100 Days of Leaf Art - Week 11

 Week 11: Exploring New Techniques

With confidence growing, I explore even more with my supplies and mediums. Through playing with supplies on the surface you begin to see what works for you, and where you need to stretch yourself further. 

I experiment with mixed media—adding decorated paper, watercolor washes, or creating clusters with my stitched and burned designs.

Pushing beyond my comfort zone keeps the project exciting. Even if a new technique doesn’t work perfectly, it leads me to fresh ideas.

Creative Tip: Try adding a new material—paint, embroidery floss, or metallic ink—to elevate your designs. Keep an open mind and see where the process leads.

Encouragement: Growth comes from exploration. Step beyond what feels familiar and discover new possibilities.

Expand your skills: My Leaf Arts course covers creative ways to enhance your leaf art.

---

100 Days of Leaf Art - Week 11

Want to learn more?

Join me in my Leaf Arts - Transforming Nature into Art course for guided lessons on leaf art techniques! 

Come and join us on the course and learn to create your own beautifully designed leaves!

100 Days of Leaf Art - Week 2 - Finding Inspiration in Nature

Week 2: Finding Inspiration in Nature

Welcome to Week 2 of the 100 Days of Leaf Arts.  Nature is an endless source of inspiration. The veins of a leaf, the curves of a petal, and the textures of bark all hold artistic potential. As I continue this project, I let nature be my guide - observing patterns and translating them into designs burned, stitched and woven onto leaves.

I spend time daily in nature observing the changes, and seeing what inspires me. The natural world offers limitless motifs, from the flowing lines of vines to the intricate spirals found in flower centers. Even shadows and light filtering through trees provide inspiration for contrast and depth in my designs.

Creative Tip: Take a sketchbook outside and draw the natural patterns you see. These can become references for future designs. Try rubbing leaves with charcoal or pencils to create imprints you can use later.

Encouragement: When in doubt, look around you. Nature is the best teacher! Trust that creativity will emerge naturally when you engage with your environment.

Join the journey: The Leaf Arts course teaches techniques to bring nature’s patterns to life on dried leaves and so much more.

Want to learn more?

Join me in my Leaf Arts - Transforming Nature into Art course for guided lessons on leaf art techniques! 

Come and join us on the course and learn to create your own beautifully designed leaves!

Transforming Nature into Art - Leaf Arts Course

 Transforming Nature into Art - Leaf Arts Online Course

I am pleased to share my latest online course working creatively on dried leaves.

Leaf Arts - Transforming Nature into Art is a course that takes you through all the creative stages of working on your dried leaves.

Weaving on leaves

We take our time to slow stitch, weave, crochet, paint and create some amazing wood burning effects on the surface of the leaves. It is available at a discounted price until the 15th February, check out the course and see what you think. 

Slow Stitching on Leaves

There are also a range of bonuses for you to access on the course.

Burning Designs onto leaves

I am looking forward to welcoming you into the course community.

Check out the course HERE

Mixed Media Art Leaves - Fodder Challenge

I am excited to share that Monday 7th October is my day for sharing my lesson on Fodder Challenge. I am working with dried leaves, and I share how you can alter them and create mini pieces of art.

You will see how I paint, stitch, stamp and use a range of different supplies on the leaves.

Here are some of my painted leaves.  I will be sharing on Instagram over the next few days the work that the students create, so be prepared to be inspired.  Join us HERE or check out the #fodderchallenge 

Here are leaves that have been painting and circles cut in them as decoration.

If you are not part of the Fodder challenge, why not do some experimenting on some leaves and see how you get on. I do love slow stitching on the leaves and depending on the kind of leaf you select you will find that some are thicker than others, so they are sturdier and handle better, see what you can find, there is a wide selection to choose from.

You can also check out my new course that is available at the Early Bird price, all about Leaf Arts and what you can do on them. We go into detail about working with them and I share additional techniques for working with them. 

Check out the Leaf Arts Course HERE

Before You Go

Get your FREE Art Papers in the Arts Resource Hub for October

Fodder Challenge Starting Soon!!

Fodder Challenge is Coming

I’m excited to share that for my session in the upcoming Fodder Challenge, I’ll be diving into a project all about creating and embellishing leaves! Using supplies you probably already have in your creative space, 

I’ll show you how to decorate these leaves in fun, unique ways. I’ve had such a great time working with them, and adding stitches and embroidery has made them even more enjoyable. I can’t wait to share these techniques with you!

The Fodder Challenge kicks off on October 1st, and I’ll be participating along with other amazing teachers. I’m looking forward to trying out their projects too and sharing what I create using their lessons. It’s always so rewarding to learn new techniques from fellow artists!

And, as if that wasn’t enough, Fodder School 4 is also just around the corner! In my lesson for the school, I’ll be showing you how to make beautiful fabric fodder. 

We’ll be painting, stamping, stenciling, and experimenting with fabric to create clusters and mini wall hangings. It’s going to be so much fun, and I can’t wait to explore these creative techniques with you.

Ready to join in the fun?
Check out the Fodder Challenge HERE and Fodder School 4 HERE.

Let’s get creative together!

Fodder School 4 - Exciting News!!

 Exciting News - I will be teaching in Fodder School 4!!

What is Fodder School?

Fodder school is a year long online mixed media event. Each month a new teacher provides a project creating collage fodder and using it.

In my Fodder School class, I will be sharing ways you can have fun playing with the supplies you have and show you how to create some unique fabric fodder that expresses your creativity.

I will share ideas and tips for writing, doodling, stamping, stenciling on your fabrics to create amazing, patterned fabric sheets which you can further cut, layer, and stitch together to create even more dynamic fabric fodder clusters.

In Use Fodder I will then show you how to combine the fabric fodder, and clusters you have created with decorative stitching and beading to create small wall hangings.

Fodder Challenge

The year kicks off on 1st October with a month of short projects from each teacher called Fodder School Challenge. I will be sharing with you some exciting ways to embellish dried leaves. Fodder Challenge gives you a taste of each teacher and their work. 

You can sign up for just the Fodder Challenge or take in both and experience a full year of amazing lessons.

You can visit  willawanders.com to find out more and take advantage of the early bird price!  

Podcast News

Wendy recently interviewed me, you can hear it on her podcast “Show up or Shut up”  

We had such a rich conversation about creative practices using art as a therapeutic tool and so much more!  You can find the link to the episode HERE, or listen on your favorite podcast app.

I am so looking forward to sharing my lessons and having you join us!!

Crochet Decorated Leaves - Creating with Nature

 

Here is the latest design that I have created on my Sea Grape leaves.  

I have used crochet around the outside of a leaf.  This is the center piece for a leaf that had been cut.

I find crocheting around the larger leaves a bit easier and I really like experimenting with the designs using different techniques to bring out the beauty in the leaves.

I later used my woodburning tool to create additional markings on the surface of the leaf.

I hope you enjoy.  

Slow Stitched Leaves

Check out the video below where I show you how I would slow stitch on a dried leaf.

Additional Resources

Check out the latest resources in the Art Resource Hub