Rustic Framed Leaf Tutorial

Now that I'm taking down my Halloween decorations, I've been trying to figure out how I want to decorate the house for fall. I live in an area where I'm lucky enough to be able to experience the leaves changing, so why not bring that inside?

To create these rustic framed leaves, you will need:
- printer paper (one per leaf)
- frames (these two came from Dollar Tree)
- a cup of strong coffee (can be made from that mornings grounds - you're not drinking it, after all)
- paintbrush
- glue stick (Mod Podge would probably work great too)
- leaves


Place your paper on a hard surface that won't be stained and can easily be wiped down. Dip your paintbrush into the coffee and begin heavily painting the coffee onto the paper. As I wet down the paper, I encouraged creasing to give it more of an "aged" look.

 I left the paper to dry and headed outside to gather my leaves. One coat of the coffee gives it a slight tent. To give the paper more character, add another coat of coffee after it dries. If it will be a little time before you can apply the leaves to your paper, press them in a book to prevent them from curling.

I then whipped out my glue stick and applied a layer to the back of my leaf. Carefully, I center it over my paper and press it firmly.

All that is left is to trim up the paper so it is the appropriate size and then insert it into the frame.

Feel free to ask if you have any questions!