We bought a photo-rich wildflower guide (25 cents) this weekend. Since had to take our old sideboard to my mom's shed, the kids and I took a nature walk behind her house.
It was too hard to juggle the field guide in the field, so we picked a few leaves to study later.
I flattened these leaves between paper towels overnight. (Martha Stewart would
press and preserve the proper way, but you know I opt for the quick-mom solution!)
The prints inside these frames were ruined, so my mom passed them along to me. The mounted leaves will hang on our dining room wall. You can reuse any yard sale frame for this; it's easy to find leaves to fit. Several framed leaves give the wall a living, graphic feel--for free!
It was too hard to juggle the field guide in the field, so we picked a few leaves to study later.
I flattened these leaves between paper towels overnight. (Martha Stewart would press and preserve the proper way, but you know I opt for the quick-mom solution!)
The prints inside these frames were ruined, so my mom passed them along to me. The mounted leaves will hang on our dining room wall. You can reuse any yard sale frame for this; it's easy to find leaves to fit. Several framed leaves give the wall a living, graphic feel--for free!
11 comments:
Great idea!
That is too cute! Educational, decorative and free! Gotta like that!!
I just wanted to let you know, in case you go to the same spot again, that the plan in the background of the first picture looks like Mayapple, which is poisonous. So don't let the kids pick any green fruit, or leaves or stems - the YELLOW, ripe fruit is edible though!
Mama Says
Oh, I see Mayapples...we've got those too. Hey, maybe you could help me out with your guide. I've got a few mystery plants posted on my blog.
Mama Says is very helpful with safety warnings! Tnanks for the information. :)
Wow, I LOVE this! I flatten the first flowers (weeds?) in my phone book every spring, but I have never kept them for myself. I am going to consider framing some. :)
You are a great mommy, teacher, and decorator!
A clever way of making your pickings more permanent is to take your leaves to a copy center and make a color copy of them. "Curious Sofa" had the even more clever idea of copying the fauna with an antique page behind it. Tres Chic!
I just love your ideas, and refer to your pix often. Thanks for the pleasure you bring.
Martha
P.S. I forgot to say that you then frame your color copy.
Martha
Alexandra,
If you had boys anything like MY boys, you'd know safety warnings for everything too LOL!
Mama Says
Milehighmama,thanks for the warning. I grew up in these woods and know the plants, but they're all new to the kids.
Martha, photocopying the leaves is a great idea! My frames are slightly larger than a legal size sheet of paper, though, so I suspect it is cheaper to press for this project. Also, I like the 3 dimensional look of the real leaf, even if it doesn't last as long.
We can press new leaves every year!
i think it looks wonderful!
I remember seeing this post awhile ago and finally found it. How stunning the pictures look in a group on your wall. Very beautiful!
I do have a question on whether or not you know how long these will last framed?
Thanks for such a great idea we have tons of woods to get some treasures in.
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