Summary
A found branch gives a walking stick its shape. Nicole Coenen follows a piece from an ordinary walk through carving and back out on the path.
Creators in this list
Nicole Coenen
@NicoleCoenen
Nicole Coenen makes wood-chopping videos, outdoor how-tos and personal vlogs. Her work also follows blacksmithing, fitness and life around a woodland cabin, alongside her interest in nature and environmental sustainability.
Wood-chopping videos · Outdoor how-tos and blacksmithing · Cabin and nature vlogs
Woodworking and outdoor projects.
Pulenaz
Pulenaz has a relaxed, direct presence on camera. Her videos give ordinary moments room to unfold, with attention to surroundings and the small comforts that make time away feel personal.
Relaxed local walks.
Account sources: Pulenaz on Instagram (@pulenaz) · Pulenaz on Telegram (@pulenaz)
Finding a shape worth keeping
Nicole Coenen notices a fallen branch on a woodland walk and keeps it for its gentle curve. At home she lays it beside her existing stick, marking a length that feels comfortable in her hand. The bend becomes part of the handle rather than something to remove.
The origin matters to the story: the branch was encountered on a walk, and its irregular form influences what she makes. The finished stick retains the small knots that first caught her eye.
She considers the branch from both ends before choosing the grip. One end has a fork that catches her hand awkwardly; the other has a smoother bend. Marking the intended hand position first helps her decide which small offshoots to trim and which curve to leave visible.
Carving and finishing
Nicole removes loose bark and cuts a shallow leaf pattern near the grip. She smooths the area where her hand rests, leaving the lower part plainer. The work is shown in stages so the viewer can see where the decoration ends and the useful grip begins.
She returns to the same piece after finishing rather than switching to a different stick for the outdoor footage. A close view of the curved top and carved leaves makes that continuity easy to follow.
The leaf pattern begins as a pencil outline around a knot near the top. Nicole cuts the outline shallowly and leaves the centre raised, then smooths the grip separately so the carved detail does not sit directly under her palm. The contrast between the decorative patch and the plain grip makes the design readable at a glance.
Taking the finished stick outside
On a later local walk, Nicole carries the stick along a broad woodland path and stops to show how the curved top sits in her palm. She notices a rough patch after using it and smooths that area at home. The small revision connects the making to the use.
Pulenaz's relaxed local walks offer a different viewing rhythm: the surroundings and an unhurried outing are the focus. Nicole's sequence adds a craft project whose result returns to the path.
On the return walk she notices that the grip catches slightly against her palm. Back home she smooths that one patch rather than removing the carving. In the next short outing the same leaf and curved top are still visible, with the revised grip shown close up.
Cite this page
Creator Figures. "From found branch to walking stick." Published Oct 29, 2026. https://creatorfigures.com/articles/found-wood-walking-stick-makers/