bookprint leaf garland DIY

This bookprint leaf garland DIY is the perfect back to school fall decor project. I’m sharing it from the archives today, since I am ready to dig it out and start sprinkling more fall decor goodness around the house.

a bit of a back story…

Lexi, my daughter, aka Miss Masterpiece, has been back to school for 2 weeks now.  So while she’s hitting the books in a new world, from home, behind her computer, I thought I would create a project to honor the current situation.

I have to admit I was very disappointed she started her year 100% remotely.  I was stressed, and I did not understand how it was all going to function.  It made me sad that she was missing out on so many great experiences of her Junior year in high school.  BUT I have to add that she’s happy with her classes & schedule, pleased with her teachers and seems to have adapted quite well to the situation.  I guess when all your friends and classmates are all doing the same thing it does not feel as odd or wrong.  I am very proud of her.

You can read about my sentiments on the onset of this strange 2020 school year here {current mood}.  I feel better now; I understand a bit more; I am appreciative of all the efforts from her teachers and the people behind them {staff, administration, district, etc.}, who are all working really hard to make this happen in the best way possible.  Nobody wants this; nobody asked for this; nobody is pleased this is the way it is for now.  But everyone wants to get back to a new normal as soon as possible.

We will all get through this.  Consequently, I wanted to create something that would remind me of this very different school year so I created this leaf garland from book pages.  It will forever remind me of these unprecedented times when every year as fall creeps in I will bring it out while kids head back to school.  It will be a reminder to appreciate and be grateful for all the things we DO have.

the “how to” of a bookprint leaf garland DIY

To create the garland I started by looking at a few different examples and tutorials on-line. This is how I chose to create my own version of a bookprint leaf garland, and I hope it inspires you to make a similar project.  I used five different leaf shapes in variating sizes, which you can see below.  I cut the different shapes from pages from books I pick up at thrift stores.

My garland is 6 feet long. I cut out about 12 leaves of each shape so that equals around a total of sixty leaves.  I also used different edged scissors to cut out the different designs to add more detail and interest, but this is not necessary.  If you only have regular scissors that’s totally fine.  I also inked the edges of some of the leaves to add some depth, using ink stamp pads. You could also use acrylic paint {sparingly} or dark wax to add depth to the edges.

To adhere the leaves to the twine and each other, I used a combination of tacky glue and scotch tape. I overlapped the leaves and sort of felt my way as I went along.  There is no right or wrong way here; it’s more of a preference thing. Like I said you sort of feel your way as you go.  Put on a good song or intersting show on your TV or computer and crank it out assembly line style.

a bookprint leaf garland fall styling

The garland adorns the front hall mirror, draped loosely and creating a fall vignette to welcome all that come through the door.  I found these white sunflowers and fell in love with them as soon as I saw them.  Don’t get me wrong, I like traditional sunny yellow sunflowers, but these just caught my eye right away.  They felt like farmer’s market flowers rather than grocery store flowers, which is where I found them.  I paired them with white Gerber daisies and white berries, keeping the palette very neutral.

The brown bottles with French labels, which I created a few years ago, and the tree bark planter compliment the fall feels. Plus the green Santos bust, sprinkled with some acorns for good measure {wink} round out the vignette. Here are some of the tried and true pointers I use in styling the foyer {how to decorate a spring foyer}.  

I feel like I am more ready for Fall this year, more so than in years past. Usually, I hold onto summer as long as I can.  I don’t know if it’s the pandemic, the unbearable hot weather, the wildfires across California, plus the myriad of other odd things circulating around our lives, but I am ready to move forward and get into the Holidays, which will hopefully bring joyful times for everyone.

I am ready for pumpkins, and jack-o-lanterns, and turkeys and Christmas trees.  How about you?  Are you holding onto summer or flipping the page to Fall {no pun intended} !?

I have a few more fall crafts I will be sharing this year, which are coming your way really soon. Plus you will see how I use this bookprint leaf garland DIY in our home this year for fall decor.

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

Arthur Ashe

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sharing @ between naps on the porch