Craftiness

[mothwing]

In my search for autumn-related arts & crafts projects I came across some very worthwhile-sounding things, like the leaf lantern, the idea to stick colourful dried leaves to your windows with self-adhesive book covers (not sure if I'd be looking forward to scraping the glue off the windows afterwards, though), a leaf mobile (or, as in this case, leaf gratitude mobile). 

I'm thinking about doing a leaf mobile now, and I kinda want to do it with dried leaves instead of paper or clay leaves. Let's see, maybe I can find some maples somewhere today. 

EDIT: also, if I was still in kindergarten, I'd totally want to do a leaf crown. This looks SO much easier and more convenient than the stupid daisy chains I tried to make over and over at that age. 

Comments

[ysilme]

Sounds good! Particularly the lantern. What is this mod podge - can you tell me in German, or give ma a brand name or something? I'm so not up to date on crafting techniques and materials..
Mosty, I'm doing Window Color leaves, but using real leaves again is a good idea, too. I used just to stick the dried leaves to the window with two or three small strips of Tesafilm, sometimes rolled to an "o" and stuck on the backside. Always kept well enough until it was time for the winter/Advent decoration. Cutting out with the book-cover stuff sounds a bit tricky - I used this in a similar way and nearly got crazy, since it always stuck to something else while cutting *g*.

[mothwing.livejournal.com]

I love that lantern! I'm not sure about mod podge, but searching it on Amazon.de (http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B000HWY6EM/ref=s9_simh_gw_p21_d0_g21_i1?pf_rd_m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0F6GMRAFEVV0CFZW2PDR&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=463375173&pf_rd_i=301128) yielded "similar products" like "Serviettenkleber" and "Lackkleber", so I'm guessing it's something like that. It's also available in Germany via Amazon, though I'm going to look for something similar in our local crafts shop tomorrow. I thought about misusing the office supplies that have been accumulating at home and simply using my A3 laminating sheets to laminate them... but I guess that would be a bit excessive. o.O

EDIT: whoops, hit post too soon. I like the idea of using real leaves, too, and I've been thinking about jut tesa-ing them to the window, but I was worried that they'd become too brittle and shed parts, does that happen?

[ysilme]

Hmm, "Servierttenkleber" sounds functional. I haven't done that yet, but read a bit about it and can imagine it works. If you try it, please do tell!

About the real leaves: I always used rather fresh ones that then were dried carefully in my flower press - or between newspaper sheets under heavy books. They do get brittle sooner or later, but if I remember correctly, they kept long enough until it was time to change the deco. And they probably will look prettier withouth that foil sheen on the room side. I have to confess that I simply don't want to use so much foil, too *is thrifty for environmental reasons* ;o)

I suppose using that "Kleber" might work well, too, for getting leaves without foil, and then glue them to the window with adhesive stripes. The problem would be getting the leaves flat while the stuff dries, as I can imagine without ever having used it before.

I just decided to take my niece for a leaf-collecting walk tomorrow when I have "niece day", and I think we'll try the dry-leaves-method. I can report in six weeks, then ;o).

[mothwing.livejournal.com]

Not using too much plastic was my thought behind using our trusted laminating press because it'd result in re-usable window decor, though I suppose it does defeat the purpose of being environmentally friendly. Ahem.

but if I remember correctly, they kept long enough until it was time to change the deco. And they probably will look prettier withouth that foil sheen on the room side.
That's good to know, and I did intend to change them before Christmas, so that'll work out.

I just decided to take my niece for a leaf-collecting walk tomorrow when I have "niece day", and I think we'll try the dry-leaves-method. I can report in six weeks, then ;o).
Please do! :D

[ysilme]

though I suppose it does defeat the purpose of being environmentally friendly. Ahem.
*g* Crafting always is tricky in that way, I find. And I don't know about laminating - I fear that there might be sufficient air remaining inside with the leaf that it still dries out and crumbles sooner or later. But I'm really no expert with that! Adhesive book foil is probably the better solution, since you smooth the air out better. If you want re-usable decor, I rather would put the leaves between two layers of book foil instead of laminating them, and glue the foil leaves to the windos with tape.

