Each time I go out in my woods I cast my eye around for a fallen branch that I can shape into a cane or walking stick. Basically I look for something about a yard long and with a sharp bend in it. I take it home and put it on my table saw. I cut away all the small twigs or shoots from it and that leaves a walking cane about 36 inches long and with a sharp turn at the end, that serves me as the handle. It's all one piece.
It takes me only a few minutes (each outing into the woods) to find a branch to serve my purpose. And, my skill level with the saw or carving or with a chisel is very low. So, it only takes me another 5 minutes or less to trim the thing down into a walking stick.
Here is my question. What can I do or what can I quickly carve (or cut into) the stick to..."dress it up" and make it look a little better? Where the branch comes up to form the 90 degree turn and makes the handle, I often have to saw off a bit of branch. That leaves an open grain showing, bare wood, sometimes with a nice or colored grain showing. I thought...maybe there I could carve...a lion's head or a Cross or something at that point. Whatever suggestions folks might have (I will appreciate but) remember I am practically an idiot with tools. I'd like to make a cut or incision at the point with my table saw and then...maybe chisel out a piece of wood, to form some kind of simple design?
Thanks for any help or ideas.