Crafting with the Kids :: Paper Leaf Garland Tutorial.

The leaves are just starting to turn colors here, and when outside there are a few leaves here and there that can be picked up. So exciting! As our arts + crafts project last week for our home school, the kids and I made a fun paper leaf garland. This exercise is also a great way for young children to learn about and identify the different trees that all of the leaves come from.

SUPPLIES.   variety of fallen leaves        
                     card stock
            pencil
            scissors
            cotton twine or yarn
            ruler
            sewing needle
            plastic yarn needle (not pictured)
            colored pencils

Start by tracing the shape of your leaves onto card stock. Trace as many as you like! Cut them out. If your child is old enough, you can have them help you.

Let the kiddos color them! I added quick vein lines with the pencil.

Score each leaf along the center using a ruler. This adds just a bit of dimension to the leaf as opposed to leaving it flat.

Using the needle, poke holes about one inch apart down the center of the leaf.

Thread the yarn needle with the twine or yarn and "sew" the leaves together using the pre-punched holes. (My kids had a blast doing this part! Even the two-year-old baby got in on it.)

Find a fun place to hang your new creation!

DIY :: Paint Chip Garland Tutorial

Since we've recently had to pick out a couple of new paint colors for our old walls, there is a plethora of paint chips lying about the house. I don't foresee myself needing these particular chips again, and I didn't want to chuck them in the trash, so I whipped up a fun paint chip garland to hang on my soon-to-be freshly painted walls. I'm hoping to hang it near the homeschooling blackboard I inherited from my parents!

MATERIALS:   collection of paint chips
                     baker's twine
             craft punch
             hot glue gun
 

Begin by punching out the paint chips using your craft punch (I used a Martha Stewart 1" scalloped circle punch). Be careful to avoid getting any lettering or numbers on your circle if you can. In order to see what I was doing, I flipped the punch over so that I could see exactly where I was cutting.

Next, double up your baker's twine, and put a knot in each end to keep it even. I found it easier to start in the center of the twine and work my way toward the ends from there. If you start at the end instead, be sure to leave at least two inches between the end knot and the first paint chip circle.

To attach the circles, place a paint chip face side down and drape the twine across the center; dab the hot glue on top of the twine to secure and then work the glue to the edges. You want to be sure the glue is not applied too thickly. Place another chip, face side up, on top (this will make your garland double sided); press firmly to secure, being careful not to burn your fingers with the hot glue.

To finish, continue down the length of twine, leaving at least two inches on each end for hanging. I tried to place my circles so that I didn't have super similar colors right next to each, and so that the progression of color down the chain was pleasing to the eye: unless you want a totally random pattern, be sure to do this for both sides of the garland!

What other great uses have you come across for transforming old paint chips?

Note :: I needed eighty-eight paint chip circles to cover both sides of a four foot section of twine.