DIY Autumn Leaf Bowl

As autumn draws in we thought we would share this lovely DIY autumn leaf bowl from blog.consumercraft.com 

I’ve seen this project on Pinterest for years:  use Mod Podge and artificial leaves to make a decorative leaf bowl.  I even pinned the project last year with the idea to try it myself.  With fall around the corner, it seemed like the perfect time to test out this project.  Would it work?  Was it as easy as Pinterest made it look?  Armed with Mod Podge, leaves, and tons of advice left by commenters on the original post, I was ready to test this extremely popular pin and make my own decorative leaf bowl.

What you will need:

• Artificial Leaves
• Plastic Bowl
• Modge Podge Matte
• Krylon Triple Thick Glaze
• Plastic Wrap

Step 1- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Step 2- Paint Mod Podge onto a leaf, and press the leaf onto the bowl.  Repeat with various leaves, overlapping the leaves as you go.  As you layer and press the leaves onto each other, excess Mod Podge will squeeze out.  Just brush that over the outside of the leaves.  Continue until the base is covered and half the sides are covered with leaves.

Step 3- Because the leaves are not flat, they kept popping up and sliding around a bit.  To hold them in place while the Mod Podge set, I covered the wet leaves with more plastic wrap.  I pressed on the plastic wrap to smooth out the leaves and help them stick together.  I placed the covered leaves in the sun for about 4 hours, then I carefully removed the outer layer of plastic wrap and let the leaves dry completely.  You could probably leave the plastic wrap on while they dry, but it will extend the drying time considerably.

Step 4- When the leaves were completely dry, I sprayed them with an application of Krylon Triple Thick Glaze.  Mod Podge tends to be slightly tacky when it dries, so the glaze helps cover up the stickiness.  Also, the leaves are still very pliable, and I thought the glaze would make them a little firmer and help the leaves adhere better.

Step 5- When the glaze is dry, carefully take the leaves and plastic wrap off the bowl.  Carefully peel back the plastic wrap from the inside of the leaf bowl.

This DIY leaf bowl is lovely, don’t you think?  It would make a gorgeous addition to a side table or coffee table.  It is very lightweight and pliable, so you can’t fill it with anything heavy, but it would look cute with some artificial acorns inside. You could add some scented pot pourri to the bowl and use it to brighten up a room.

To see the original blog post and more fantastic crafty ideas visit blog.consumer craft.com