Tangled Leaf

At my CZT Seminar #3 in May, 2010, each student was gifted** with a beautiful green Hawaiian leaf from two of our classmates.  Sounds like an unusual gift, but it was quite a unique idea - as this large, thick leaf from the Hawaiian   Autograph Tree  (Clusia rosea) is used to hold messages, notes and graffiti.  Of course, our Hawaiian friends/CZT's  tangle  on the leaves.... as they taught us to do at Seminar.  In time, the leaves turn a lovely brown color. 

This week, we are in Naples, Florida, enjoying a warm and relaxing vacation on the ocean.  While checking out the lovely flowering plant life, nature, scurrying geckos and shells in the sand, I was reminded of the Autograph Leaf and how lovely it looked after it was tangled.  One of the shrubs lining the perimeter of the pool area had a very familiar presence.  (Hmmm.  I wonder if these leaves are 'tangle-worthy'.)   So I scooped up a few of the leaves that had fallen on the ground... found an ink-less ballpoint pen... and tangled away!  It took a bit of practice to gauge pen pressure and leaf sturdiness, but I love the result.  Fun, too.

Betweed was drawn on the back side of the leaf... (experimenting)... and result was not quite satisfactory.  All other tangles were drawn on the front side of the leaf, resulting in crisper looking strokes.

First attempt at a monogram.  Drawn on front side of leaf... crisp strokes.

I don't know the name of this leaf/plant.  (The above leaves are about 5" diameter.)  My Google search was not successful... and the "locals" that I asked were not able to identify the leaf/plant. Do you happen to know the name of this leaf/plant?

Thank you for visiting...

... and happy tangling.

PS:  Congratulations to Laura Harms for scoring over 200, 000 hits on her blog I am the Diva!  To celebrate this milestone, she is having a fabulous "give-away" of  prizes..... or I should say, a "give-away" of THREE prizes.  Check out this blog post for details.  Hope you and I win!!!


** The leaves were shipped from Hawaii to the US mainland after being inspected and certified for shipment by Hawaii's Department of Agriculture.