NATURE ART

Stems are pressed into the grooves in the rough bark to hold the leaves . . . 

or the leaves are pressed in tight.. . .

 to enjoy . . . 
until the next big wind takes them away.


Creating in the spirit of artist/naturalist Andy Goldsworthy

What will you create? Be sure to let me know!


                     happy day!

SCULPTURAL NATURE WEAVINGS

We decided to use chicken wire as the base in our nature weavings instead of the forked sticks that we usually use. You can see the forked stick weavings here.

The children explored and collected bits of nature for their weavings.

The pieces of chicken wire were about twelve by seventeen inches. The children could bend them into any shape they wanted and fill and weave with nature. There are plenty of empty spaces to add any nature they might find in the future.

 Beautiful nature art! They can be free standing on a table or shelf or hung on a wall. 

 happy day! happy weaving!

ARTFUL LINDEN LEAVES

I collected 300 leaves last week, before they got wet and soggy, dry and crispy, or blown into the woodlands. I knew Mother Nature wouldn't mind me borrowing some of them. 


The Linden leaf is my absolute favorite and I love its glorious yellow color in autumn.

They are all over our kitchen island right now, sandwiched between newspaper, flattening out under piles of heavy books and magazines, in various stages of drying in preparation for our artful endeavors.

Some are ready to be painted, which is the reason I collect so many. They are a simple shape and very sturdy and take paint and varnish quite well. If varnished, they can last for years!


I put one in an altered board book two years ago!

The children painted some of the Linden leaves as their *Thankful Leaves* and will write what they are thankful for on the back with a fine tip marker. They punched a hole and tied yarn and will hang them on a branch brought inside or on a ribbon or yarn strung across a wall or mantel. 

Some leaves have designs.

We use waxed paper or parchment paper when we paint our leaves. It allows us to paint the other side even if the leaf is not fully dry, which can be very important painting with very little children :)

Sometimes the writing of children can be too large for the leaf. In that case, I encourage the children to write on a blank sticker and just stick it onto the back, or on a piece of paper that can be decoupaged on the leaf using diluted glue or mod podge. They could even draw a small picture.

We have a basket of Linden leaves all ready for our next project, to use in decorating the mantel on our stone fireplace for Christmas. We're going to paint the leaves in a multitude of reds and greens and attach them on top of the pine boughs across our mantel, as a garland.

Stay tuned for pictures  :)


                                                       
               happy day!

STICKS,TWIGS AND BRANCHES

We love to decorate with nature , always bringing the outside in. We usually use items as is, for their own natural beauty, but sometimes we *funk* them up a bit like this funky branch in a vase.

We found a fallen limb in the woodlands. It had a multitude of small branches and we knew it would be just perfect for our paint project.

We chose six different colors of acrylic paint and went to task. It was fun! Right now we are enjoying it bare but it will be used for some other things too . . . you wait and see!

There are other ways we decorate with twigs and branches. . . 


like our swan atop a bookcase, made with twigs, thin branches and wire.

as an initial hanging on the wall above the doorway. M for marcia  :)

or as seasonal nature art in our many nature weavings, small and large.

Directions to make them are here.

( yes, the kittens have enjoyed this one)


or just as itself, appreciated as a stick on his own, as in this Walking Stick branch given to us by a dear friend. It sits atop childrens books yet within easy reach for hands to handle... with care.

or as something useful, a tall thick pine branch leaned in the corner of the mudroom, used as a coat rack with many *hooks* to hang things like hats , bike helmets, jump ropes and damp jackets .

(which reminds me I need to get rid of that lemony yellow wallcolor!)


If you like to decorate with nature, and love twigs, sticks, and branches, just bring in what you love and then think about how you can use it in your home.

I'm linking this post to Funky Junk Interiors  *Sticks, Twigs or Branches* theme.

happy day!

LEAF CREATURES

This has been a week of *creating with leaves* before most of them blow away, dry up and become one with the earth. We explored in the drizzling rain, searching for just the right leaves and grasses to create our *creatures* .

Most of the children had an *idea* of what they were going to make, and set out looking for the perfect parts. Others had no idea, but just collected what they liked, and then played with different combinations on the table once we came inside. 


The leaves were wet but we sandwiched them between newspapers and paper towels and put a heavy book on top for about thirty minutes.


We used frosted contact paper as we did making our Autumn Mandalas.


The children put together their creature first and then transferred it to the contact paper, sticky side up. We covered it with another sheet of contact paper, punched holes and hung them. 


They decided to write something about each of their creatures. Some wrote a short description and others a detailed story, and some others are still thinking. They have a choice. 


Their actual creature cannot fit in their binder, but a picture of it arranged next to their story will keep their memory alive.

   The Gallery

of

 LEAF CREATURES

Dog

                           

Horse

Dragonfly

Dog

Person

Horse

Person

Get creative with a child!  Or just with yourself!

Go exploring and collecting and make something with Autumn's bounty! 

There's an immense satisfaction to creating, especially with natural materials!

happy day!