How to Make a Manzanita Tree Sculpture

This is a great piece to make as a decorative object for your home, and it also makes a great gift on a special occasion. These are also very popular at weddings when used as a "wish tree" and guests can write special notes to the happy couple. This is a style that looks incredibly high-end and chic, but is relatively inexpensive to create. The sculpture can be made in a variety of sizes from a small branch of maybe 2 to 4 feet tall! The best part about this "floral" sculpture is that it's dried and will last as long as you keep it around.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Manzanita branch (this can vary in size from 20 inches tall to 4 feet, depending on the size of sculpture you want to make)
• Spray paint
• Newspaper or a tarp
• Soft cloth
• Clear Fishing wire, super fine gauge
• Crystals with a hole for wire
• Scissors
• Green sheet moss (like sphagnum moss, but it comes in big layers about 1 inch thick)
• Spray foam
• Planter/pot
• Bag of rocks or something to weight the bottom of the planter

1. Buy the manzanita branch. You should be able to get one at a craft store or you can ask your local florist if they may be able to get you one. It is a dried branch, usually with a reddish tone and very curved offshoot branches. They also come bleached and are a very soft tan/beige color.

2. Decide whether or not to paint the branch. You don't have to paint it, but many times these look great sprayed black, gold, silver or even burgundy. They can be colored for any room or occasion. If you decide to paint, place newspaper or a tarp down and put the manzanita branch on it. Dust the branch off with a soft cloth. Make sure to keep the can at least 10 to 12 inches away from the branch so the paint does not drip. Turn the branch and spray the other side, making sure to get every nook and cranny painted. This may need two coats of paint. Allow it to dry.

3. Choose a pot. The best type of pot for this is a wood box, with straight sides that you can paint any color. Really anything will do as long as it works with your décor. Take your planter/pot, and place a brick or some heavy rocks on the bottom, spray some foam about 2 inches thick around it and allow to dry. This process will take hours or maybe a few days depending on the size of your pot. You want to make sure the spray foam has dried COMPLETELY before you put on another layer (3 to 4 hours). Otherwise the center stays liquid and it gets really mushy and messy.

4. Measure how far down you want the branch to sit in the pot. Build up the sides of the pot working inward with the spray foam, so that only an area in the center is left to insert the branch. Once these "sides" are dry, insert the branch, and spray the foam all around the base so that it will harden to the pot and become one piece. You may need to support the branch in the correct vertical position while it dries because you don’t want it to tip over or to lean and then harden in place. A chair will often do to lean the branch up against, or you can put the pot on the floor, surround it with 2 or 3 chairs and tie it to the chair backs if it's being really difficult! You'll want to stop with the foam about 2 inches from the top of the planter; this will allow room for the moss.

5. Lay the moss on top of the dried spray foam. Lay it down it clumps, not flat, to add some dimension. You can also use spray glue to hold down the moss if desired. Curl under the edges of the moss at the rim of the pot so that they don't show, and push the clumps of moss tightly together.

6. Using the scissors cut the fishing wire into three different sized pieces. The length of your fishing wire and how long you want the crystals to hang is completely up to you and dependent on the size of your manzanita branch. For a 24-inch branch, cut lengths of about 10, 16 and 20 inches. Take the crystals and thread the wire through the hole, make about three tight knots in the fishing line and then cut off extra wire on the base of the knot.

7. Start hanging the crystals, mixing up the different lengths of wire as you hang them. It's not necessary to hang them on every branch, but choose a few main areas and hang groupings together. Tie them off on the branch and cut off the extra fishing line at the base of the knot so that it's as clean as possible.

8. Now the manzanita sculpture is done and ready to enjoy! To use this as a wish tree, take paper cards (you can cut these in any shape you like) and have them in a bowl with ribbon attached next to the tree. Guests can write a note and then tie it on the tree!

[gpcs]

on 11/28/2007 Manzanita branches are also available at some pet stores. They make excellent chew resistant perches for pet parrots!
-George