First Project for Fall Fun: Toilet Paper Leaf Art

I loooove to decorate for Fall, so here's a confession:  I made this artwork 2 weeks ago, while it was still August.  (hanging head)  I can't help it if Fall's my favorite season!  :-P

Anyways, I was inspired by a beautiful craft idea I found on Pinterest awhile back.  (You can click here to see the original idea.)  I modified this idea and used only 1 canvas instead of 3.  It's a creative and inexpensive craft idea that can stay up all season long.  :)

I used:

* a white canvas (bought a pack of 3 at Walmart)

* twigs that will lay flat when arranged on the canvas

* a toilet paper roll tube

*scissors

*glue gun + glue sticks

* acrylic paints for the leaves - your choice of colors 

(I also used white paint for the background.)

** I completely forgot to take photos of each step in the process...sorry!  I'll do my best to explain how I made this project.

Instructions:

1.  I painted the background with lots of white and a bit of brown mixed in to give it a textured look.

2.  While the paint was drying, I took a trip around our yard, looking for twigs I could use that would look appealing and that were flat enough to glue onto the canvas.

3.  Once dry, I arranged the sticks and glued them to the canvas w/ the hot glue gun.  (You could also maybe wait to glue this when you're ready to glue the leaves.)

4.  Fold the toilet paper tube in half and cut it into thin strips to create the leaves.  (See photo below.)

5.  Once you've arranged them how you want them, use your finger to dab a dot of your acrylic colors onto the canvas into the middle of where you want each color of your leaves to be.  For example, I did my brown leaves first because it was the darkest color and I wanted to even it out throughout the project.  I used my pinky and dabbed a dot into the areas where you can now view brown leaves.

6.  After I did this for each color, I painted each piece of the tube according to the color where it would be on the canvas.  These pieces will dry quickly.  Add a second coat of paint, if you want to, and be sure to paint the edges of the tube.

7.  When these dry, use the glue gun to carefully apply small dots of glue where you want to attach the leaves.

8.  Finally, paint the inside of each leaf according to its color.  You may need to add a third coat of paint.

Enjoy!  :)