How to Make a Picture for the Home From Autumn Potpourri

You can use autumn potpourri to create beautiful pictures.

Potpourri comes in such a wide variety of colors and textures it can be a wonderful and versatile craft material. The golds, reds and oranges of autumn occur not just in leaves, but berries and seeds too. These lend themselves to abstract, landscape pictures which are simple to design, but can have a real impact. Follow basic guidelines to create an attractive picture, but do not be afraid to adapt or add to the design if a particular leaf or other piece of potpourri inspires you with its shape or color.

Things You'll Need

• A4 sheet of stiff, mustard yellow or orange matt card.
• Mixed autumn potpourri
• Several empty plates
• PVA glue
• Brush

Instructions

1. Lay the piece of card on a flat surface in landscape position. Draw a line straight across the card approximately 2 inches from the bottom. (As this is representing a scene from nature it does not matter if the line is not completely straight.) This line represents fields and flat earth,

2. Draw a gently curving line starting approximately 2/3 up the piece of card on the left and sloping down until it meets the straight line about 2/3 of the way across the page. This line represents one hill.

3. Draw a curving line starting approximately 2/3 up the piece of card on the right, sloping downwards until it meets the curving line. This line represents a second hill.

4. Draw a semi circle between the "V" where the two curved lines meet. This line represents the sun.

5. Separate the potpourri into five different basic shades: dark brown, light brown, red, orange and gold. Place each color on a separate plate.

6. Apply a layer of PVA glue with the brush in the space above the two curved lines of the hills and around the outside of the sun. Stick down pieces of the gold potpourri until this is entire space is filled in.

7. Apply a layer of PVA glue within the outline you have drawn for the sun and stick down red potpourri until the entire space is filled in.

8. Apply a layer of glue within the outline of the hill on the right hand side of the card and stick down orange potpourri until the entire space is filled in.

9. Apply a layer of PVA glue within the outline of the hill on the left hand side of the card and stick down light brown potpourri until the entire space is filled in.

10. Apply a layer of PVA glue under the straight line along the bottom of the page and stick down dark brown potpourri until the entire space is filled in. Leave the entire piece of card to dry. It will then be ready to frame and hang.

Tips & Warnings

• Look for shapes of potpourri that fit in well with the outlines you have drawn and work with those.

References

• BBC Home: Autumn