Natural Crafting
Updated: Apr 23, 2022
Written by: Anita Avedian, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Have you ever wanted to bring a bit of nature into your space, but you don’t have a green thumb? Do you want to express your creative side while capturing nature? If so, try the following fun project to make a small leaf cup, bowl, or plate.
What you will need:
Take a walk in your local park and try to find a leaf that calls to you. Find a soft and flexible leaf about the size of your hand. If the leaf is hard and brittle, it’ll break. Select several options in different shapes and colors in case breakage occurs.
Take a trip to your local craft store to purchase air-dry clay and a few acrylic paints of your choice. I recommend selecting natural colors and a metallic color, such as gold, to decorate and accent the edges of the item you decide to make. If you don’t already have a variety of paint brushes at home, be sure to buy some.
Other recommended items include a rolling pin, paring knife or similar kind of knife, plastic wrap, and tape. Once you have all your materials, you will be ready to begin the craft.
Materials Needed:
Flexible hand size leaf
Air dry clay
Acrylic paint(s)
Paint brushes
Rolling pin or similar (can)
Paring knife/ or similar (small knife)
Plastic wrap
Water
A small cup, bowl, or plate
Tape (optional)
What you will do:
Clean your workspace area to start. Organize the materials so they are easily accessible. Also, have a small cup of water nearby which will be used to smooth the clay.
Take the clay and rolling pin: flatten the clay with a rolling pin to a thin sheet, about 1 centimeter in thickness.
Lay your leaf onto the clay with the ridges of the leaf faced down into the clay.
Roll the leaf into the clay, lightly, to leave an impression in the clay. Rolling it with too much strength may thin the clay too much.
Take a paring knife to cut the outline of the leaf as close to the edge as you can.
Gently remove the leaf from the clay. Be careful not to push too hard when removing the leaf.
Dip your finger into some water and smooth the edges of the clay.
Take a bowl, cup, or plate that has a similar curve that you want for your leaf craft.
Cover the bowl, cup, or plate with some plastic wrap, making it as flat as possible without any wrinkles. If need be, tape the plastic wrap on the side of the clay.
Place the clay with the leaf print down onto the non-wrinkled covered bowl, cup, or plate and leave the clay to dry and harden.
Once the clay is dry, you can paint the bowl with the acrylic and metallic colors. I recommend using the metallic paint on the edge of the leaf or item you created. You can use a small brush to paint the veins of the leaf for more detail.
This is a great activity for beginner crafters. You can do this on your own, with kids, friends, or a significant other. Happy Crafting!!
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Anita Avedian, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Anita Avedian is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (License # MFC 38403) and has been practicing psychotherapy since 1996. She is the Executive Director of Avedian Counseling Center and has offices in Sherman Oaks, Glendale, Woodland Hills, and Pasadena. Her specialties include working with relationships, anger, social anxiety, general anxiety, and addictions. She also has been certified in Thought Field Therapy (TFT) and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), both of which she integrates into her practice.
Outside of therapy, Anita offers a monthly anger management certification program to counselors. Anger Management Essentials is an approved National Anger Management Association (NAMA) model, which is used for anger management certification. Moreover, Anita is an Authorized NAMA Trainer and Anger Management Supervisor for certifying anger management specialists. She authored Anger Management Essentials, a workbook for aggression, which has been translated into Spanish, Armenian, and Hebrew, as well as the teen’s workbook which has been translated into Spanish. Anita is the co-Founder of ShrinkSync, the app for therapists; the California Chapter of the NAMA, which is the California Chapter of Anger Management Providers; and the Founder of Toastmasters for Mental Health Professionals.
