Natural Decor Part 1 - Pressed Autumn Leaves

Collect, then press, a variety of colorful autumn leaves to use for crafts and home decor.

Whether you go for a hike through the woods, or just take a stroll around the neighborhood, this time of year it should be easy to find plenty of fire hued leaves.

Pressed leaves can be used to make cards, as table top decorations, or framed and placed on a shelf or mantel.

To press leaves, space them out between layers of newspaper or between the pages of a phone book, and weight with a stack of books. They should be dry in 3-4 days.

Once the leaves are pressed, you can iron them between two pieces of waxed paper to enhance the color. (Be sure to use a pressing cloth so that you don't get wax from the paper on your iron.)

My first leaves are pressed and ready to use. Next week I'll share what I made with the leaves I've collected.

Look What I Found!

Last summer I made new cushions for the wicker sofa glider on my screened porch. We love to spend time on the porch during the warm weather months - reading, relaxing and eating meals away from the bugs. The glider itself is in good shape, but with a lot of use over the years, the cushions had seen better days. I made the new cushion covers with zippers in the twill fabric so that they could be removed and washed - they should last for years to come. The new cushions are sturdier and more comfortable than the originals, so I was very pleased with the results!

Recently, I was excited when I found this pretty tropical leaf print decorator fabric for just $3 per yard. I was going to buy a yard or so and make a couple of throw pillows for the glider. Then I quickly remembered that this fabric would totally clash with the other furniture on the porch. So, I bought all of the fabric and I decided to recover the rest of the furniture cushions!
I'll have to buy two zippers for the cushions on the chaise lounge, and then I'll have a whole new look for about $25. Yeah, I know I still have to do all the work, but I like to sew and I do love a bargain! I'm off now to prewash the fabric. Stay tuned for the results!