Spalted Maple Earrings

These “spoon-scrap earrings” were made either from pieces of wood that were beautiful but not strong enough to become a utensil. This particular wood came from the back yard of some friends a few miles down the road. 

All of the colors and textures in these earrings are natural, just enhanced with Danish oil. The hardware is stainless steel. 

The beautiful black lines in this wood, called spalting, results from a process that sometimes occurs in the early stages of wood decomposition. Mycelium (fungus) spreads through the fissures of the wood, leaving behind black lines and other visually pleasing patterns.