attach. I love how the original has movement to it, but attach to your preference! Place a votive inside and you have a beautiful centerpiece! You could even finish it off with your favorite spray paint for a truly personal look!

BOWL: Soak your twigs in water for 12-24 hours to get them nice and flexible. Turn a bowl over, cover with saran wrap, and begin playing with placement of the twigs. When you have your preference (use as many or as little as you like) begin hot gluing the pieces together. Try adding layers for dimension and added texture! I would add a bowl of the same size on top of it after the glue has dried, and keep it there for about 24 hours. Long enough for the twigs to dry and keep them down from popping out of place. When its done, you could seal it using polyurethane and finish off with a coat of spray paint!

Have you tried one of these projects or techniques? I'd love to see it! Send me a link or picture so I can feature it on my blog!

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