Scroll Saw Topiary

Steinberg fabricated one of these handsome topiaries for The Carol Duvall Show camera crew. She began with a pattern that she sketched herself, traced the pattern on a piece of 1/4-inch plywood, and used the scroll saw to cut out the design (figure A). After lightly sanding the cutout (figure B), she painted a tree image with a dark "topiary" green. She allowed the paint to dry, and then lightly sanded everything again. After giving the piece one more coat of dark green, Andi used a sponge to dab highlights of a lighter shade of green (figure C). She painted a terra cotta color pot beneath the topiary, and finished up by painting additional highlights to provide dimension (figure D).

For a special touch, Steinberg hot-glued a plastic flower pot to the back of the wooden piece. This allowed ivy and other plants to grow behind it. She also added a small wooden shelf to the front of the topiary and then hung it on the wall.