Make a poem garland

Make a poem garland by creating a string of painted leaves.

You’ll need:

• Ten pieces of thick paper, around postcard size. The ones used here are 97mm x 130mm (4inch x 5inch) Bockingford 190gsm
• Paints or coloured pencils or crayons
• An ink pen
• An awl or hole punch
• String
• Scissors
• A sheet of copy paper for trying out words

Step by step:

Write down ten words that describe the season. What can you see around you? Concentrate on your senses. Make each word count.

Draw the outlines of leaves on each of the ten pieces of paper. You could use a tree identification book so that your leaves are true to nature, or search online for stylised shapes. Make sure there’s enough room for your words to fit inside the leaf shape….if you have a long word, draw a large leaf!

Carefully write out each word on to the corresponding leaf.

Then add colour around the outside, with paint or crayons or pencils.

You could choose to change the shade as you go along…

….as leaves change from green to brown.

Use the awl to prick two holes at the top of each piece, one to the right and one to the left. Thread the string through each hole – if you start from the front, then the long ‘stitch’ of string will be at the back.

Tie a little loop at each end, so that you can hang your garland poem up for everyone to see!

Please share your pictures with us by tagging @paperhazell on Instagram, The Travelling Bookbinder on Twitter, and PaperLove on Facebook.

#poemgarland

Spread some Autumnal happiness by sending poetry garlands in the post!