Crafts from autumn and dry leaves

With the arrival of golden autumn, most of us invariably begin to suffer with the blues. Creativity will help to escape from gloom and bad mood. Many people like to collect bouquets of fallen leaves while walking in the parks. However, not everyone sees them as a material for great crafts that will decorate the house. The creative process captures and becomes a great way to pass the time on rainy evenings, when without a cup of hot tea and a warm rug, life seems gray and dreary. The fascinating process of making crafts from autumn leaves will raise your spirits, and you can decorate your house or present it as a gift with the product itself. Consider a series of workshops on the creation of the original interior decor of this fragile material.

How to prepare the leaves for creativity

For most of the works they collect more fresh leaves that have retained their flexibility. Maple is considered the "King" among autumnal crafts. Its leaves have an original shape and look beautiful even in its raw form. The oak is second in complexity of form. However, this tree in urban parks is rare, so powerful giants should be sought in the forest or glade. After oak leaves the third place is occupied by birch. Birch is a “Russian” symbol that grows along the roads and borders the endless fields. Its leaves have a fairly simple form, but they also complement complex compositions, playing the role of background details. They are perfectly combined with "earrings", cones and acorns (one more participants of the compositions). The same small, slightly elongated leaves decorated branches of the mountain ash, walnut, ash, hornbeam, willow, sea buckthorn. After collecting the material must be prepared. The leaves are thoroughly washed, even if they do not seem dirty. Enough rinsing 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 glycerin solution. In the liquid, lower the leaves and leave for a week. The solution is absorbed for a very long time. A layer of glycerin preserves the mesophyll (leaf tissue), prolonging its life as an ornament.

Skeletization and leaf coloring

Skeletoning is an unusual, relatively "young" way of processing leaves. After performing all the procedures, the soft part of the sheet is removed, and the “skeleton” of the more dense veins remains, forming an incredibly thin “openwork”. There are different ways of skeletonization:

  • About half an hour leaves are boiled in a concentrated solution of soda ash. Follow the instructions and avoid fluid contact with exposed skin. Then they are gently removed from the container, spread on a clean cloth and remove the softened areas between the veins with a brush. The resulting "skeleton" is placed between two album sheets of paper and dried.
  • The leaves are placed in a container with 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 the unpleasant smell will interfere, then the water is periodically changed. After removing the leaves, they work on the same principle as with the material from the saucepan with soda ash (rag, cloth, dried under a press).
  • Already dried leaves spread on the fabric and knock them with a stiff brush (bristles). Fragile parts easily crumble, and more durable veins will remain in place.

Skeleton leaves are used to decorate gifts and cards, they are stuck on the windows, hung on the walls, and some craftswomen even manage to decorate artificial butterflies and dragonflies. From the fragile material obtained "air" wings with a pattern of wonderful beauty, which at first glance is difficult to distinguish from the original. Skeleton leaves are perfectly combined with small beads, feathers of peacocks and wings of gold leaves. Paint the "skeletons" better spray paints from cans.


    

Some masters use original patterns of "skeletons", turning them into elegant ornaments worthy of luxurious interiors. For example, the composition can be placed between two transparent glasses.

Autumn Bouquet of Maple Leaf

Fallen maple leaves are considered a symbol of autumn. They are easy to type in a nearby park or in the city botanical garden. From the maple leaves, the easiest way to collect a rose is a sophisticated summer flower. Red and yellow buds will look more effective. The combination of natural "autumn" shades will give a bouquet of naturalness. To color the leaves, use spray paints. Gouache, watercolor or tempera for these purposes will not work. To work will require:

  • Thread and glue gun;
  • Thick twigs for stems;
  • Satin ribbon;
  • Vase or basket.

    

To make a bouquet, collect leaves of medium size. They are optimal for creating roses. Buds of this 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 dense tube. Breaking place should be at the top. Now they take the second leaf, they also fold it. Before rolling into the straw, the first specimen is placed in it. It turns out a kind of "puff" matryoshka. After twisting the last leaf, the base of the future bud is fastened with a thread. Then each petal begin to smooth out. It turns out a neat rose. Having made five-seven buds, they are glued to thick branches, which 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, untreated maple leaves in the manner of a crown-halo are placed under the buds. A similar floristic method is used when creating miniature compositions for brides.

Wreath - autumn door decoration

An autumn wreath on the door is usually hanged on the eve of All Saints Day. First form the basis for the wreath of branches and wire. So that the composition does not crumble, it is dragged in several places with threads or fishing line. Then the foundation begins to fill the decor. Should start with the leaves. They are carefully wrapped, twisted into tubes and crushed to make a beautiful texture. Then the leaves are glued to the branches of the base. Clusters of viburnum, boxes of physalis seeds, cones, acorns, miniature pumpkins, small Christmas balls (gold and silver), animal and human figures are tied to the wreath with threads. The final touch in the composition will be a lush burlap bow.

    

So that the composition does not look too uniform in color, a pair of green leaves is added to it.

