Autumn Crown Tutorial

My daughters collect so many leaves that I decided I needed to do something crafty with them.

I saw a tutorial for this leaf crown on line two years ago, before Pinterest, and I didn't bookmark the link (or if I did I can't find it in the mess of my bookmarks now), so I'm sorry that I can't give credit to the original crafter for the idea.

All you need are leaves. Plain and simple, right? The leaves cannot be thoroughly dried or else they will crack and crumble when they are folded.

Here are the steps:

1. Collect at least a dozen leaves outside. They can be all one colour, or for a more colourful crown, collect a variety of leaf types.

2. Start with one leaf. Fold it in half, with the stem at the side, so that you have the symmetrical points of the leaf touching each other.

3. Fold another leaf the same way.

4. Use the stem from the second folded leaf to poke two holes just above the line of symmetry of the first leaf.

5. Weave the stem of the second leaf in and out of the punched holes in the first leaf.

6. Once the third leaf is added there should be enough of the third stem to weave through the first leaf to make the crown sturdier.

7. Follow steps two to six for each leaf you add to the crown, until the circumference of the crown is large enough to fit over the prince or princess's head.

8. Weave the stem of the very first leaf through the last leaf added to secure the crown into a circular shape. Be sure to have the ends of the stems on the inside of the crown for a smooth outside.

9. If the leaf is too damp leave it to dry before using.

10. Place the leaf crown on the autumn prince or princess. Voila!

When the leaves become too dry and crumbly, just put them back outside, or better yet throw them into a compost container or garden.