Ashbee Design: Pressed Leaves and Candles • A Pillar "Cuff"

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Pressed Leaves and Candles • A Pillar "Cuff"

I continue to explore ideas with the leaves I preserved from the magnificent fall crop this year. Over the last few days a made three leaf "cuffs" to go around my clear glass pillars with candles. I am very pleased with the results and have learned somethings along the way. Today, I'll share photos of the finished tablescape and tomorrow I'll post a detailed step-by-step tutorial.

I had been inspired by this project from Martha Stewart but I wanted to modify it in a significant way. In Martha's project she glues the leaves directly to the glass pillars. I have one set of tall glass pillars and I use them throughout the year.

Source: Martha Stewart

In Martha's project she glued the leaves directly to the glass pillars. I have one set of tall glass pillars and I use them throughout the year. If I glue fall leaves onto them then I will need to buy a new trio when I want them for a spring tablescape. I decided to work on creating a leaf "cuff" that can slide on, or slide off, be saved and reused next year or replaced with a different seasonal theme. The important concept is that I only have to purchase (and store!) one set of clear cylinders.

Using ModPodge and Saran wrap I have successfully made three cuffs that do indeed slide on and off. They are just a single ring of overlapping leaves so candle light shines through the foliage emphasizing the beautiful, rich autumn colors.

The selection of leaves I used in this project came from leaves that I pressed. These retained more natural color than did the ones I soaked in glycerine. The glycerine ones I used in my leaf bowl and although they were less brittle, they had all mellowed to an amber color. The pressed leaves retained some reds although no yellows.