With the advent of golden autumn, most of us invariably begin to toil with distemper. To escape from despondency and a bad mood will help creativity. Many people like to collect bouquets of fallen leaves while walking in the parks. However, not everyone considers them as material for magnificent crafts that will decorate the house. The creative process is exciting and becomes a great way to pass the time on rainy evenings, when without a cup of hot tea and a warm blanket, life seems gray and dreary. The fascinating process of making crafts from autumn leaves will cheer you up, and with the product itself you can decorate your home or present it as a gift. Consider a series of workshops on creating an original interior decor from this fragile material.
For most of the work, they collect still fresh leaves that have remained flexible. Maple is considered the “king" among autumn crafts. Its leaves have an original shape and look beautiful even in their raw form. Oak is in second place in terms of complexity of form. However, this tree is rare in urban parks, so the mighty giants should be sought in the forest or clearing. After oak leaves, birch trees take the third place. Birch is a “Russian” symbol that grows along roads and borders boundless fields. Her leaves have a fairly simple shape, but at the same time complement complex compositions, playing the role of background details. They are perfectly combined with "earrings", cones and acorns (one more participants of compositions). Branches of mountain ash, walnut, ash, hornbeam, willow, sea buckthorn are decorated with the same small, slightly elongated leaves. After collecting the material must be prepared. The leaves are thoroughly washed even if they do not seem dirty to the surface. It is enough to rinse in a container with soapy water. After that, the leaves are dried. Now you can safely work with the material. If you are saddened by the short life of the craft, then its youth can be prolonged with the help of a hot solution of glycerin. Leaves are lowered into the liquid and left for a week. The solution is absorbed for a very long time. A layer of glycerin as if preserving mesophyll (leaf tissue), prolonging its life as a decoration.
Skeletonization and coloring of leaves
Skeletonization is an unusual, relatively “young” way of processing leaves. After performing all the procedures, the soft part of the leaf is removed, and the “skeleton” of the denser veins remains, forming an incredibly thin “lace”. There are different methods of skeletonization:
The leaves are boiled for about half an hour in a concentrated solution of soda ash. Follow the instructions and avoid contact of the liquid with exposed skin. Then they are carefully removed from the container, laid out on a clean cloth and the softened areas between the veins are removed with a brush. The resulting "skeleton" is placed between two landscape sheets of paper and dried.
The leaves are placed in a container of water and allow them to "infuse" for several weeks. Naturally, they will begin to rot, but the tissue between the veins (mesophyll) will soften first. If an unpleasant odor interferes, then the water is periodically changed. After extracting the leaves, they work on the same principle as with the material from the saucepan with soda ash (cloth, cloth, drying under pressure).
Already dried leaves are laid out on the fabric and tapped with a stiff brush (bristle). Fragile parts will easily crumble with crumbs, and more durable veins will remain in place.
Skeletonized leaves are used to decorate gifts and cards, they are glued to windows, hung on walls, and some craftswomen even manage to decorate artificial butterflies and dragonflies with them. From brittle material, “air” wings with a pattern of wonderful beauty are obtained, which at first glance are difficult to distinguish from the original. Skeletonized leaves are perfectly combined with small beads, peacock feathers and goldfish wings. It is better to paint “skeletons” with spray paints from spray cans.
Some masters use original patterns of "skeletons", turning them into elegant decorations worthy of luxurious interiors. For example, a composition can be placed between two transparent glasses.
Autumn maple leaf bouquet
Fallen maple leaves are considered a symbol of autumn. They are easy to dial in the nearest park or in the city's botanical garden. The easiest way to pick a rose from maple leaves is a subtle summer flower. Red and yellow buds will look more spectacular.The combination of natural "autumn" shades will give a bouquet of naturalness. To color the leaves, use spray paints. Gouache, watercolor or tempera will not work for these purposes. To work, you will need:
Thread and glue gun;
Thick branches for stems;
Satin ribbon;
Vase or basket.
