it seems like more and more, people are jumping on the nature train and incorporating an increasing amount of live details into their decor, weddings and parties... and i support it. i never set a table without adding a little life, some potted plants, a sprig of an herb, even leaves. so i thought i would put a twist on that for this project and add a pop to some natural leaves.

to create this garland you'll need 2 colors of spray paint, dried leaves (i bought mine at the craft store as they will last longer and are more durable than ones from the yard), metallic thread and an awl (or something sharp to easily poke holes).

after you've painted half of your leaves one and color and the other half in your metallic, start by poking 2 small vertical holes in the stem side of one leaf and 2 in the opposite end of a contrasting color leaf.

overlap the 2 and cut a small piece of thread to string them together. insert the string through the backside and up the bottom hole, then back down through to top hole to the back. yep, i realize if there were no pictures, that explanation is impossible to understand. good thing i got a picture for you ;)

turn your leaves over so the backs are up and tie a loose double knot to secure the leaves but leaving them loose enough so that they drape nicely when you hang.

continue over lapping each leaf until you have a full garland!

another fun idea rather than just using this as a garland is to use as swag for the back of chairs at your parties or weddings. it's a great way to add some personalization and color to those rented chairs at large events!

how do you like to incorporate natural elements into your home or parties?