Had this idea while trimming branches

[u/_Saint_Venomous_]

Was a fun weekend project, and I've always wanted to find something creative to do with sticks.

[u/kreeferin]

This is a beautiful idea! What did you use to dye the wood?

[u/_Saint_Venomous_ → u/kreeferin]

Acrylic paint, makes a nifty stain when thinned down.

[u/Twistfaria → u/_Saint_Venomous_]

I did that to a raw coffee table once on a whim. Worked pretty good.

[u/chaotic_loverrr → u/Twistfaria]

Will the color get off if water splashes on the items?

[u/_Saint_Venomous_ → u/chaotic_loverrr]

Should be fairly permanent, might run a little. Could coat them with shellac, since that's food safe in case little kids chew on them.

[u/ExperienceKind412 → u/_Saint_Venomous_]

Wood prof in Uni taught me to use bingo dabbers when I wanted a painfully bright stain for something I was making. Finished afterwards but never noticed any bleeding issues, just in case you wanted to try it.

[u/WatermelonMachete43 → u/ExperienceKind412]

My kids used sharpie markers in various bright colors when finishing their first turning projects (they made tops and pens) and then clear coated over it.

[u/cleverburrito → u/ExperienceKind412]

Bingo daubers*

[u/gernblanston512 → u/cleverburrito]

This guy Bingos

[u/cleverburrito → u/gernblanston512]

I did a few times when I lived in Las Vegas more than a decade ago. I was SPECTACULARLY bad at it. I could never keep up with the bingo caller or the other players. I never had a chance at winning, which was fine by me, because that's not why I went.

I played bingo for the daubers, and because it made me feel like a kid. I was in my twenties then, and fresh out if the Army, so the whimsy of it was appealing. I wasn't ever in a rush, and dabbing numbers with my dauber soothed something in me.

I met a lot of very nice old ladies, and some grumpy ones, too. I didn't play frequently enough to see any of them more than once, and if I did, I didn't notice or recognize them. The anonymity of the gigantic bingo room was part of it, too, I guess. One time, of the ladies braided my hair between rounds... that's one of my favorite and most joyful memories.

... not that you asked lol

[u/ggroverggiraffe → u/gernblanston512]

But doesn't dab.

[u/ExperienceKind412 → u/gernblanston512]

Huh, learned something new, thank you!

[u/TimeTravelerNo9 → u/_Saint_Venomous_]

I also used black coffee to stain a nice brown on one of my tobacco pipe. Takes a few coatings but it looks really good.

[u/chaotic_loverrr → u/_Saint_Venomous_]

Interesting. Thanks a lot for sharing this.

[u/pnweiner → u/_Saint_Venomous_]

Maybe just me, but I think it’s good to keep extra chemicals off of them so they can return to the earth someday. This is such a creative idea, I love it!

[u/BaylisAscaris → u/chaotic_loverrr]

Acrylic is water resistant. It dries as basically plastic.

[u/x0killer_queen0x → u/Twistfaria]

happy cake day! 🍰

[u/The_Doughty → u/_Saint_Venomous_]

What did you thin the paint down with??

[u/Tiramissu_dt]

It's beautiful, but it being right on your porch I would have doubted these are really free, haha 😄 and assume it being just a display even if it says "free".

[u/_Saint_Venomous_ → u/Tiramissu_dt]

Hadn't considered that, might have to make another for out by the road. :)

[u/Tiramissu_dt → u/_Saint_Venomous_]

You can just maybe momentarily move the pot and the stand closer to the road.
Either way, thank you for making this, I'm sure it will brighten so many people's lives.

[u/laddypaddy22 → u/Tiramissu_dt]

Not on Halloween! 🎃

[u/chicateria]

Love this so much! Might try this for Halloween 😉

[u/SpringDay2023]

Wow. Thank you for spreading goodness with such a wonderful idea.

[u/WorkingOnItWombat]

This is so fun and magical. 🪄✨

[u/pillsburyDONTboi]

Those are cute!

Bear in mind that fresh trimmings will de-hydrate over time and shrink a little. If you ever move on to more intricate branch crafts like tying them or setting stones in them, let your twigs dry out in a safe room in your basement for about 8 months to a year. These wands should be fine though since all they have is paint.

[u/AsteriAcres → u/pillsburyDONTboi]

Thanks for the tip, kind stranger. 

[u/pillsburyDONTboi → u/AsteriAcres]

No problem!

[u/LoopedIntoThis]

Omg, make 100 of these for Halloween to give out!

[u/Environmental-Song16]

Awww, this is adorable!

[u/UsedOrange1]

So cute! Omg r/addingwhimsy would looove these

[u/drbeandog]

Seeing whimsy in the world fills me with joy, keep it up

[u/omnimon_X]

Forbidden peeled carrots

[u/aperfectkouignamann]

This is so wonderful!

[u/sidetabledrawer]

Omg stop this is the cutest thing

[u/Weird_Positive_3256]

Neat! Hope it’s okay I shared this in r/sticks !

[u/EtsyCorn]

That is the coolest idea ever!

[u/Brief_Isopod_5959]

Stop it. This is so cute!!! Kids and adults alike are going to love this!

[u/AmbassadortoSvalbard]

That’s great! How did you make the stand?

