Autumn time is a wonderful season, full of all kinds of bright colors. This time is rich in various natural materials suitable for the embodiment of creative ideas. By showing a little ingenuity and connecting the imagination, you can create original and unique autumn crafts. A do-it-yourself topiary will decorate any interior of the room and will be a great gift for a loved one.
What is topiary
A handmade decorative fancy tree is called a topiary, or tree of happiness. The first topiaries were gardens of originally trimmed shrubs, which prompted designers to further craft the trees with their own hands. In this product, an important detail is the crown, which is decorated with a wide variety of materials: flowers, shells, coffee beans, colored paper elements, pebbles and many others. Autumn topiary can be made from dry leaves, chestnuts, acorns, seeds, dried flowers and materials that are inherent in the color of autumn. The shape of a decorative tree is often round, but can have the shape of a cone or imitate a real plant. Dimensions also have no boundaries: they are created from miniature products to solid trees. Aromatic topiary from dried herbs and spices are very popular.
Key elements for creating a topiary
Before making autumn topiary , you need to draw a sketch of the future product and collect the necessary materials. The stem of the decorative topiary, like any tree, is the trunk. The decoration and the basis of the product is a spherical crown - the most commonly used form of the product. The tree definitely needs support in the form of a decorative stand, as well as any autumn materials donated by nature, for example, fallen leaves or fir cones with which you will decorate the crown of the topiary. The tree stand is also decorated with selected elements.
In order to collect autumn topiary, you will need any quick-drying glue. For the stability of the trunk, you can use gypsum, alabaster, sand or stones. A flower pot, basket, bowl or vase can serve as a support.
How is the crown made
The classical crown, which the autumn topiary has, is presented in the form of a ball. You can buy a foam base in stores with goods for creativity, or you can make it yourself. To do this, you need to take a piece of foam, determine the size of the future product and cut a cube with a knife for cutting paper. Then form a ball from the cube, wrap it with paper and wrap with threads for better bonding. This is necessary to increase and smooth the surface, since the figures cut from the foam will not be ideal. In the ball made, you need to form a hole for the barrel and fasten the elements with glue.
In the absence of polystyrene foam, the crown can be rolled out of paper, alternately wrapping the layers with thread or scotch tape, achieving the desired size. It is possible to coat the paper with paste for strength. To create the base, a plastic toy ball can be used, in which a hole is also cut for placing the barrel in it.
What to create a trunk from
As a rod to create a decorative tree, you can use a thick wire, which is twisted into a bundle for stability. Then the tourniquet is decorated with ribbons, braid or twine, which is varnished or painted. Due to its flexibility, interesting curved and bifurcated trunks with several crowns are created from the wire.
To make a topiary from autumn materials, it is better to take an interesting tree branch or a solid stick. It is not necessary to look for an even trunk - the curved shape will be more original. It is desirable to find a rod more authentic, given that on one side part of it will be immersed in a pot, and on the other a ball will be placed. From the branch it will be necessary to remove the bark, sharpening the end, and cover it with a stain. If desired, create two or three large turns of decorated wire around the stick from the bottom to the crown - a very original trunk will be obtained.
We create and decorate the stand
Autumn topiary, created with your own hands , must have its own pot. It can be any container, cup, vase, mayonnaise bucket, basket, glass, glass jar, plastic bottle. The main thing is to correctly decorate the stand for the future tree. It is also important to ensure that the diameter of the container is not wider than the crown of the topiary.
The decor of the stand can be straw, corrugated paper, twine, satin ribbons, beautiful fabric, moss, artificial grass. The selected material must be tightened or pasted over the container. Pebbles are laid at the bottom and covered with sand, in which the trunk is neatly placed. Another option is to fix the rod in the container with diluted alabaster or gypsum. The solution should be brought to medium density and quickly fill it with the barrel in the pot, keeping it upright. If the pot is heavy in itself and does not require a strict balance, you can use mounting foam as a fill. The top of the container at the base of the rod can be decorated with moss, autumn leaves and pebbles.
Decorative materials for the crown
The most interesting element in the creation of the topiary is its crown. This is the part that requires the greatest care and wild imagination. Autumn topiary should contain yellow and red colors, yellowish-green and yellow-brown shades. Decoration for the crown can be any material of the corresponding tones. It can be both artificial and natural. Flowers and leaves can be made of colored paper or fabric, supplemented with dried flowers, moss, acorns. Using chestnuts as a symbol of autumn, you can create an amazing product. For this, slightly flattened fruits that stick to the ball are well suited, and the gaps are filled with fragrant tea. Jewelry in the form of butterflies, insects, birds and fungi looks interesting. Elements are attached to the crown with hot glue, pins or wire.
Leaf decor
An original topiary made of autumn leaves is easy to create. To do this, beautiful, smooth and preferably multi-colored maple leaves gather on the street. You need to work with the leaves until they are dry. The edge of each leaf bends across the central vein until a smooth edge is obtained. Then you need to twist the sheets into a tube, stacking them alternately on top of each other. From several leaves you need to form a rose bud of the required size. Tie the resulting flower at the petiole with a thread. Make a few more roses.
Prepared buds, individual leaves and dried flowers should be attached to the crown of the topiary. To do this, use a toothpick to pierce a hole in the ball, drip glue into it and insert the bud. Continue to place flowers throughout the crown, leaving small spaces to decorate with other material. After the glue dries, fill the empty space with the remaining leaves of a small size, for a change you can add a little moss.
Soaring bowl
Another unusual type of topiary is a soaring cup, from which flowers flow from a waterfall. It is easily created from improvised materials, and looks very exclusive and original. To do this, you need a tea pair - a bowl and saucer. In the autumn, it is better to take dishes in red shades. The trunk in this case will be a thick wire, but you can replace it with an aluminum fork or spoon, breaking off the scoop. The trunk should not be too long, otherwise the structure will fall over. The ends of the cable or handles should be bent in opposite directions. One end adheres to the lower inner edge of the bowl, the other end to the saucer. To give stability, you need to bend the cup a little forward. Further, inside the bowl, then along the skeleton and until deepening in the saucer, selected ornaments are glued. This can be not only classic flowers, but also coffee beans, amber chips, coins, autumn dried flowers. The composition can be supplemented with artificial butterflies and insects.
Charged with positive and desire to create an original decorative decoration for your room, feel free to start work on the topiary. It’s easy, you will succeed!