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The warm colors of autumn make it the perfect season for handmade decor. Natural materials, like leaves, branches, and acorns make for classic yet compelling subjects – especially with the addition of a little creativity.
This project uses gold and gray craft paint to embellish simple paper leaves. The result is a simple, but modern looking piece of artwork that adds a touch of wistful autumn spirit to its surroundings.
I used paper leaves because here in Austin we aren’t blessed with much colorful foliage this time of year. Paper leaves are also a bit easier to work with and come in bright, predictable colors!
If you have them handy, I highly encourage the use of natural leaves for this project. They do tend to be a little more fragile, but their natural beauty is utterly magical and totally worth the extra effort.
If you are using natural leaves, try to pick ones that are thick, small, and sturdy as they will be the easiest to work with.
Autumn Leaf Mobile
Materials
- 1 10-inch wooden embroidery hoop
- 1 skein cream/gold yarn
- 1 spool cream colored embroidery thread
- Eight leaves (real or paper)
- Gold craft paint
- Gray craft paint
- 1 wooden bead
- 1 3m Command™ Small or Medium Wire Toggle Hook (or Command™ Ceiling Hook)
Directions
- Paint the tips of your leaves with gray and gold paint. I used gold on half of my leaves and gray on the others.
- Wrap embroidery hoop tightly with yarn. Start by fastening a tight knot to the hoop, then wrap the yarn tightly around the hoop, finishing with a second knot at the end.
- When the paint on your leaves has dried, use a mini hole punch to punch two holes in the top of each leaf. If you are using natural leaves (or fragile paper), place a tiny piece of clear tape over the area before punching your holes.
- Cut pieces from the spool of thread in the following lengths: 28″, 25″, 22″, 19″, 16″, 13″, 10″, and 7″. (8 total.) Tie one end of each thread to a leaf.
- Tie the other ends of the strings to the hoop at 3″ intervals. Snip off any extra thread from the mobile.
- Cut 3 20″ pieces of thread from the spool. Tie the threads to the hoop at 8″ intervals, spacing them as evenly as you can. Thread the ends of these threads together through the wooden bead and tie a loose knot to bind them together.
I used 3m Command™ Brand Hooks to hang my mobile. This was a really perfect brand for me to partner with since I truly do use their products all the time.
I love how 3m Command™ Brand Hooks and Strips allow me to re-invent my decor without damaging my walls. This way, I can change up decor for every season, or whenever the mood strikes me.
If I’m feeling creative and I want to craft up a new piece of wall art, a seasonal garland, or feature a favorite photo, I can quickly re-position anything on the wall to make room. Using damage-free 3m Command™ Brand products makes switching up my home’s look an easy and painless process.
The best part? No spackle, no touch-up paint, no damaged walls!
To Hang
- Choose a spot to hang your mobile. I used the outer edge of a floating shelf to suspend my mobile over a dresser. Use a wall hook to hang it as I’ve shown here, or use a ceiling hook to suspend your mobile from the ceiling.( Keep in mind that 3m Command™ Brand Hooks work best on smooth, finished indoor surfaces. )
- Clean the area you wish to place your 3m Command™ Brand Hook and adhere it to the surface using these instructions from 3m.
- You may need to wiggle the bead up and down a little in order to make sure your mobile is level. Adjust as needed, then enjoy!
I shopped for this project at my local Target. Truth be told, a good deal of our autumn decor was not made by hand, but in fact purchased at Target. Their seasonal stuff is dangerously cute. You can find a huge assortment of 3m Command™ Brand Hooks and Strips in the home improvement section at Target.
How are you decorating your home for autumn? I’d love to see what you are working on! Share your photos with me by email, or by tagging @MaryMakesGood on social media.
Need some ideas for dressing up your place? For more great content, please visit CreateWithCommand.com.