Leaf Art with Ink

 Hello Crafty Friends

The fall season has made a brilliant appearance in the Upper Midwest this year, 2026.   I don't recall in my lifetime seeing so many rich colors and many on one tree!

The day I filmed this was just about peak for the colors, and today its the kind of weather no one really dreams of - foggy, cooler temps, and nearly all the leaves on the ground.

Its a perfect day to craft a few of those leaves into permanent prints.

Supplies: 

A leaf - I used a real maple leaf but you could use a silk leave, or a leaf from a succulent plant.  

watercolor paper

watercolor pencils

clean water

ink 

paintbrush - (like from a kids' paint set) 

Optional: stamps for background, white gel pen, gel medium or mod podge

INSTRUCTIONS:
Using your watercolor pencil, trace around your leaf, then color in the background with the watercolor pencil. Let Dry

With your choice of ink, cover the back of the leaf, especially the veins, with ink

Press your inked leaf down on the open space pressing every corner down.  Lift.  You should have a leaf print in the space.

If you print does not show, add a bit of water to the leaf area, and again to the leaf.  

Press it down again, remembering that it will be wet.  Move the ink around by tipping the paper and set aside to dry.  

Add text to background

Add splatters with white gel ink

To seal for mailing as a post card: Apply a layer of gel medium or mod podge 

Try this technique with a variety of leaves.  I'll try a succulent plant leaf or an African Violet Leaf next.

If you make leaf prints with this technique I'd love to see them - post them over at Instagram

card.connoisseur

Watch this video at My YouTube Channel

Thanks for stopping by. Be Blessed! sb

FAN BRUSH FLOWERS

 Hello Crafty Friends -

I've been dabbling in liquid ink and watercolor paper.   I've been practicing leaves and petals.  Yes, practice, practice, practice.

SUPPLIES:

liquid ink, watercolor paper, fan brush, watercolor pencils, stamps for background (optional)

Visit my YouTube Channel here.  Hit the "like" and "subscribe"  -   Thank you!

Fan Brush Flowers with Ink

See the finished prints here:

Fan Brush Flowers - Finished

I'd love to see your prints.  You can post them over here: 

Instagram

Thanks for stopping by!  Go Get Creative! sb

October 1 World Postcard Day

World Postcard Day (October 1st)

Are postcards lost to internet use? A century ago a postcard was sent to let family “back East” know you arrived or that all was well. Often you’d see a family portrait on a post card. 

https://worldpostcardday.com/

In the 1960s when our family went on Summer Vacation, the first thing we looked for we're postcards, 5/$1.00.  We sent one home or to a friend or brought them back for our scrapbooks. The best was a photo collage of all the scenic views you could never capture in your Brownie camera. 

October 1 is upon us - its #World Postcard Day

Here's the simple process to making a post card with water and ink on watercolor paper. 

Use an oval birch tree die or other open tree design, watercolor paper postcards, and liquid ink

*using a stencil as your guide, add ink with a paint brush in the open spaces, keeping in mind the amount of water will cause the ink to run where you might not want it. Let dry completely 

                                                

*with a piece of broccoli, dab it in green ink, then dab it in the area you might want leaves; birch tree leaves are small, so in the size of these trees, the leaves don’t have to be specific

OR

*Outline the tree shapes with a drawing pen before adding the ink

OR

*use low tack tape to strip off areas that become the birch trees  

*to make a sun, place a circle of white crayon or clear wax crayon where you want it to be

*add the ink to the background

*when the ink is completely dry, remove the tape

*with an art pen draw short lines to mimic the bark of a birch tree

*If you want to protect the print from water damage either through the mail or to preserve it, cover it with Mod Podge, white glue or Matte Medium - they all dry clear.

So since it’s #World PostCard Day, I’m sending out a few. Check your mailbox.

Thanks for stopping by! Be blessed!sb

GROCERY BAG - Make 3 Projects

 

With a flat bottom grocery bag, make these 3 projects:

+ roll of paper for note taking or a prayer circle list

+ FOUR pages for a journal

+ File Box or Bag 

The File Bag is what I made first, out of necessity.  I know that I can go to any craft supply store and buy a 12x12 plastic hinged box for such a need, but this file bag is readily available, folds flat for storage, is reusable and recyclable, not to mention it cost me nothing!

I usually have several projects going at once and wanted to corral all the file folders, patterns and die cuts in one place. Thus I cut the bag to use in this way.   Standard size file folders fit perfectly in this size bag, 12" x 5-7".  I put a firm piece of cardboard in the bottom for strength and shape, plus it folds flat when not in use.  I love that I can grab one off the shelf or even out of the bookcase to use for a temporary file bag when needed.

Click on the link below for video instructions on my YouTube Channel. Watch other Paper Bag projects and paper crafting techniques.

card connoisseur susan boback    

Thanks for stopping by!   Be Blessed! sb