How to Make a Wreath from a Leaf Rubbings Craft

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prep supplies

   I began by setting this project up on a sunny fall day – you know the perfect day where you need a sweater, but the sun is warm and the breeze smells good.
   
   On a tray I place a few sheets of the white paper, oil pastels in fall colors and a few leaves to get them going.
   
   
   

2. Create leaf rubbing

   It helps to show kids how to take a rubbing from the back side of a leaf. Once they know how, they usually take off making print after print!
   
   
   
   To make a good leaf rubbing, place a leaf bumpy side up under a sheet of paper.
   
   Then, taking an oil pastel, rub the side of the oil pastel over the paper where the leaf is hidden. Note:  It works best to remove the paper from the outside of the pastel first. 
   
   
   
   

3. Paint leaf rubbings

   Next, mix up a wash of black watercolor paint. You could choose a more fall like color (yellow, red, orange) but I like the colors to pop through for the kids, so I use black.
   
   Paint the sheets of leaves and watch as the paint runs off the oil pastels with the colors showing through.
   
   

4. Make your wreath

   You can’t let all the pretty paper leaves go to waste, so while the leaves are drying, paint your cardboard hoops with acrylic paint.
   
   Then, once the leaves are dry, carefully cut them all out, tracing around the outside of each of the leaf prints.
   
   
   
   Finally, have your kids glue the leaves to their painted rings, creating a lovely fall wreath!