The olive branch has been my most delicate and challenging piece. Hand-sanding the cedar to form the stems required intentional movements to avoid breaking the fragile thin wood. Twisting the leaves with steam and molds to get the shape took some trial and error to get it right. Carefully turning the olives on the lathe and sanding each small piece to a 400-grit finish was time-intensive but worth the final result.

By far the most challenging aspect was gluing the components together. I was able to add one leaf at a time, waiting hours between each one. A final cleanup of the piece was done with a Dremel tool, carefully ensuring that any glue would not detract from the impact of the piece. I love creating pieces like this—pieces that offer a deeper meaning to the people they are created for. Something that reminds you of a part of your life every time you see it. Something that is beautiful but means more to those who know the story behind it.

The wood choice for this piece is the foundation for a deeper meaning and connection. The owners have deep Lebanese roots and the intent was to create a connection to their heritage and beliefs. The first choice of wood, which is part of the base and the branch of the piece, is Cedar of Lebanon. The tree is the national tree of Lebanon and is a sign of strength and beauty. Sourced and shipped from Bethlehem, olive wood is the second wood that was used to create the base, leaves, and olives on the piece. Besides the obvious choice of using olive wood to make an olive branch, it is a symbol of peace and friendship, which embodies the welcoming and communal experience of visiting Sitti's. Both Cedar of Lebanon and Olive wood are referenced in the Bible multiple times, [and here is the reason that is relevant.]

a custom woodworking piece with meaningful roots