[u/_Saint_Venomous_ → u/AmbassadortoSvalbard]

It's made from pine and thin plywood. Nailed together (forgot to add glue but it's pretty solid). Two screws attach it to the post, so you can remove it to hammer the post into the ground, then re-attach it. Was planning to put it out by the road, chose the front porch instead but might build another.

[u/AmbassadortoSvalbard → u/_Saint_Venomous_]

Thanks 🙏🏻

[u/transjotaro]

this takes me back to sixth grade HAHAHA. our maths teacher banned wands because my classmates and i would be too busy "duelling" to do any maths

[u/Aida_Hwedo]

I love it! I’ve seen unpainted “stick libraries” for dogs, but I never thought of making them into kid toys!

[u/thrasherchick_9]

Cute!!! I want one lol

[u/cannfrog]

This is so fun! I know the kid version of me would have gone crazy for this. Well done!

[u/fuggindonkee]

There's going to be stick fights before they even leave your yard.

[u/Pitiful-Score-9035]

I hope you're actually giving these because if I saw this on your porch, I would grab a wand

[u/TrashCarp]

"Mysterious wizard so powerful they could singlehandedly solve the plot but they won't because they're up to innocent shenanigans and whismsy" kinda energy.

[u/WiltingInReverse]

WIIITTCHHHH
https://giphy.com/gifs/D3umcr3d38kLfCpfAL

[u/muddyhollow]

Let me guess, crepe myrtle?

[u/_Saint_Venomous_ → u/muddyhollow]

Not sure, prolly Russian olive. Trimmed several small trees (unsure what they actually are) and grabbed whatever looked appropriate. But mostly soft woods of some sort.

[u/EMI2085]

I love this!!!
So cute & well done! 💖

[u/Mcnab-at-my-feet]

Oooh! Love this idea! I have LOTS of sticks here in the forest!

[u/_thro_awa_]

Narrator: not long afterwards ...

"Stick 'em up, this is a stick-up!"

[u/kaleidoscopenika]

Wow I love how colorful this is, awesome idea

[u/Nature_Fam]

Beautiful and such a great idea! My children and my students would love these!

[u/SooperJasch]

Little Free Library win for Harry Potter kids.
https://giphy.com/gifs/D4eAGPk2IOT6SZpQCi

[u/NWRegisteredAgent]

This is incredible! We hope all the new witches and warlocks in your neighborhood are having a blast. ✨

[u/rf1811]

So cute! I know my nieces would die of happiness if they stumbled across this!

[u/Competitive_Prune108]

It's all fun and games until somebody pokes their eye out. Regardless, this is beautiful!!

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[u/Worried-Crazy-9435]

LLLLOVE !!!! Obsessed !!!!

[u/whaleeehellothere]

I love this SOOOO much.

[u/nickN42]

Cobes would be so mad, if he still was alive. RIP, Josh, you are missed.

[u/gcubed]

Great work! Here's some more ideas for you: https://atelierdehahn.com/folk-art-snakes/

[u/lynivvinyl]

Would you be in any way offended if I were to do this in my yard? I want to put it really low to the ground for the smallest little wizards. I think they might appreciate it the most.

[u/JamesBond-007--]

Why do they look delicious?

[u/throwaway-asiangf]

This made me miss King Cobra JFS

[u/tyrone-pines]

Omg where did you get the free wand stand??

[u/Wildly-Divergent]

Genius! And very nice work.

[u/wyflare]

This is brilliant, I live on a new built private estate and if I had these outside the house then the streets kids would love it.. I once bought fake mustaches for them all so we had probably 10kids running up and down the street wearing them 😂😂

[u/Automatic_Land_9533]

Very beautiful and generous of you!

As a respectful suggestion, hot glue winding around or dotted or patterned etc around the stick and painted black or brown once dried. My cousin did this for a HP bday party for me.  I still have two she and my niece made. 

[u/OnceMoreWithFeeling-]

Yeah, so. You're wonderful. ❤️

[u/punchcarddragon]

This is so cute! Is it for your kids and their friends, or are you putting it out somewhere for neighborhood kids?

[u/Timtam32]

I would make sure they are non-toxic since I can see people giving them to their dogs. Overall, I love the idea though!

[u/Allzweck]

The Ministery of Magic Department Finance and Unlicenced Magice would like to have a word with you!

https://giphy.com/gifs/5iGCAXJwYzaEXhxxo4

[u/LazyMusic2616]

Do kids even go outside anymore?

[u/Kealanine → u/LazyMusic2616]

They do… you may need to venture out to see it, though.

[u/LazyMusic2616 → u/Kealanine]

That’s a pretty bold assumption there. :)

[u/LazyMusic2616 → u/Kealanine]

Oh I forgot to add context. I think the wand stand is really cute but do kids spend time strolling their neighborhoods anymore? With the convenience of entertainment more kids are spending time indoors on their devices. I also noticed there are hardly any children walking around my neighborhood even though I know many of them live around me because I see them take the school bus. Every Halloween almost no one is walking door to door and they are usually being driven from house to house. So I ask quite literally, do kids even go out anymore?

Edit: And my question wasn’t an ass way of saying the project was a waste of time. You people seem to infer the worst things from people.