How to Make a Leaf Rubbing Card

Making leaf rubbings is a nice way to celebrate autumn with the kids. The rubbings also make an attractive decoration for the front of a holiday greeting card. This craft project is so simple that many older children can do it independently. Have your kids make several of these cards to send to grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins for Thanksgiving. This card would also make a lovely gift for your child's teacher. You don't have to wait until fall to start this project. The best time to do it is when the leaves are green.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Printer paper
• Construction paper
• Crayons
• Glue stick

1. 

   Gather some leaves which have an interesting texture and shape. Favor leaves such as maple, which are flat and heavily veined. Select leaves of as many different shapes and sizes as possible. The leaves don't have to be perfect, but make sure they're mostly intact. Avoid leaves that are dry or crumbly.

2. 

   Remove the paper from several crayons. For a traditional leaf rubbing, choose colors such as red, orange, yellow and brown. For a more creative leaf rubbing, select colors such as blue, purple and pink.

3. 

   Lay a leaf on a piece of printer paper. Place another piece of printer paper on top of the leaf. Put the crayon down on the paper over the leaf with the long edge parallel to your work surface. Rub up and down firmly over the paper. Begin to work the crayon into any depressions in the leaf. Pay particular attention to the areas right near the center vein. Rub the stem as well.

4. 

   Fold a piece of 9-by-12 inch construction paper in half. Cut out the leaf rubbings with scissors. Use the actual leaf as a guide if you can't see the edges of the rubbings clearly.

5. 

   Turn the leaf rubbings over on a clean piece of paper. Apply a glue stick to the back side. Transfer the rubbings to the front of the construction paper card. Arrange them carefully in a bouquet of leaves.

6. 

   Go around the edge of each leaf rubbing with a crayon of a contrasting color. Be sure to surround the stems as well. Write a holiday greeting on the front in crayon, and place a personal message inside the card.

Tips & Warnings

• For best results, pick leaves directly off of a live tree.

• Purchase cheap crayons you won't mind unwrapping at back-to-school sales.

• You may need to make an envelope to fit this oversized holiday card.