To make a bouquet, collect medium-sized leaves. They are optimal for creating roses. Buds of such material will be dense and will not fall apart. First, the leaf is folded in half so that the smoother “front” side remains outside. Then, starting from one of the sides, it is twisted into a tight tube. The place of the break should be at the top. Now they take the second leaf, also folded. Before rolling into a tube, the first copy is placed in it. It turns out a kind of “puff” nesting doll. After twisting the last leaflet, the base of the future bud is fastened with a thread. Then each petal begins to spread. It turns out a neat rose. After making five or seven buds, they are glued to thick branches that will replace the stems. The composition is tied with a satin ribbon, decorated with silver-plated cones and artificial clusters of mountain ash, and then placed in a glass vase or wicker basket.
To make the bouquet look more fluffy, under the buds lay raw maple leaves in the manner of a halo crown. They resort to a similar floristic technique when they create miniature compositions for brides.
Wreath - autumn door decoration
An autumn wreath on a door is usually hung on the eve of All Saints Day. First form the basis for a wreath of branches and wire. So that the composition does not crumble, it is pulled in several places with threads or fishing line. Then the base begins to fill with decor. Begin with the leaves. They are carefully wrapped, twisted into tubes and crushed to get a beautiful texture.Then the leaves are glued to the branches of the base. Bunches of viburnum, boxes with physalis seeds, cones, acorns, miniature pumpkins, small New Year's balls (gold and silver are suitable), figures of animals and people are tied with thread to a wreath. The final touch in the composition will be a lush burlap bow.
So that the composition does not look too uniform in color, a couple of green leaves are added to it.
Topiary
To make topiary, you will need decor (leaves), a pot, wire, a stick-stalk, two balls of polystyrene foam, glue. First you need to prepare the foundation. One of the balls is lowered into a pot and fixed in it with glue. Then a stick-stem is threaded into it. A second ball is placed on top. Now you can collect the composition. Each element is threaded into a foam ball. Leaves can be fixed with cuttings. Rowan clusters or bright red balls will have to be fixed on a wire, which is then punched with polystyrene. Topiary is decorated with letters, bows, miniature gifts, buds of real flowers. The pot can be decorated with burlap or pasted over with colored pencils.
Vase making
A vase of leaves is actually not as fragile as it might seem at first glance. It is firmly cemented with PVA glue, so candies or cookies can be safely poured into such a container. To make a vase, you first have to pick up the base. Any glass or ceramic container, the shape of which the master liked, can play its role. It is turned upside down and wrapped with cling film. PVA glue is applied on top. They begin to lay out the leaves in layers on top of each other. From above, the future vase is once again generously smeared with glue.
The decor is ready, but it can be additionally decorated with glitter in the “crimson tones” of the autumn. Now it remains only to wait until it dries completely. After that, the vase from the leaves is carefully separated from the base and the film is disconnected.The container is ready to use.
Autumn mural and paintings
A picture or a panel of dry leaves is made quite simply. This is a common theme for children's crafts. For work, you need a base (usually made of wood). For example, a chipboard or MDF board is suitable. For children's crafts, a sheet of thick A4 paper is enough. The conceived drawing is transferred to its surface with a pencil. For the first experience, it is best to choose laconic natural objects: leaf, tree, sun, flower. If the master has very tight artistic talents, then you can use stencils. Then the image inside the contour is smeared with glue. On a sticky surface, leaflets are sequentially applied. From above they need to be pressed with something heavy. After the panel has dried, it is framed and hung on the wall.
