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Autumn Leaves Word Art

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Project by Sheila Landry (scrollgirl) posted 210 days ago 1504 views 9 times favorited 32 comments Add to Favorites Watch

This little word vignette was cut with the scroll saw. I designed the leaf set as a nice decoration that you could display all throughout autumn, which is my favorite time of year.

The leaves are cut from maple, and measure approximately 3-4 inches tall. While much ‘word art’ is made from using square blocks, I chose to shape the pieces like maple leaves. I have also seen many of these types of displays where the letter blocks are mounted on a stationary base. While this keeps the pieces neat and in order, I chose to keep the leaf blocks loose so they would appear to be tumbling in the breeze. I think they would look nice scattered on a table or window sill, or even a book case. You could also make them of thinner stock and apply magnets to the back and use them to decorate your refrigerator. If you are not confident in your scroll sawing skills, you could easily paint the lettering on instead of cutting it out without affecting the overall look.

As usual, I used mineral oil followed by spray shellac for the natural finished pieces in the second picture. This gave the leaves a warm soft color.

The second set (shown in the first picture) I oiled first, allowed to sit for a day or two, and then proceeded to stain the fronts of them using acrylic paints and DecoArt’s Gel Staining and Antiquing medium. Even though the stain was water-based, it works well over the oiled base of the leaves. I only stained the fronts because I like the way the natural color of the wood shows on the edges and backs, and by oiling first it made the entire process very easy to do.

I hope you enjoy the project.

Sheila

Edit: I added in the picture of the large yard decoration I made by making this pattern larger. It looks kind of cool! :)

-- Contributing Editor, Creative Woodworks and Crafts, Sheila Landry Designs http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com "Knowledge is Power"




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32 comments so far

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

18320 posts in 2326 days


#1 posted 210 days ago

that is SO beautiful!!

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View Roger's profile

Roger

9191 posts in 969 days


#2 posted 210 days ago

This is one o my favorite times of the year. These are very kool. The colors really make a gr8 fit for the letters. You are a creative master Sheila.

-- Roger from KY. Work/Play/Travel Safe. Kentuk55@bellsouth.net

View Sheila Landry (scrollgirl)'s profile

Sheila Landry (scrollgirl)

5923 posts in 1085 days


#3 posted 210 days ago

Thanks to both of you so much! Sometime simple is really the best! :)

Sheila

-- Contributing Editor, Creative Woodworks and Crafts, Sheila Landry Designs http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com "Knowledge is Power"

View Jamie Speirs's profile

Jamie Speirs

3668 posts in 1022 days


#4 posted 210 days ago

Sheila they are stunning

They look so natural..

It has given me great inspiration for my project.

jamie

-- Who is the happiest of men? He who values the merits of others, and in their pleasure takes joy, even as though 'twere his own. --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

View Monte Pittman's profile

Monte Pittman

7030 posts in 503 days


#5 posted 210 days ago

Very well done. That requires a lot of patience.

-- Mother Nature created it, I just assemble it. - It's not ability that we often lack, but the patience to use our ability

View Sheila Landry (scrollgirl)'s profile

Sheila Landry (scrollgirl)

5923 posts in 1085 days


#6 posted 210 days ago

Thank you again! Monte – they are really quite easy. If you make a little boo-boo and go of the line of the leaf – who is to know?? The lettering needs to be a little more exacting, but as I said, it is easily painted on. I am glad you like them! :)

Sheila

-- Contributing Editor, Creative Woodworks and Crafts, Sheila Landry Designs http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com "Knowledge is Power"

View Rick13403's profile

Rick13403

147 posts in 1670 days


#7 posted 210 days ago

Great pattern Sheila! I really like your word art patterns. We think you and Keith made a great move by teaming up with the new distributor. The enlarged patterns are really neat.
Rick

-- Rick - DeWalt 788 - www.thescrollerandtoler.com

View Sheila Landry (scrollgirl)'s profile

Sheila Landry (scrollgirl)

5923 posts in 1085 days


#8 posted 210 days ago

We are thrilled with it too, Rick! Jim Barry is honest, hard working, and also looks out for us as designers – which is something that is so refreshing after all that we have been through. We have very high hopes of a long working relationship with him and Woodworkers Workshop. While I am starting out enlarging existing patterns that I have until I ‘learn the ropes’, I have many new ideas in mind for larger patterns that can be made with the scroll saw or a jig saw. It opens a whole new world of designing for us and we are really excited about where this will take us in woodworking! :)

Sheila

-- Contributing Editor, Creative Woodworks and Crafts, Sheila Landry Designs http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com "Knowledge is Power"

View majuvla's profile

majuvla

1576 posts in 1033 days


#9 posted 210 days ago

Beautifull,awsome,very nice, lovely decoration

-- Ivan, Croatia, Wooddicted

View Lee A. Jesberger's profile

Lee A. Jesberger

6486 posts in 2145 days


#10 posted 210 days ago

Very nice Sheila.

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

View shopdog's profile

shopdog

334 posts in 1651 days


#11 posted 210 days ago

Great idea, beautifully cut and colored

-- Steve-- http://www.urbanexteriors.biz

View scrollingmom's profile

scrollingmom

456 posts in 629 days


#12 posted 210 days ago

Looks great. I really like the coloring too. Congrats.

-- Kelly, Allen,KS

View Bluepine38's profile

Bluepine38

2082 posts in 1250 days


#13 posted 210 days ago

Great looking leaves and letters. Good to see you back on the projects page again. The trees are in their
full glory here, with a few having dropped all their leaves and others still changing. Thank you for sharing.

-- As ever, Gus-the 74 yr young apprentice carpenter

View LittlePaw's profile

LittlePaw

1500 posts in 1243 days


#14 posted 210 days ago

Looks great, Sheila . . . the font you used is also very nice and very well done!

-- Paul - The sweetest sound in my shop, next to Mozart, is what a hand plane makes slicing a ribbon.

View BritBoxmaker's profile

BritBoxmaker

4003 posts in 1201 days


#15 posted 210 days ago

Beautifully done, Sheila. From the design shape to the colouring.

-- Martyn -- Boxologist, Pattern Juggler and Candyman of the visually challenging. http://www.theartofboxes.com

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