I've now heaps of leaves (though mostly only yellow and brown, I still lack suitable trees *g* ) between newspaper sheets, pressed down by our heaviest books. We've also collected chestnuts and corn, and done a whole zoo of chestnut animals (I managed a cat that was quite lovely, if I may say so *g* ) as well as a jewellery set of corn and acorns. And I totally loved it how much my niece enjoyed collecting everything. I think I'm going to take her on our next geocaching trip on the weekend, having fun in the forest. I even know a manageable cache now where she even will find some acutal trove and can exchange something! ♥
And I would love to know where the heck my old flower press has gone... I'm probably going to make me a new one. It was a stamp press really, but it works for both. Just that for the stamps, I had blotting paper in between the wooden parts.
Exactly like this, it's really easy to make yourself and cost almost nothing.

I'm also thinking about doing a large window star for the Advent time this year. I once had one and totally loved it... sorry if I continue in German, but I can't explain it properly in English. Man nimmt sechs mgölichst gleichstarke, gerade Äste, die man mit Draht oder farbigem Bindeband oder Bindfaden erst zu zwei Dreiecken bindet und dann, übereinandergelegt, zu einem Davidstern. Diesen kann man nach Wunsch dekorieren, üppig oder sparsam, mit Naturmaterialien, Ästen, Zweigen, Tannengrün, roten Beeren, oder mit künstlichem Material. Ich hatte ihn mit einer Lichterkette, sparsamem Grün (vor allem Bux, da übrig) und habe kleine weiße Fröbelsterne in die weißen Äßste gelegt. Das Ganze ins Fenster gehängt, sieht wunderschön aus.

[mothwing.livejournal.com]

Good point about the air pockets in a laminated sheet, I hadn't thought of that. So far, I made some paper leaves and put those up on the window with string, but they do look rather forlorn because I didn't make enough of them.

That flower press looks really easy to make! I planned on using my trusted Oxford English Dictionary, as always. :D

The star sounds really pretty, I'll attempt that once the season changes towards the more Christmasy - in spite of the supermarkets' insisting the season is almost upon us I'm not willing to take out my Christmas decoration just yet, seeing as how the geese haven't even quite left yet. <_<

[ysilme]

I'm so with you on Christmas decoration! And sweets. And stuff. *sighs*

I have pressed my leaves and tried to stick them to the windows. But since I'm using sticky tape from a eco mailbusiness (Memo Versand), there seems to be a difference: my tape used to stick well enough (plain 'ole Tesa), but the current one doesn't on dried leaves. *pouts* So once again I took out my Window Color and made me some leaves which look nice enough - let me know if you like a photo. (I'm not going to show them around since I stuck them on my rather dirty windows *g* ).
I'm now unsure what to do with my dried leaves, but perhaps some idea will hit sooner or later.

[mothwing.livejournal.com]

By now, the shops are overrun with the stuff, though now it makes more sense than at the beginning of October. <_< As I said before, I'd very much like a picture of the WiCo leaves! Our own endeavours don't look as nice as I had imagined. They're all yellow leaves, and given that there are trees in front of the house whose leaves are also yellow, it looks as though they're stuck on from the outside.

[ysilme]

Poor you! :o) After our endeavours to the Botanical Gardens last week and the lovely pictures (yet to come) I took there, I'd suggest going to a park/botanical garden next time for collecting leaves... but I have my own stack still here, too, and no idea what to make with it.
I'll give you the leaves images privately in a mo.

[mothwing.livejournal.com]

There are always leaf lamps. I've been thinking of making paper maché lanterns and sticking the remaining leaves on those. But I haven't made anything out of paper maché after primary school, so that'd be quite an adventure!

[cranky--crocus.livejournal.com]

Those crafts look absolutely wonderful! I collect pressed leaves in my reading books all the time and discover them much later; perhaps next time I'll make a lantern out of them!

[mothwing.livejournal.com]

Oh, if you do, please do post pictures! Everything is so wet here that I never seem to get around collecting and drying leaves. I see my chances of leaf lanterns going quickly.