Application options for children and not only
Application - drawing a picture from separate pieces of various materials. This type of creativity is considered to be children's, since laconic plots (figures of animals or simple landscapes) are usually chosen for work. However, nothing prevents an adult from creating a “patchwork” picture of unprecedented complexity, although it is better for beginners to try with primitive forms. From the leaves are great animals. Rowan or nut leaves glued in layers form the lush butterfly wings. Her body can be made of birch earrings. Similar technology makes hedgehogs and fish. Their needles and scales are replaced by sharp leaves (walnut, hornbeam), which are glued in layers to each other. A couple of pieces of bark will imitate a tree, and thin blades of grass will turn into swaying algae. A funny umbrella will be the last touch in the autumn picture. It can be made from a trimmed maple leaf. Umbrellas made of multi-colored pieces of felt will look warm, comfortable and very homely. A lion’s lush mane or luxurious peacock tail is made from maple leaves.Their sharp tips are most like thick hair and a bouquet of feathers. The symbol of wisdom - an owl is easiest to make from thin leaves of willow. The finished application is placed in the photo frame, but the do-it-yourself framing made of branches will look much more beautiful. You can use birch, oak, bamboo. Twigs carefully protect from knots and bark residues, after which they form a rectangle, the corners of which are tied with jute threads, fastening the components together.
Making Ikebans
Ikebana - the Japanese art of composing compositions from dried parts of plants with their subsequent placement in vases. Now the need for tanks has disappeared. Ikebana can have an original shape and just stand on the surface of a table or shelf. Let us consider in stages the process of creating a round ikebana with a balloon. To work, you will need:
Coarse jute threads (twine);
Balloon;
Glue;
Leaves;
Needle;
Dried flowers, bunches of mountain ash, burlap, cones, rudraksha (dried fruits of Indian walnut with a textured surface).
First inflate the ball. Then its surface is densely greased with glue and a jute thread is wound so that there are as few voids as possible. After the glue dries, the ball is burst with a needle. The jute thread is very coarse, fleecy, but it perfectly holds its shape. Then make buds from leaflets (as already described above) and fix them on a ball. Additionally, it is decorated with cones, dried flowers, small rudraksh nuts (can be replaced with walnuts or hazelnuts), rowan clusters and burlap bows. The dried and tinted magnolia buds look amazingly beautiful. Small inflorescences will dilute the composition of the leaves. To compose ikebana, you will have to connect all your imagination, which will help create a unique bouquet in the best traditions of oriental floristry.
Garland of leaves
For a garland of leaves you will need:
Fishing line;
Masking tape;
A large piece of paper;
Glue;
Dry leaves.
First, the fishing line is fixed with masking tape on paper. This is necessary so that the components can be distributed on a garland with the same indentation and at the same time not damage them. Then cuttings are cut from the leaves. They are applied to the fishing line in a row. Each leaf is glued. After the composition hardens, remove the masking tape, disconnect the line from the paper and the garland is ready.
Conclusion
For many, the story of acquaintance with leaves began with herbariums dried between the pages of their favorite books. They were often forgotten. But how pleasant it was to accidentally open a volume of a half-forgotten author to discover there an autumn treasure that from year to year, like wine, only acquired value. Do not limit yourself to simple collecting. Available material after the manipulations of the master can turn into a unique little thing, which is not a shame to give. Crafts from leaves will be an excellent addition to the home environment, which will warm you on cold winter evenings.
With the advent of golden autumn, most of us invariably begin to toil with distemper. To escape from despondency and a bad mood will help creativity. Many people like to collect bouquets of fallen leaves while walking in the parks. However, not everyone considers them as material for magnificent crafts that will decorate the house. The creative process is exciting and becomes a great way to pass the time on rainy evenings, when without a cup of hot tea and a warm blanket, life seems gray and dreary. The fascinating process of making crafts from autumn leaves will cheer you up, and with the product itself you can decorate your home or present it as a gift. Consider a series of workshops on creating an original interior decor from this fragile material.
Content
How to prepare leaves for creativity
For most of the work, they collect still fresh leaves that have remained flexible. Maple is considered the “king" among autumn crafts. Its leaves have an original shape and look beautiful even in their raw form. Oak is in second place in terms of complexity of form. However, this tree is rare in urban parks, so the mighty giants should be sought in the forest or clearing. After oak leaves, birch trees take the third place. Birch is a “Russian” symbol that grows along roads and borders boundless fields. Her leaves have a fairly simple shape, but at the same time complement complex compositions, playing the role of background details. They are perfectly combined with "earrings", cones and acorns (one more participants of compositions). Branches of mountain ash, walnut, ash, hornbeam, willow, sea buckthorn are decorated with the same small, slightly elongated leaves. After collecting the material must be prepared. The leaves are thoroughly washed even if they do not seem dirty to the surface. It is enough to rinse in a container with soapy water. After that, the leaves are dried. Now you can safely work with the material. If you are saddened by the short life of the craft, then its youth can be prolonged with the help of a hot solution of glycerin. Leaves are lowered into the liquid and left for a week. The solution is absorbed for a very long time. A layer of glycerin as if preserving mesophyll (leaf tissue), prolonging its life as a decoration.
