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I was wondering if any of you have used real leaves on any of your cards? I'm in a stamp group and our challange for October is a unique or different technique for fall so the other day when I was taking a walk and admiring all the beautiful fall leaves I got to thinking could I use them on a actual card. hmmmm. Any advice?
I haven't used real leaves, but I have made color copies of the real leaves and used them on numerous scrapbook pages. Real leaves don't look so good after a few months, and a color copy looks great for a long time.
Tonya
I have just finished some cards with real leaves. I used Versamark on the leaves and then added a bit of Pearl Ex for extra shine - then a coat of spray fixative over that. On some of the leaves I added a coat of clear embossing powder. They look real good so far but I have no idea how long they will last.
Those leaves are GORGEOUS, Maxine! I'll be interest to hear an update a couple months down the road.
I remember as a kid that we did a project of preserving autumn leaves by sandwiching them between two pieces of wax paper which were sandwiched between two pieces of cloth and ironing them. Put the wax side of the paper to the leaf, of course.
I don't remember how long they lasted. I was a kid a very LONG time ago!!!
;)
Nan,
I used to do the same thing with my kids when they were little. This year I plan to do it with my grandchildren. They look beautiful when you put them on a window and the sun shines through them! They lasted at least a couple of months, but I don't think they'd look very good on a card.
I think I might try laminating them with my Xyron machine to see if that works to preserve them longer. Sealing them right to the paper with CE might work, too!
__________________ "Life is much too important to be taken seriously." Oscar Wilde Proud to be a member of Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge DT! My BlogMy Gallery
I think to preserve leaves, you might need to get the moisture out of them. Wonder what would happen if you dried them like flowers and then sealed them in something?
I have dried flower crystals. When the leaves turn here, I think I'll experiment.
I also have a flower press. Guess I'll try that too.
I googled it, because I remember reading that you can preserve leaves in glycerine and came up with this article...several different ways of preserving, most very easy! Enjoy!
I also have used fall leaves on my cards-I embossed them with gold and copper EB. They were beautiful. I just mushed the leaf down on the clear embossing pad and then poured my EB powder on and heated, i did both sides since sometimes with the natural curve of the leaf you can see the underside. I made Thanksgiving invites using them :P , looked really neat matted on black CS. :P
The current issue of Paperkuts magazine explains how to preserve natural items for scrapbooks.
So if you want to keep nature looking fresh, you may want to check the magazine or their website might have information on preserving too.
I was reading your post and thinking... "wow... fall leaves already... wish we had them here!" and was wondering where you lived that you were lucky enough to have fall leaves already.
Then I realized you are in Wausau, which is only a 2 hour drive from my home near Green Bay!
So, what are you feeding YOUR trees that gets you fall leaves already? We have nothing. We're still stuck between Spring and Summer or something like that. Haven't quite figured out this year's seasons!?!
That is cool that you have fall leaves already.
I'm in upstate NY and are haven't turned yet.
They will very soon though. We've started having cold nights.
As soon as we get a frost, they'll turn.
Can't wait!
Another thing you can do while the leaves are fresh is use them like a stamp. Press the leaves into the stamp pad, use a brayer to get the color even, and then "stamp" them onto the paper. You may want to brayer again to make sure the whole image touches the paper. You need to do it fairly quick because the ink won't stay wet too long. Craft pads or stazon would probably work better than classic pads but I don't have any so I just stamp fast. Works great but takes practice. Another nice thing is using the Versamark and then embossing, using pastels, or any of the other versamark techniques.
Peanutsmom said, "Another thing you can do while the leaves are fresh is use them like a stamp."
I've actually done this on the walls in my stamping room! It's a really nice effect. I've also done this using fabric paint, and stamped them on clothing and pillow covers.
I'm in New Hampshire, and we have a few stray trees in low-lying areas that have started to turn. It won't be peak season until the end of September or early October, though. I love it here in the fall! It's so beautiful, it's almost overwhelming at times!
__________________ "Life is much too important to be taken seriously." Oscar Wilde Proud to be a member of Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge DT! My BlogMy Gallery
Wow so many different things for me to try. Thanks so much for all of your advice. Yes here in Wausau it's fall time already. My neighbor has already raked up bags of leaves. Isn't it strange apelnar how different just a two hour drive can make. Thanks again time to go leaf hunting.
Bridgette
All this info is great! Perect timing, too. I pulled some beautiful shades of maple leaves near my home today. I live north of the 49th parallel in central Canada. The trees are beautiful here right now. Looks just like the pumpkin patch spectrum pad I'm waiting for....
I did the versamark-pearl-ex on leaves for my stamp club LAST October and I still have a few of them laying around my stamp room - they are still good! Not brittle or crumbling or anything. Now I want to try embossing some like some of you have suggested. Just waiting for the pretty colors here in Michigan ( but not in a big hurry to see summer go - it's my favoirite season).
Has anyone every used real fall leaves on cards?
