Wall Hanging DIY Tutorial: Autumn Crow

One of the best things about crafting is the ability to bring in bits of nature into your home. It gets even better when you can use faux materials to emulate a natural vibe. Needless to say, this project is one of them. Featuring a fake feathered black crow and a brown mix of faux maple leaves by Darice, this wall hanging DIY tutorial is an easy way to add an autumn touch to your wall. This is especially awesome if you don’t have a “real” autumn where you live, just like myself (any other Californians out there?). Luckily, this piece will last a lifetime. Keep reading to learn how to make it!

AUTUMN CROW WALL HANGING DIY TUTORIAL SUPPLIES:

Darice Silk Screen Maple Leaves (I used the Brown Mix).
Darice Wood Craft Stick.
Gold Leaf Sheet.
Darice Glue Gun.
Darice Feathered Black Crow.
Darice 16 Gauge Brown Wire (optional).
Darice Craft Scissors.
Tacky Glue.
Long Stick.

The base for this wall hanging DIY tutorial is a long stick or branch. The size of your stick will determine the size of your wall hanging. Check out your backyard, the park, or the woods for something you can use. Keep an eye out on your next hike or walk — you never know what you’ll find! Let’s begin!

Step 1. Apply some tacky glue to a faux maple leaf. A little goes a long way, so try not to overdo it. The glue will impact where the gold leaf is applied. I focused on the bottom half of the leaf, but you can change this if you’d like.

Step 2. Rip up a few pieces of gold leaf and place right on top of the glue. Gold leafing is extremely thin and delicate; be patient with it!

Step 3. Use a wood stick to rub the gold leaf into the glue. It will crumble and create a beautiful, spotty wash of gold. Your best bet when working on this wall hanging DIY project is to set up on a hard, flat surface. This will provide the right surface for you to press and rub the gold leaf properly.

Step 4. Repeat Steps 1-3 with more faux maple leaves. I’m loving the way the scattered gilded leaves look in this photo.

Step 5. Now, it’s time to bring in the plain (but beautiful!) faux maple leaves. Layer and hot glue them together, adding the gilded leaves every so often. Don’t think too much about order or sequence. Keep it natural and organic, just like the real outdoors.

Step 6. Continue until you have created a large sheet of layered leaves. I created an asymmetrical shape with my leaves.

Hot glue the sheet of leaves to the stick.

Step 7. Time to add the black crow to the stick. How cute is that little guy? Again, you can add the crow anywhere on the stick. I placed it on the side to go with the asymmetrical look.

To hang your new wall hanging DIY project, you can wrap brown craft wire at each end to create loops. You can also set the stick right on top of two nails.

I’m really loving the end result of this wall hanging DIY tutorial. If you’re looking to add a few more golden fall touches to your decor, check out this gold pumpkin DIY vase filler. Happy autumn!