Topiary

For the manufacture of topiariya need decor (leaves), a pot, wire, stick-stalk, two balls of foam, glue. First you need to prepare the foundation. One of the balls is dipped in a pot and fixed in it with glue. Then stick a stalk into it. A second ball is placed on top. Now you can collect the composition. Each element is passed through a foam ball. Leaves can be fixed with cuttings. Rowan clusters or bright red balls will have to be fixed on the wire, which is then punched into the foam. Topiary decorated with letters, bows, miniature gifts, buds of real flowers. The pot can be decorated with burlap or glued with colored pencils.


    

Vase making

A vase of leaves is actually not as fragile as it may seem at first glance. It is firmly cemented by PVA glue, so candy or cookies can be safely filled into such a container. To make a vase, you first have to pick up the foundation. In its role can act any glass or ceramic container, the shape of which the master liked. It is turned upside down and wrapped with cling film. Apply PVA glue on top. Begin to lay out the leaves in layers on top of each other. On top of the future vase again generously glue with glue.

    
    

The decor is already ready, but you can additionally decorate it outside with glitter in the "purple tones" of autumn. Now it remains only to wait for complete drying. After that, a vase of leaves is carefully separated from the base and the film is disconnected. Capacity is ready to use.

Autumn panels and paintings

A picture or panel of dry leaves is made quite simply. This is a frequent topic for children's crafts. For the work you will need a base (often from wood). For example, suitable chipboard or MDF. For children's crafts enough sheet of thick cardboard A4. On its surface with a pencil carry the planned pattern. For the first experience, it is best to choose concise natural objects: leaf, tree, sun, flower. If the master's artistic talents are very tight, then you can use stencils. Then the image inside the contour is smeared with glue. Leaflets are successively applied to the adhesive surface. From above they need to press something heavy. After drying the panel, it is framed and hung on the wall.


    

Variants of applications for children and not only

Application - drawing up a picture from separate pieces of various materials. This type of creativity is considered to be childish, as laconic plots are usually chosen for work (animal figures or unpretentious landscapes). However, nothing prevents an adult from creating a “patchwork” picture of unprecedented complexity, although it is better for beginners to try from primitive forms. Leaves make great animals. Rowan or nut leaves, glued in layers, form the magnificent butterfly wings. Her little body can be made of birch earrings. On a similar technology make hedgehogs and fish. Their needles and scales are replaced by little leaves (walnut, hornbeam), which are glued to each other in layers. A couple of pieces of bark simulate wood, and thin blades of grass will turn into waving algae. Funny umbrella will be the final touch in the autumn picture. It can be made from cropped maple leaf. Umbrellas of colorful pieces of felt will look warm, comfortable and very homely. The lion’s lush mane or luxurious peacock tail is made from maple leaves. Their sharp tips are more like thick hair and a bunch of feathers. The symbol of wisdom - the easiest way to make an owl from thin leaves of willow. The finished application is placed in the photo frame, but a framing of branches made with your own hands will look much more beautiful. You can use birch, oak, bamboo. The branches 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 ikebana

Ikebana is 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 using a balloon. To work will require:

  • Coarse jute strings (twine);
  • Balloon;
  • Glue;
  • Leaves;
  • Needle;
  • Dried flowers, mountain ash clusters, burlap, cones, rudraksha (dried fruits of Indian walnut with a textured surface).

    
    

First, inflate the ball. Then its surface is thickly smeared with glue and the jute thread is wound in such a way that the voids remain as small as possible. After the glue dries, the ball is burst with a needle. Jute thread is very coarse, fleecy, but it holds its shape superbly. Then the buds are made from leaflets (as already described above) and secured to the ball. In addition, it is decorated with cones, dried flowers, small Rudraksh nuts (can be replaced with walnuts or hazelnuts), rowan clusters and sacking bows. Dried and tinted magnolia buds look amazingly beautiful. Small inflorescences dilute the composition of the leaves. To compose an ikebana you will have to connect all your imagination, which will help to create a unique bouquet in the best traditions of oriental floristry.

Leaf garland

For a garland of leaves will be required:

  • Fishing line;
  • Masking tape;
  • A big piece of paper;
  • Glue;
  • Dry leaves.

   

   

First, the line is fixed masking tape on paper. This is necessary so that the components can be distributed on the garland with the same indentation and not damage them. Then cuttings are cut from the leaves. They are applied to the line in a row. Each leaf is glued. After the composition hardens, the masking tape is removed, the line is removed from the paper and the garland is ready.

Conclusion

For many, the story of acquaintance with leaves began with herbaria, dried between the pages of their favorite books. They were often forgotten. But how pleasant it was to accidentally open a small book of a forgotten author, to discover there such autumn treasure, which from year to year, like wine, only acquired value. Do not be limited to simple collecting. Available material after the master's manipulations can turn into a unique thing, which is not a shame to give. Handicrafts from the leaves will be an excellent addition to the home environment, which will warm in cold winter evenings.

Watch the video: How to Make Crafts with Autumn Leaves (March 2024).

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