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Making your life greener - one bite at a time.

Autumn brings cooler days and longer nights after months of long hot days. Although it's sad to know that swimming and fun associated with summer will soon be over, there are lots of fun activities you can do at this time of the year.

Here we explore Leaf Craft - Skeleton Leaves. All the ducks and turkeys and fowl molt in autumn - that is they lose their old worn and sunbleached feathers and grow new thick ones for the coming winter.

If you have poultry or know someone who has, walk around and collect some feathers, as there are lots of great things to do with them....

Leaf Craft

The leaves are dropping off now - if you haven't any trees growing at home or nearby, organise a trip to a park or local gardens. Collect leaves of different patterns and shapes. Press them between the pages of a thick book and use for collages or abstract pictures, write on them and use in place of gift cards, make rubbings of those you like the most using a black crayon and mount on black card. They make great gifts. Or skeletonise a few of the leaves you like the best and mount these for gifts for later in the year.

To make a rubbing hold a beeswax crayon sideways and rub across paper under which the leaves are lying. Try the leaves both right side and wrong side up to see which gives the clearest rubbing.

Skeleton Leaves

A skeleton leaf is a "bare bones" leaf in which you have removed the leaf part and only the skeleton remains.

Magnolia leaves or maple leaves are a good place to start for beginners, if they grow in your local area. Select strong leaves for crafts i.e. mobiles, cards, etc.

When Queen Victoria ruled the British Empire, it was popular to make"phantom bouquets" from skeleton-like leaves. Making skeletonized leaves is a great way to see how leaves get the water they need to grow.

First, the price is right. It costs next to nothing to make your own skeleton leaf. Secondly, you can choose from a variety of leaves and color them with any non-toxic color (eco-friendly paint) or vegetable dyes you want.

#1 Skeleton Leaves

Place selected green leaves in a pot with one teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) and one teaspoon baking powder and cover with water.
Boil and reduce to a low heat. Stir gently from time to time.
Once leaves have softened, rub off flesh gently.
When complete, bleach the leaves and leave to dry on paper towels ( be friendly on the environment and use a Natural Non-Chlorine Bleach  - Ecover www.ecover.com / Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Bleach - widely available at your local natural grocer).

Attention: Eco kids, do this with an adult supervising or at least starting you off.

#2 Skeleton Leaves

Put a handful of washing soda plus leaves in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil.
Allow to stand for 1 1/2 hours.
Carefully remove leaves from the mixture - a pair of kitchen tongs are perfect for this - and then gently brush away the 'flesh' or tissue with a hard toothbrush.
Be extra careful here because the veins of the leaf are very delicate.
When all the tissue has been removed place the leaf skeleton between two layers of absorbent paper (paper towel would be fine) and place a thick book to dry flat.
You can lighten the color of these leaves by soaking several on a solution of natural non-chlorine bleach (as above), overnight and rinse well under running water before placing between the absorbent paper.
Dry in a thick book or paper press if you have one.
 
Warning: Washing soda is caustic (alkaline pH of 11). While it does not produce toxic fumes, it is important to use proper protection when handling; the best thing to do is to wear gloves. Don't let kids do this without proper adult supervision. It does make a great science project, so just be prepared to help them and ensure that they are wearing gloves when handling the washing soda solution.

Seed Craft

Many plants carry their seeds inside their fruit or flower. When the seeds are ready or are blown to new places and will grow again. The seed heads look dead and very dry.
With some of your seed head collection you could make a decoration, to last all winter.

Falling Seeds

Trees also make seeds for planting. In the Autumn hunt for acorns, conkers, chestnuts and sycamore wings. Play the sycamore wing game.
Drop the wings from as high as you can and watch how long it takes for the seeds to twirl to the ground.

Feather Craft

Make a collage bird and use the feathers to 'clothe' it, or make one from papier mache and glue on some feathers.

Build a dream catcher. http://www.rivernen.ca/build_dc.htm

An Indian head-dress is easy to make and would be a great gift for a little brother or nephew.

Place some large feathers together and secure so as to make a fan.

Imprints - roll over feathers with an art roller covered with eco-friendly poster paint.
Place page on top and press down with your hand, you are left with an interesting imprint of the feathers.

Eggshell Chickens - glue small feathers onto eggshells for wings and a tail, draw on eyes or glue on wool felt cut outs and glue on some recycled cardboard or wool felt for beak and feet. It is best if you blow the egg first.

If you still have feathers left over, here is a fun game to play...

You will need at least two people but more divided into two teams makes it a better game.

Divide the players into two teams, and stand on either side of a large table.
Place the feather in the centre and when someone says "GO" each team has to try and blow the feather off the opposite side to score a point.

First to reach three is the winner.

Have fun!