Heart Necklace

These hearts are carved from a hardwood called Monkey pod. This wood is found in Central America and the Pacific regions. They use Monkey pod wood for furniture and dishes. I found a bowl in a thrift store that I could cut into heart shapes. The wood came from Hawaii. I found the darker areas on the wood was harder than the lighter areas. The finish is a gun stock oil called Tru-oil. The first coat was put on with a brush to fill in the open grain of the wood. The next coats were hand rubbed in, using steel wood or fine sand paper between coats. I used jewelry wire to make a loop and glued it into the heart for an attachment.

Wood Necklace

This is my first attempt at carving a necklace. It has been a learning experience with the clasps and chains. The two hearts are carved out of lilac that I trimmed back last spring. They are cut at an angle to give that grain look. They are a light tan and white in color. The eye is a twisted wire glued in a drilled hole. The hook is carved in cherry that a friend cut down this last spring. It's heart wood is a reddish brown. Both woods are a hardwood.