This is an honest and open chat about when a craft project fails.
It starts with a picture you have seen in a magazine or on the Internet.
But there are no instructions on how to create the said image.
So your brain does a little whirl of thoughts.
That looks easy.
You only need a few items to make that.
I have those things in my craft stash.
That should only take half an hour.
That is exactly what happened with this project.
Making a 'Leaf Bowl'.
To put a votive candle inside.
So the leaves glow and look pretty.
The original image I saw was a green leaf bowl, but I thought I'd use the brown fallen leaves.
SO...
It all started well.
I collected my leaves from the park across the road.
I blew up my balloon.
Because the picture I saw described it as 'A Balloon Leaf Bowl'.
Then I decided to sit the balloon in a bowl to support it while the leaves were glued on.
Wrong.
The balloon wanted to be anywhere but in that bowl.
I persevered.
I started glueing the leaves onto the balloon with Mod Podge Glue.
And that was also a mistake. That glue is too thin!
By that time I was wishing I had another set of hands.
One set to hold that dastardly balloon down and the other set to glue the leaves in place...then...
BANG!
The balloon popped (a chemical reaction between glue and balloon plastic I'm assuming), with gluey balloon bits and leaves flying all over the show!
= ONE VERY BIG MESS!
Think kid in kindergarten messy playtime!
Pressing your hands in glue and paint and creating whatever your heart desires.
Never one to give up, and driven by determination, 'Plan B' stepped in with total acceptance this craft project is seriously a very messy one.
But I'm telling myself that there is no wrong way to do this or a penalty to be had.
Next attempt:
One plastic bowl covered in several layers of plastic wrap.
This was turned upside down before applying wood-strength PVA to glue all over the plastic-covered bowl. This glue is thicker than Mod Podge.
I placed the leaves randomly using more glue but left little space in between.
I'm hopeful some candlelight might peek out of these gaps if this leaf bowl should succeed.
With the leaves finally glued onto the bowl shape,
I left it for 24 hours to dry feeling hopeful my initial failure at this leaf craft may perhaps become a success.
Meanwhile, I had a brainwave to Google Search the image of the green balloon bowl.
This is when I realised, the said green leaf bowl was actually made out of metal!
Note to self, search the image before attempting any future mad craft ideas to find out more!
But I soldiered on with my natural leaf creation by applying a gloss ModPodge sealer for an extra coat of protection on the leaves.
After another 24 hours of curing, I CAREFULLY removed the first two inner layers of plastic from the bowl and then CAREFULLY loosened the leaf shell to remove it.
(I certainly managed to create something very FRAGILE!)
All the plastic was removed, but the PVA wood glue hadn't fully dried under the plastic.
So I popped the leaf bowl back into the inside of the plastic bowl to support it while it finished drying.
All the while, I am thinking, 'Crikey, I hope the end effect will be worth all this effort!'
So let's see if it was...
In daylight, this bowl looks brown and rustic.
The glue left lace-like patterns in places around the leaves.
In went a squat votive candle
and on darkness this was the result.
Stunning.
Beautiful.
Warning: a fabulous centrepiece for a romantic dinner table setting.
But definitely a fire risk and not to be left unattended.
So thinking of safety, I filled the leaf bowl with battery-powered fairy lights instead.
And here we have the final result.
Would I create this fragile leaf craft again - No.
Am I glad I tried it once - Yes.
Is it absolutely beautiful - YES!
#blogfails #leafbowl #diyleafbowls #leafcraft
