We tried a new variation of our autumn leaf bunting the other day. This one is another stained glass bunting using wax paper.
I'm loving the look. Earthy yet ethereal.
I know I always say this, but it was easy to make. Here's a simple tutorial:
No-Sew Autumn Leaf Bunting
MATERIALS
- Autumn leaves (I used pressed & dried but would be interested in seeing how fresher autumn leaves would work)
- Wax paper
- Iron
- Newsprint or other paper
- 1/2 inch ribbon
- Hot glue gun
- Metallic Sharpies (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Arrange your autumn leaves on a sheet of wax paper in roughly triangular shapes. Set another sheet of wax paper over the leaves.
- Place a piece of newsprint or paper under and over the wax paper/leaf sandwich and iron on high to melt the wax and fuse the wax paper and leaves together.
- Cut triangles out of the wax paper/leaf creation, preferably around the leaves rather than through them. You can freehand them as I did or create a template for uniformity.
- Arrange your leaf wax triangles in an order you like and cut a piece of ribbon about a foot longer than the triangles.
- Using a hot glue gun, add a strip of glue along the top of a wax triangle. Set the ribbon on top and press lightly. Repeat with the rest of the wax triangles until all are glued to the ribbon.
- Decorate the autumn leaf bunting with metallic sharpies (optional).
Maia and her friend Stella are drawing on the bunting in this picture (over a table well protected with contractor's paper). Daphne's hand is shown drawing in the step-by-step collage above. While I created the bunting myself while they were at school, they all enjoyed decorating it. Maia mostly traced the leaf veins as she often does when doing leaf doodles and drawings. Stella drew hearts and faces. And Daphne drew earnest scribbles.
I hung our new, decorated autumn leaf bunting in the front window. It adds a nice fall touch, don't you think?
The sharpie decorations aren't necessary for the bunting, but add a nice touch.
I included some doodled leaves inside the wax bunting, but the effect is muted and not worth it (as you can see with the top leaf in this photo). The sharpie drawings on the outside of the wax paper show up much better (the two bottom leaves).
And, just to show you what is below the autumn leaf bunting: a basket of pinecones, another of painted paper leaves (one of the activities in the autumn crafts book), Maia's feather collection, and a sweet cloth doll.
By the way, I've been using bunting, garland, and banner interchangeably but don't know if I'm correct in doing so. Is there a difference? Anyone know?
