While we are exploring the world around us all year long, autumn is the season that most obviously carries the notion of “gathering”. We harvest and gather produce and collect wood for the coming cold season; and there is also so much to be found lying on the ground in the garden, park or woods. These found objects are just waiting for small (and big) hands to pick up and take home: dry, colourful leaves, acorns and acorn caps, chestnuts, pine cones, and little twigs.
An autumn-inspired seasonal mobile is a way of displaying our treasures and of bringing some of the beauty of the seaon inside our homes. It is simple and versatile, as you can easily hang up items on a wooden embroidery hoop.
Materials
Wooden embroidery hoop
Dental floss or yarn
Leaves, acorn caps, acorns, twigs and anything else you collected that can be hung up
Watercoloured paper or coloured cardstock
Scissors
Holepunch
Pen
Dental floss, string, or yarn (We use dental floss for hanging up the embroidery hoop but also for the collected items. It is easily dispensed, ties well and looks very delicate.)
Jump ring or split ring
Instructions
Take the inner ring out of the hoop and tie four even-lengthed pieces of dental floss to it. Tie them together at the top and attach to a ring, so you can easily hang up your mobile once it is finished.
Now you can start hanging up the treasures you brought along from outside. Use different lengths of dental floss or string to create an interesting look.
Together with the collected items, your family may enjoy displaying a favourite seasonal song or gratitude verse handwritten on a piece of coloured paper.
Once you have hung up and tied everything to the ring, make sure the weight is evenly distributed. You can then place the outer ring of the embroidery hoop back on and tighten it. It will cover the dental floss or yarn you tied around the inner ring.
Now look for the perfect spot inside the house where the whole family can enjoy your collection and creation!
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Sylvia King is a storytelling girl with a camera, maker of stuff and lover of everyday beauty living in Hamburg, Germany with her husband and two-year-old son. Together with her sister, who lives in the US, she blogs on artsy ants and sells family art on etsy.