DIY Dropcloth Oak Leaf Garland and Fall Table

Most of my Fall decorations are still buried deep in an unorganized garage, so I decided to make some new ones this year. First ... I am not into banners or garlands, but I really liked the garland that Lucy at Craft Berry Bush made last year. Check her tutorial on her oak leaf garland she made.

Google search brought up the oak leaf shape that I liked.  I downloaded it to Microsoft word and using the original size, I enlarged it inch-by-inch to make different size patterns. I think I started out with a 4", then 5", and 6", maybe even had a 3". 


I cut a piece of fabric from a used painter's drop cloth and getting some areas where there was paint, was a plus. I cut out several of each size. I went by the directions that Lucy gave using a chenille stick to iron the veins in the leaf.  
Spray starching stiffens the fabric and caused it to curl a little. You can iron more curl into each point. I used an old dish washing fiber sponge to dab on some brown and yellow watered-down craft paint.  
Then with an old toothbrush, I splattered watered-down red paint on. I did not dip them in tea/coffee because I felt it would cause them to ravel more. A little ravel makes them look more natural. Then I glued them to sisal twine.
 
This year, I am really feeling "harvest" so wanted to carry out that theme on our dining table. Burlap runner, old kitchen crocks filled with fruit came to mind but what could I fill them with?   Most of my fruit and gourds were in my Fall Harvest Mantel and I did not want to buy more. I found two old grapevine pumpkins; painted some gosh-awful reddish-brown with some red berries on top; so they got a dry-brush of orange, some leaves, berries and raffia added to the tops.  Looked better. The piece of grapevine was pulled off the old wagon on the front porch and had just the right drape to wrap around the three crocks. The dropcloth oak leaf garland fit just fine. Wish I had made more leaves. Decoration looked okay ... but needed something more ... I wanted to keep it simple, but this was too drab, so added the blown glass pumpkins that I had collected last year and that helped. The one with the beautiful curly stem and the tall one came from Pier 1, about $17.00 each. Small ones bought at Thrift Stores for just a dollar or two.
The crock in the middle was my Mom's that she used to make yeast bread. I still have a picture in my mind of the rising bread and being tempted to stick my finger in it. That would have gotten me in a lot of trouble. She also made her biscuits by pouring a bunch of flour in the bowl, made a "well" in the center, added the salt, baking powder, shortening and milk and rolled it around, worked flour into it until she got it to the consistency that she wanted. She never used all the flour, but had this large ball of dough that she rolled out and cut her biscuits. Don't know how she got the right amount of everything. 
I have made biscuits like this too, but don't remember exactly how I did it. The rim of the crock was her whetstone to sharpen her kitchen knives. The rim of the bowl is still dark from using it this way. This big old crock brings back good memories. Happy Fall you'all.

Blessings,
Audrey Z.  
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