Skeletonization and coloring of leaves
Skeletonization is an unusual, relatively “young” way of processing leaves. After performing all the procedures, the soft part of the leaf is removed, and the “skeleton” of the denser veins remains, forming an incredibly thin “lace”. There are different methods of skeletonization:
Skeletonized leaves are used to decorate gifts and cards, they are glued to windows, hung on walls, and some craftswomen even manage to decorate artificial butterflies and dragonflies with them. From brittle material, “air” wings with a pattern of wonderful beauty are obtained, which at first glance are difficult to distinguish from the original. Skeletonized leaves are perfectly combined with small beads, peacock feathers and goldfish wings. It is better to paint “skeletons” with spray paints from spray cans.
Autumn maple leaf bouquet
Fallen maple leaves are considered a symbol of autumn. They are easy to dial in the nearest park or in the city's botanical garden. The easiest way to pick a rose from maple leaves is a subtle summer flower. Red and yellow buds will look more spectacular.The combination of natural "autumn" shades will give a bouquet of naturalness. To color the leaves, use spray paints. Gouache, watercolor or tempera will not work for these purposes. To work, you will need:
To make a bouquet, collect medium-sized leaves. They are optimal for creating roses. Buds of such material will be dense and will not fall apart. First, the leaf is folded in half so that the smoother “front” side remains outside. Then, starting from one of the sides, it is twisted into a tight tube. The place of the break should be at the top. Now they take the second leaf, also folded. Before rolling into a tube, the first copy is placed in it. It turns out a kind of “puff” nesting doll. After twisting the last leaflet, the base of the future bud is fastened with a thread. Then each petal begins to spread. It turns out a neat rose. After making five or seven buds, they are glued to thick branches that will replace the stems. The composition is tied with a satin ribbon, decorated with silver-plated cones and artificial clusters of mountain ash, and then placed in a glass vase or wicker basket.
Wreath - autumn door decoration
An autumn wreath on a door is usually hung on the eve of All Saints Day. First form the basis for a wreath of branches and wire. So that the composition does not crumble, it is pulled in several places with threads or fishing line. Then the base begins to fill with decor. Begin with the leaves. They are carefully wrapped, twisted into tubes and crushed to get a beautiful texture.Then the leaves are glued to the branches of the base. Bunches of viburnum, boxes with physalis seeds, cones, acorns, miniature pumpkins, small New Year's balls (gold and silver are suitable), figures of animals and people are tied with thread to a wreath. The final touch in the composition will be a lush burlap bow.
Topiary
To make topiary, you will need decor (leaves), a pot, wire, a stick-stalk, two balls of polystyrene foam, glue. First you need to prepare the foundation. One of the balls is lowered into a pot and fixed in it with glue. Then a stick-stem is threaded into it. A second ball is placed on top. Now you can collect the composition. Each element is threaded into a foam ball. Leaves can be fixed with cuttings. Rowan clusters or bright red balls will have to be fixed on a wire, which is then punched with polystyrene. Topiary is decorated with letters, bows, miniature gifts, buds of real flowers. The pot can be decorated with burlap or pasted over with colored pencils.
Vase making
A vase of leaves is actually not as fragile as it might seem at first glance. It is firmly cemented with PVA glue, so candies or cookies can be safely poured into such a container. To make a vase, you first have to pick up the base. Any glass or ceramic container, the shape of which the master liked, can play its role. It is turned upside down and wrapped with cling film. PVA glue is applied on top. They begin to lay out the leaves in layers on top of each other. From above, the future vase is once again generously smeared with glue.
