Aside from normal heavy labor, cutting, Splitting, sawmilling, farming, welding &etc. I like to do these from wood. Many are from river bottom drift wood panels. All painted ones I hand sketch onto the wood first, then I wood burn the design, and finally paint with acrylics. These are only a few of the ones I've made. Being the son of a master furniture maker I guess it's in my blood.
Top row, left to right White Oak leaf carved into a slice of Black Walnut. White Oak leaf on a Remington .22 stock, The one over the kitchen sink is made to resemble dogwood petals. The petals & stem are Walnut, and flower centers are Eastern Red Cedar, The Bison (Buffalo to me) are Walnut and so are the Indian and horse. Black Bear is on White Pine, Gray Squirrel is on Red Cedar salvaged from the river bottom. All painted leaves, even the smallest ones, are individually burned in and painted.
Second row, Blue birds on the fence are on Red Cedar salvaged from drift wood, Wood Peckers are on White Pine, Whitetail deer & shale outcropping on White Pine, American Sycamores & shale outcropping on White Pine.
My Opinion:
"No matter what it is used for, wood is one of the most beautiful things on the face of the earth"