Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Gradated leaf garland

A fistful of autumn leaves.

leaf pile
{leaf pile}

A needle and a little bit of thread.

leaf garland
{leaf garland}

A simple garland that doesn't cost anything and feels festive without being silly.

I sorted the leaves into color piles and then played around with laying them out for a gradated look, but you could do alternating colors or anything else you can think of. My only tip is to work with the leaves as soon as you collect them. String them gently (a few will rip) and then get it hung before the leaves dry out. They are harder to work with once dried.

37 comments:

  1. What a simple, elegant idea. I see a walk in the very new future!

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  2. i have six favorite things about this project, but the favorite thing to rule them all is that the scientist part of you called it a gradated leaf garland.

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  3. i love this idea and it's so much more special than buying a plastic garland at michael's.

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  4. absolutely stunning. lovely for a dinner party, i can just see the small pumpkin carved tea light holders on a long wooden table!

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  5. what a cute, cute ideal. I wonder how it will work with oak leaves

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  6. How great would these look draping each window. I think I may try this-this afternoon. Thanks Rachel~very clever.

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  7. oh, I am in love! Thank you for sharing, I think I may do this on my day off tomorrow :)

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  8. That's such a cute and simple idea! I'll have to try that.

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  9. love the simplicity and authenticity of this pretty idea. thank you!

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  10. LOVE IT! Going to see what I can find in Riverside Park tonight!

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  11. i love that garland. somehow graphic and cool in its utter simplicity.

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  12. ahhh what a lovely idea. i love playing in crunchy leaves!

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  13. You found those amazing colors in LA?! Lucky girl!

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  14. Thank you for providing me with tomorrow's craft project. My 3 year old is obsessed with collecting leaves these days.

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  15. absolutely beautiful. simple, organic, and gorgeous.

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  16. Lady! You blow my mind constantly. Please tell me you don't have gainful employment AND all this creativity?

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  17. I love this, so simple to make and yet so autumn lovely!

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  18. Festive! Have you done the one where you iron leaves between sheets of waxed paper and hang them in the windows? That one still makes me happy.

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  19. how incredible is this?! i love it!!!

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  20. How creative! Good job!!! Autumn leaves are just beautiful. I love the colors. But when they fall down and get all wet, it's not a joy to deal with them(especially if they are in one's own backyard). As a matter of fact, I have written an article about getting rid off them just a couple of days ago. You are very welcome to read it.

    Regards,
    Julie

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  21. pretty!!!

    i do love things arranged in color order. soooo satisfying.

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  22. LOVE LOVE LOVE. This is perfect, I really want to copy you!

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  23. Wow, this is really, really beautiful! Thanks so much for the fabulous idea. I've been picking up leaves for weeks, I needed more ideas. I'll be linking.

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  24. Simple and beautiful! I love bringing the outside in!

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  25. Fall decorating is the best. And this is one of my fave ideas.

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  26. Gorgeous! I love how you have arranged the colors.

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  27. This is so sweet, what a great idea. I made something similar when we had lots of leaves around, we hung the leaves from a piece of driftwood. But I love the simplicity of this.

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  28. i love this so much!! will definitely be doing this!

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  29. Sooo pretty! This would be perfect for Thanksgiving! Now I just have to find leaves like that in Orange County... :)

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  30. That is SO gorgeous! If only we were saw the leaves change here. Sigh.

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  31. wow this is the COOLEST idea ever! you are so creative!! i wish there were enough leaves changing colors around here so i could do that..

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  32. I love this idea! Store bought garlands always look so cheesy, but this one is like bringing a little bit of the fall into your living room.

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  33. Gorgeous. I just did something similar - but I dipped my leaves in beeswax so that they wouldn't shrivel up. Love how you gradated the colors. :)

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