Tutorial Tuesday: Botanical Art

It seems to be ages since I posted a tutorial, but this project is perfect because it is free (if you already have frames laying around) and easy!

At the end of summer, my sister and three nieces and one nephew came for a visit.  I live in a magical forest and we went on a nature hike, collecting leaves, flowers, and ferns.  When we got back to my cabin, we pressed them between sheets of wax paper inside thick books.  There they stayed, nicely preserved, until I decided to use them for this project yesterday.

First, I printed several vintage, fancy script, postcards from the Graphics Fairy onto a creamy cardstock.  Then, I used Modge Podge to adhere the leaves to the paper.  I also painted a layer of Modge Podge over the entire surface to protect the delicate leaves.

I wanted the paper to look aged, so I used a glaze to give it a nice, old patina.  I just brushed it on in a circular motion and rubbed it off with a paper towel.

These two 8x10" frames were $1.50 each at a thrift shop and I have had them sitting in a box of frames that I primered, but never painted.  They started out a pewter color.

I looked through my craft paint and, appropriately, selected a color called moss green to paint the frames.    I rubbed on some glaze after I painted them to give them an aged patina too.

For the finishing touch I added antique gold rub 'n buff along all the edges of the frames.

That is all it took to create some beautiful and unique, botanical wall art!  You can do this easy project using whatever leaves and flowers grow outside your house.

I had so much fun making these and it brought back fond memories of this summer and our nature hike through the magical forest.

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