While you’re at the pumpkin patch, scoop up an armful of knobby gourds and mini pumpkins to make into candleholders, opposite. When grouped, they become an earthy centerpiece. Play with the gourds to see which ones can be placed on their sides or even upside down for variety. You’ll need to cut holes in the flesh to insert the taper candleholders, so have them handy to size your cuts. Bamboo skewers keep stacked pumpkins intact.
These branches put on a magnificent show with the full spectrum of color in faux foliage, above, crafted from dyed coffee filters. A length of florists wire becomes the vein and stem of each leaf, which makes it easy to wrap and bend around branches for a realistic finish.
Suncatchers of brilliant leaves enhance the glow in your window. Press freshly fallen leaves in a book until they’re dry, then dip each in melted wax (see below). Layer them to enjoy a kaleidoscope of amber shades.
WHY DO IT? Because it seals in moisture so a fallen leaf can last longer without getting brittle and crumbling to pieces. It also gives a faux leaf made from paper more strength and a more realistic leaf texture.
WHAT DO I NEED? You’ll want a small slow cooker dedicated for wax crafts. We suggest getting an old one at a thrift store (we found ours for $2). You’ll also need beeswax pellets, available online or at crafts stores for about $15 a pound. Parchment paper, a baking sheet, and a pair of tweezers or tongs complete your wax-dipping tool kit. Dipping is easy; go to the Workbook, page 116, for instructions.
Now serving, multiple courses of leaf crafts. For place mats, a collection of pressed leaves attached and sealed onto watercolor paper bring texture to the table. For place cards, cut leaf shapes from cardstock, add each guest’s initial, and attach to small pumpkins.
A gourd makes an unexpected vase you can fill with flowers and leaves, above. Start
with a flat-bottom gourd and a small glass tube vase. Cut an opening in the gourd with a craft knife. Remove enough flesh so the tube vase fits. Add a little water to the vase and fill with fresh flowers or a mix of fresh flowers and silk leaves.
The leaves on this wreath, opposite, look so real, you’ll want to touch them. The leaf shapes are cut out of ordinary canvas (like a drop cloth), dabbed with a little paint, then stretched around the edges to create realistic-looking curls. We wrapped the wire frame with soft, natural yarn for texture before wiring on the canvas leaves.