Project #11

 

Fall Trees

due 12/03/12

Here in the north-central part of Texas, fall is not long at all. At least, not compared to the fall that I remember as a child in upstate New York. The fall colors in Texas don't seem to compare to that of the north country. Maybe it is just the trees in my area, but the colors are not as vivid as up north, nor do they stay on the trees as long. One day they are turning, then BAM, they are off of the trees.

My childhood memory of the fall colors is so embedded and cherished that, one year, I had my sister mail some leaves from New York to me in Texas and we made place mats with them! I still have them, and that was years ago. We glued them to foam sheets and had them laminated (that is when I found out that some places reserve the right not to offer their laminating services...)

I love those place mats...

Well, one more fall project before I launch you into the season of Christmas crafts and projects! Have I mentioned that Christmas is my favorite Holiday?


Materials:

Brown paper
(cut down a bit to be smaller than the black paper)
black construction paper, larger than brown
white glue
paints (tempera or acrylics)
cup of water
scissors
coffee filters or thick paper towels (3 or more)
cut pieces of thick corrugated cardboard or a paint brush
larger brown paper bag or thick paper (larger than wrinkled paper)
iron and board



Process:

Paint the filters with fall colors

Dab or paint circles like a target

Let them dry

 

 

 

 

Crumple the brown paper...spend time to get it VERY wrinkled
It's okay if the edges get a little ripped or torn

Flatten it out by using an iron

Place paper bag between board and crumpled paper

Iron no steam, until paper smooths out

This is not to take the wrinkles out, it is just to get it to lay flat

 

 

 

Use the inside space of the cardboard as a brush (stamp)

Dip the corrugated part into black paint and dab it on the paper

Make the trunk and branches of the tree

This gives texture...like the bark of a tree

You can always just use a brush to paint the trunk and branches

 

 

 

To finish:

Cut circles out of the painted filers and glue them to the paper

Glue the picture to the center of the slightly larger black paper