Paper Mache Palm Leaves
4 Materials
$13.50
3 Hours
Easy
Add a touch of tropics to a room or themed party with these floral wire and paper mache palm leaves.
MATERIALS:
STEP1: Cut your floral wire into several pieces. You will need one long one for the center stem, and several pieces in ascending lengths to create the "veins" of the leaf.
STEP 2: Twist the "vein" wires around the center stem securing them in place starting with the smallest wire at the top and ending with the largest at the bottom.
STEP 3: Once all the veins are securely placed on the main stem, place the completed wire piece on top of several (6-8) sheets of brown craft paper or newspaper and trace the shape of you leaf around the wires. Cut the shape out. (Make sure you have several layers cut out)
STEP 4: Now take your bottle of glue and pour it into a bowl and mix it with equal parts water.
STEP 5: Take a layer of your leaf cutout and cover it with your glue mixture. Lay another layer on top of this one and press them together. Repeat with 3-4 layers. Set your wire shape on top of these glued layers.
STEP 6: Take your other paper cutouts and coat them with glue placing them on top of the wire shape and the glued layers from step 5. This will encase the wire between the cutout layers. Press them together. *Special Note: Upon reflection STEP 9 may have been easier to incorporate with this step. You can simply place the dowel next to the stem before placing the glue filled layers on top. This will seal the dowel and the wire in at the same time.
STEP 7: Allow the glue to dry. (2 different shapes pictured)
STEP 8: Now use spray paint or craft paint to paint the leaves and the wooden dowel. Allow to dry.
STEP 9: Place a dowel next to the stem at the bottom and feed a portion of it through the layers of paper. Take another piece of floral wire and wrap it around the dowel and the stem securing them together. This will help the stem to support the weight of the leaves. (If you are simply hanging the leaves you do not necessarily need this. You could simply hang them from the wire stem, however if you plan to have the leaves standing upright in a vase this will help create sturdiness.)
STEP 10: Once the paint has dried simply take a small paintbrush and add "vein" details throughout the leaf in an appropriate color.
STEP 11: Now simply hang your leaves where you would like or place them in a tall vase and there you go! A touch of the tropics!
(Without the wooden dowel they are more capable of hanging with ease)
Comments
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2 of 31 comments
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So cool!
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Genius!! I love to make stuff and always enjoy looking at it afterwards and know I made it.
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