A while back, a wind storm tore a branch from one of our elm trees. Figuring it’d make good fodder for my new found carving hobby, I trimmed it, stripped the bark, and put it up in the rafters of my garage to dry. All except for one piece:

I knew immediately what I wanted to make from it, but I left it sitting on my desk for months because I was afraid I’d mess it up. Last week I cut most of the jagged end off with my coping saw, and started carving.
The resulting piece is just under 6 inches long from toe to heel. It’s not perfect, but I’m pretty happy with the way it turned out. I did all the carving with a utility knife (box cutter) and my pocket knife. For finish, I just sanded it and then let it soak in mineral oil overnight.
