Umbilical Cord Case Made with Hinoki Wood and Resin

This piece preserves an umbilical cord — the symbol of a baby’s connection to the mother — by sealing it in UV-cured resin. Instead of storing it in a traditional wooden box, I wanted to try keeping it as a small art-like keepsake. There are usually two pieces of cord: one given by the hospital and another that naturally falls off later. I sealed the first one for my wife and the second one for myself.
The base was made using offcuts of Hinoki wood from a chair I had previously built for our child. Working with UV resin for the first time, I found it surprisingly tricky, especially when combined with wood because air bubbles tend to form. If you try making something similar, it helps to apply a thin coat of resin first, cure it, and then continue layering.