Nature is a great place to get inspiration for the home. Currently home color trends are shifting to neutral and earthy hues with pops of bright color here and there. Bringing leaf motifs and other natural elements into interior design plans is also picking up steam. But I think the best feature of this trend is you can do a lot of decorating yourself without spending a ton.
One of my favorite things to do is go on nature walks and it's the best when I get to bring my niece and nephew along. We each get a bag and try to collect a sample of every leaf we like, odd shaped twigs, a handful of acorns or any other little treasure that strikes our fancy. Then we go home and glue our collection to a large piece of art paper.
Now this craft project isn't terribly durable and it's probably not something you'd want to base an interior decorating project on but there is a really exciting twist to this that can be used to decorate.
NaturePrint Paper has been around since the late 1970s and can be found online or at many craft and art supply stores. These blue sheets of sun-sensitive paper can turn an afternoon nature hike into fabulous works of art that, when hung in a group, look great in the home.
Of course you don't need kids to do this project, its just as fun for adults, but if you have little ones you'll know that including them in household decisions and letting them have an influence on their home environment can really be rewarding for everyone.
You'll first have to collect items to use on your prints. Leaves are an obvious choice and, like I said, they go really well with the newer trends in interior decorating. But why not try something different, something unexpected. How about a puffy white dandelion? Or cut an object to give it a more intricate appearance. A bisected slice of a shell is much more interesting on NaturePrint than a whole shell. The same can be said about a pinecone. Maybe your art sense is a little more abstract and you'd rather collect pebbles to make a unique pattern.
Once you've collected your items bring them inside. Lay your NaturePrint paper on a piece of stiff cardboard or a cookie sheet, something that you can pick up and move with your items on top without losing them.
Then you get to be creative and figure out your designs. A simple leaf in the center, especially one that's just veins, is really attractive, but sort of predictable. Have fun and come up with ideas that are just your own. This is the time to let your mind and the kid's wander.
Once you've decided on your pattern cover the entire thing with plastic wrap or glass and carefully take it outside. Expose your art project to the sun for somewhere between 15 seconds and 2 minutes. (Read the instructions thoroughly to see what works best for your artifacts.) Then cover everything and bring it inside.
Soak the sheet of paper in water for one minute to set the picture and let it dry flat. Voila! You've got a great little family art project that looks great in the home.
Give it a little extra touch and glue your treasures to the frame or matting to really create a visual treat.
