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11.23.2019

frosted fall leaves tutorial

"autumn is a second spring, when every leaf is a flower..." ~ Albert Camus
that's one of my favorite quotes about autumn.
i saw something the other day that caused that poetic line to spring to my mind:
isn't it pretty? i love the 'fall-into-winter' feel of the leaves shown here.
this image on writer Ann Voskamp's website inspired me to create
my own 'frosted fall leaves' for a simple Thanksgiving tablescape...
it's a really easy project, and it turned out perfectly.
continue reading for the easy tutorial if you need a last-minute Thanksgiving idea
that won't take much time at all...
Frosted Fall Leaves Tutorial

what you need:
white flat paint + a paper towel to 'dab' paint on
very soft paintbrushes - i used makeup brushes!
dried deciduous leaves in several sizes - some flat, some curled for dimension
a branch to attach them to after painting is optional

how to do it:
the paint technique i am using here is called 'dry brushing'... 
using very little paint, the brush will deposit a thin layer of paint on the object.

1. to get this effect, simply dip the very tips of your brush into the paint. lightly!
2. swipe/dab the brush on the paper towel, to remove all but the very last amount of paint.
3. carefully and lightly, drag the brush across the leaf surface to deposit a thin veil of white paint.
on the back side, the paint will pick out all of the veining on the leaf.
on the front side, the paint will cover the surface.
4. run a small brush with paint very lightly along the edges to highlight them.

i chose to use a very very light coat of paint, while the leaves in Ann's image have more coverage.
paint according to your preference -
but for more coverage, do TWO light coats, not one thick one.
the paint is dry almost immediately, so you can quickly hot glue the leaves to branches if you wish.

you can also paint just the edge of the leaf to highlight it,
then use a very thin wash of white paint and a small pointed brush (or a paint pen) to add a name...
and use these leaves as 'placecards' in your tablescape!
there are other ways to paint fall leaves for decor, of course - 
like the detailed way it has been done this incredible image that i found on Pinterest*.
i pinned this and other fall leaf craft ideas to my November board - enjoy the inspo,
and have a very Happy Thanksgiving, my friends...

shared online:

funky junk interiors | diy salvaged junk projects #502
(because yard waste is junk, riiiiight?!)

* every source i found for this image is a secondary one, so i do not know who the original artist is.
if you DO, please leave me a comment and let me know so i can credit them properly!

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