The decor is ready, but it can be additionally decorated with glitter in the “crimson tones” of the autumn. Now it remains only to wait until it dries completely. After that, the vase from the leaves is carefully separated from the base and the film is disconnected.The container is ready to use.
Autumn mural and paintings
A picture or a panel of dry leaves is made quite simply. This is a common theme for children's crafts. For work, you need a base (usually made of wood). For example, a chipboard or MDF board is suitable. For children's crafts, a sheet of thick A4 paper is enough. The conceived drawing is transferred to its surface with a pencil. For the first experience, it is best to choose laconic natural objects: leaf, tree, sun, flower. If the master has very tight artistic talents, then you can use stencils. Then the image inside the contour is smeared with glue. On a sticky surface, leaflets are sequentially applied. From above they need to be pressed with something heavy. After the panel has dried, it is framed and hung on the wall.
Application options for children and not only
Application - drawing a picture from separate pieces of various materials. This type of creativity is considered to be children's, since laconic plots (figures of animals or simple landscapes) are usually chosen for work. However, nothing prevents an adult from creating a “patchwork” picture of unprecedented complexity, although it is better for beginners to try with primitive forms. From the leaves are great animals. Rowan or nut leaves glued in layers form the lush butterfly wings. Her body can be made of birch earrings. Similar technology makes hedgehogs and fish. Their needles and scales are replaced by sharp leaves (walnut, hornbeam), which are glued in layers to each other. A couple of pieces of bark will imitate a tree, and thin blades of grass will turn into swaying algae. A funny umbrella will be the last touch in the autumn picture. It can be made from a trimmed maple leaf. Umbrellas made of multi-colored pieces of felt will look warm, comfortable and very homely. A lion’s lush mane or luxurious peacock tail is made from maple leaves.Their sharp tips are most like thick hair and a bouquet of feathers. The symbol of wisdom - an owl is easiest to make from thin leaves of willow. The finished application is placed in the photo frame, but the do-it-yourself framing made of branches will look much more beautiful. You can use birch, oak, bamboo. Twigs carefully protect from knots and bark residues, after which they form a rectangle, the corners of which are tied with jute threads, fastening the components together.
Making Ikebans
Ikebana - the Japanese art of composing compositions from dried parts of plants with their subsequent placement in vases. Now the need for tanks has disappeared. Ikebana can have an original shape and just stand on the surface of a table or shelf. Let us consider in stages the process of creating a round ikebana with a balloon. To work, you will need:
First inflate the ball. Then its surface is densely greased with glue and a jute thread is wound so that there are as few voids as possible. After the glue dries, the ball is burst with a needle. The jute thread is very coarse, fleecy, but it perfectly holds its shape. Then make buds from leaflets (as already described above) and fix them on a ball. Additionally, it is decorated with cones, dried flowers, small rudraksh nuts (can be replaced with walnuts or hazelnuts), rowan clusters and burlap bows. The dried and tinted magnolia buds look amazingly beautiful. Small inflorescences will dilute the composition of the leaves. To compose ikebana, you will have to connect all your imagination, which will help create a unique bouquet in the best traditions of oriental floristry.
Garland of leaves
For a garland of leaves you will need:
First, the fishing line is fixed with masking tape on paper. This is necessary so that the components can be distributed on a garland with the same indentation and at the same time not damage them. Then cuttings are cut from the leaves. They are applied to the fishing line in a row. Each leaf is glued. After the composition hardens, remove the masking tape, disconnect the line from the paper and the garland is ready.
Conclusion
For many, the story of acquaintance with leaves began with herbariums dried between the pages of their favorite books. They were often forgotten. But how pleasant it was to accidentally open a volume of a half-forgotten author to discover there an autumn treasure that from year to year, like wine, only acquired value. Do not limit yourself to simple collecting. Available material after the manipulations of the master can turn into a unique little thing, which is not a shame to give. Crafts from leaves will be an excellent addition to the home environment, which will warm you on cold winter evenings.