Painting Faux Fall Leaves

Hi Friends, are you about ready for September?

Faux florals, branches, and dried naturals are my favorite way to change things up for the seasons. So, one of the first things I do when going from Summer to Fall is to tweak my faux floral arrangements. I mentioned a week or so back that I was putting together an arrangement of white sunflowers in a new ceramic vase for the Entry.

This is the vase I found earlier this month. 

I started out with just the white sunflowers, then a few days later I added a grapevine wreath as a base to keep the stems in place. Earlier this week I found some budding type stems to add to the mix. With September here next week, I wanted to bring this a little more into "Fall" with some seasonal leaves. But I wanted to keep things more neutral since I'm not ready to commit to a ton of color like orange in this particular arrangement.

I've not been able to find many natural looking neutral leaves. They just aren't around here in stores. I love the deeper color faux leaves later in Fall, but right now it's too soon. And the bright leaves just don't work with the white sunflowers. I love orange and you can be sure it will show up a little later this Fall! (after all, I am the gal with the orange front door)

So I dug around in my stash and came up with some leafy stems that might work with paint. Now, they're not perfect and I really didn't want them to be; I'm looking for toning down the bright orange and gold, not totally covering it up. I used acrylics and some chalk paint in some taupes and creams to look a little more neutral.

I dry brushed and left a little of the base color of the leaf showing through

 for a hint of Fall color. I feel like this gives the leaves a little more depth

 and at least you don't need to wear sunglasses.

Here's a little peek at the Entry that I'll be sharing more of next week

 at the "Summer to Fall" Blog Hop. 

I also found these large picks that I already had that were Sunflowers with nuts and berries and leaves. Here too, these had leaves that were way too bright for early Fall. So they got a little paint adjustment too.

Here they are adding a little oomph to my Early Fall Mantel.

More of the mantel next week, too.

It still needs a bit more tweaking.

... and speaking of painting faux Fall leaves, 

I made this Painted Leaf Fall Wreath a few years ago.

I'm really looking forward to the calendar changing next week...

Fall starts September 1 around here!

I hope you'll come and join in with our new Link Party,

that starts on Monday's at 6:00 pm.

joining in here:

All About Home at Common Ground and Follow the Yellow Brick Home

 Celebrate Your Story at The Zucchini Sisters

Happiness is Homemade at Blue Sky at Home

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

Tips and Tutorials at Home Stories A to Z

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Homestyle Gathering at Serving Up Southern  

Keep in Touch at Let's Add Sprinkles 

 Talk of the Town at Knick of Time

Turnabout Tuesday at My Wee Abode 

Share Your Style at French Ethereal 

 Style Showcase at Shabby Fufu  

Vintage Charm at Our Hopeful Home

 Wonderful Wednesday at LeCultivateur 

Thursday Favorite Things at Follow the Yellow Brick Home

Grace at Home at Imparting Grace

Farmhouse Friday at The Painted Hinge