Craftfulness Corner: From Observation to Creation
Hello again! Thank you for the wonderful responses to my last post about finding creative inspiration in nature. Many of you shared how you’ve been using sensory walks and colour observations to spark new ideas, and that’s exactly what craftfulness is all about—the journey, not just the destination.
Now that you’ve gathered your inspiration, let’s turn observation into creation. Here are a few accessible craft projects you can try, using the patterns, textures, and colours you’ve discovered outdoors.
1. **Pressed Leaf and Flower Prints**
What you’ll need: Leaves and flowers from your walks, paper (heavy paper or cardstock works best), a rolling pin or brayer, and acrylic or block printing paint.
How to do it: Press your leaves and flowers between sheets of paper in a heavy book for a few days to flatten them. Once they are ready, paint one side of a leaf and place it face down onto your paper. Cover it with another sheet of paper and use a rolling pin to apply even pressure. Carefully peel back the paper and the leaf to reveal a beautiful, natural print. The more detailed the leaf, the more intricate the print will be!
2. **Found Object Mandalas**
What you’ll need: Your collection of natural finds—pebbles, leaves, seeds, twigs, petals—and a clear space on the floor or a tabletop.
How to do it: A mandala is a circular, geometric design that represents the universe and balance. To create your own, start by placing your largest object in the centre. From there, work outward in a circular motion, adding rings of different items. Use contrasting colours and textures for visual interest. This is a meditative and calming exercise that reminds us of the natural order of things. Take a photo of your finished piece to cherish the memory before dismantling it.
3. **Mixed-Media Nature-Inspired Cards**
What you’ll need: Cardstock for the card base, your sketches and photos from your nature walk, acrylic paints, brushes, collage materials (old book pages, sheet music, scrap paper), glue, and a black pen or fine liner.
How to do it: This project is all about layering and texture. Start by creating an abstract background on your cardstock using the colours you observed. Use acrylic paints thinned with a little water to create washes, or apply thicker paint for more texture. While the paint is still a little wet, press torn pieces of collage paper into the background. Once the background is dry, add simple nature-inspired imagery with a pen—like a single leaf outline, a simple branch, or tiny seed pods. The combination of different layers gives the card a beautiful depth and a more tactile feel.
The next time you need a creative boost, don’t worry about perfection. Simply go outside, collect your inspiration, and let the materials guide you. The purpose is not to create a masterpiece but to find joy and peace in the process of making.
Happy creating!
Lowri x