We tried a new variation of our fall leaf garland the other day. This autumn leaf bunting is another stained glass bunting using wax paper.
I’m loving the look. Earthy, yet ethereal.
I know I always say this, but it was so easy to make!
MY LATEST VIDEOSHow to Make An Autumn Leaf Bunting
MATERIALS
- Autumn leaves (I used pressed & dried but would be interested in seeing how fresher autumn leaves would work)
- Wax paper
- Iron
- Newsprint or other paper
- 1/2 inch ribbon
- Hot glue gun
- Metallic Sharpies (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place leaves on wax paper
Arrange your autumn leaves on a sheet of wax paper in roughly triangular shapes. Set another sheet of wax paper over the leaves.
2. Iron wax paper
Place a piece of newsprint or paper under and over the wax paper/leaf sandwich and iron on high to melt the wax and fuse the wax paper and leaves together.
3. Cut triangle shapes
Next, cut triangles out of the wax paper/leaf creation, preferably around the leaves rather than through them. You can freehand them as I did or create a template for uniformity.
4. Arrange bunting & glue to ribbon
Arrange your leaf wax triangles in an order you like and cut a piece of ribbon about a foot longer than the triangles. Using a hot glue gun, add a strip of glue along the top of a wax triangle. Set the ribbon on top and press lightly.
Repeat with the rest of the wax triangles until all are glued to the ribbon.
6. Add additional decorations
Decorate the autumn leaf bunting with metallic sharpies (optional). Maia and her friend Stella are drawing on the bunting in this picture (over a table well protected with contractor’s paper).
While I created the bunting myself while they were at school, they all enjoyed decorating it.
Maia mostly traced the leaf veins as she often does when doing leaf doodles and drawings. Stella drew hearts and faces. And Daphne drew earnest scribbles.
I hung our new, decorated autumn leaf bunting in the front window. It adds a nice fall touch, don’t you think?
The sharpie decorations aren’t necessary for the bunting, but add a nice touch.
I included some doodled leaves inside the wax bunting, but the effect is muted. The sharpie drawings on the outside of the wax paper show up much better.
And, just to show you what is below the autumn leaf bunting: a basket of pinecones, another of painted paper leaves (one of the activities in the autumn crafts book), Maia’s feather collection, and a sweet cloth doll.
By the way, I’ve been using bunting, garland, and banner interchangeably but don’t know if I’m correct in doing so. Is there a difference? Anyone know?
MORE AUTUMN BUNTING DECORATIONS
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rosie
September 27, 2012 at 11:56 amHi Jean!
I love this! I think I will make one for my living room! BTW, good thing you tried out the home-made modge podge recipe. I have never used modge podge before but and going to get some this weekend and do the rock/leaf activity. Can’t wait! Have a great weekend!
rosie
September 27, 2012 at 11:57 amp.s…..I should have gotten someone to edit my post before I sent it! Should be “am” instead of “and”…………. :>)
Natasha
September 27, 2012 at 1:12 pmSo looking forward to doing this with my daughter while crazy little brother is sleeping :) loved the photos of your living space as well thx for sharing. Would you mind telling me about what appears to be an ingeniously covered tv and media unit in the corner? Would love to do something similar in our home…
Becky
September 27, 2012 at 2:43 pmOh! – these are just beautiful! And simple! (I love a simple art project!!)
The Little Ones and I have been going on ‘leaf hunts’ most days, and I think this will be the perfect way to use/display the piles of leaves we have sitting in our foyer!
p.s. I call them bunting, but more because I love the word – it just sounds so happy, doesn’t it?!
Jean Van't Hul
September 27, 2012 at 12:18 pm:)
Jean Van't Hul
September 27, 2012 at 12:19 pmLet me know if it works with the autumn leaf rocks!! Maybe try full strength glue? Or less watered down. And not the elmer’s school glue, but the regular elmer’s glue (Mary Ann Kohl told me the school glue can be wonky).
Tara
September 27, 2012 at 8:29 pmI really, really love this, and I would never have thought to make something like this. We don’t even have any wax paper; I’m going to have to run to the store in the morning.
We also go on leaf hunts almost every day, and we have leaves all over the house in varying stages of dryness. I’ll share a photo of our garland once it’s finished.
Rachel
September 28, 2012 at 4:44 pmI would say ‘bunting’ for something like you’ve made with flags hanging on a string. ‘Banner’ to me is something straight-edged and long. Garland is something with things hanging off it, but not necessarily flags. So if you glued the leaves straight to the ribbon that might be a leaf garland.
But I should caveat all this by saying that a) this is all out of my head, not a dictionary and b) I am a Brit, and the differences between US and UK English are myriad, and intriguing….!
jess - sunbeams and sanity
September 28, 2012 at 8:50 pmLove it! Where do you get wax paper from. I am in Australia and no craft stores or supermarkets store it – its all unwaxed baking paper. So frustrating. Do you think anything else would work?
JEss
Darcy Troutman
October 1, 2012 at 9:12 amas always, another wonderful idea. Thank you!!!
Sarah
October 9, 2012 at 9:00 amPlease help, loved this idea and had great fun collecting our leaves and arranging them but no matter what I try I cannot get my wax paper to stick to each other. I’m using a hot iron on no steam but am just ending up with crispy leaves. Any ideas what I am doing wrong or where I can get hold of wax paper that definitely works. I’m in London. Thanks for all your ideas
Jean Van't Hul
October 9, 2012 at 10:29 amWell, I think it would look nice in between contact paper (sticky back paper), although it would be more see through.
Jean Van't Hul
October 9, 2012 at 10:29 amThanks, Darcy!
Jean Van't Hul
October 9, 2012 at 10:33 amSarah, I used the Cut-Rite brand of wax paper. Maybe different brands have varying amounts of wax? I had to make sure that there was plenty of plain wax paper around each leaf, because the two sheets of wax paper adhered to each other well, but where there was a leaf, they didn’t adhere to the leaf itself. Does that make sense? If you can’t find wax paper that works, you could do a combo of the kind you have with some crayon shavings (like this: https://artfulparent.com/2009/10/stained-glass-leaves-and-jack-o-lanterns.html) OR just put the leaves in between contact paper (sticky back paper) cut into triangles for your bunting. The contact paper is more transparent so will look a little different, but will still be beautiful!
Jean Van't Hul
October 9, 2012 at 10:34 amSounds like good descriptions of each to me!
Jean Van't Hul
October 9, 2012 at 10:35 amAwesome!!
Val
September 29, 2013 at 10:12 pmI shredded some candle wax and sprinkled some of that under and over each leaf to help adhere to the wax paper.