Friday, October 19, 2012

Acorns and Oak Trees





Acorns and Oak Trees
 
Can you stand another post on Fall crafts?
This is three in a row,
so maybe I better call it a Nature Study instead.
I know my brother, Thom, will like that better.

So keep reading, crafters,
there will be another easy peasy Fall Craft project in this post,
 right after the Nature Study!
Here's a sneak peek:





OK.  Begin Nature Study:
 It's been a gorgeous Fall here in Chicagoland, 
despite the serious drought conditions we have had all summer long.
Our oak trees are finally getting some much needed rain-
so good for them before we get into winter.
We have quite a few oak trees here in our neighborhood...

This is the park at the end of our block.



And the front of our house....
Look at all the different shades of the oak leaves
all at the same time.  Amazing.



Can you believe the leaf guys have already been here once?
Lots more work to do...
When we first moved into this house, we loved raking leaves.  
We made leaf trails for the kids, and piles to play in.  
And we raked and we raked and we raked. 
And then we had to bag them.  
After several years of raking and bagging, when we had filled 175 bags of leaves,
we finally decided to call in the pros. 
It costs about the same and we don't need to spend all of our fall weekends raking.

The leaves go on forever. 
But the bonus is ACORNS!
Crunch City underfoot on our lawn.


The good news is that I have finally found a crafty way to use acorns.



Yup, I actually painted them.  
I told you it was an easy project.




I saw these Painted Acorns on Pinterest, pinned from ModPodgeRocks.
There is a tutorial there if you want to make this project really complicated 
or if you have way too much Mod Podge on hand.



I loved the idea, but not the color.  
Hard to believe, I know, 
but these are not for the lake cottage,
they are for here, at home.
And I like a simple craft project like this one about matchboxes
and this one about pumpkins.

The only problem is that this year's crop of acorns
is pretty rough, probably due to the drought.

-Back to the Nature Study-
This year's acorns are thin, dark and splotchy, 
clearly not craft worthy.





Fortunately, I have some acorns saved from last year, 
when they were plump and beautiful.





Same yard, same trees, different weather conditions.

These are some happy, healthy acorns,
perfect for painting. 





I got out the paint and the paintbrush and I was ready to go.


Hey, what do you know?  
This is not just a post about crafts or a Nature Study-
It's also a Before and After!

Here is an acorn 
Before-




And After!




VOILA!




I used a small, stiff, square tipped brush and painted them while I watched TV.
Best kind of craft, I think...

Then I got really fancy and I painted some in this color green, too.  




 Which do you like better?




Happy Fall!





Linking to:
Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays at Coastal Charm
Tuesdays Treasures at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style
Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits at Stone Gable
Fabulously Creative Fridays at Jennifer Rizzo
Weekend Bloggy Reading at Serenity Now





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22 comments:

  1. I love this idea! I think I'll paint some!
    Have a great week end!

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  2. Erin - love the pale green acorns! We don't have very many in DE this year, but I have tons of long pinecones from my neighbors trees? Any ideas - it would have to be easy peasy, as you say! The good witch of the East!

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  3. Happy fall to you crafty lady. I love the acorns that have a bit of a sheen. I love your version of the acorns with their muted green shades better than the vibrant blue as well. I love that you saved some acorn from last year and were able to do a comparison picture for all of us. I feel smarter after your nature study :)

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  4. I believe that the acorns from last year to compare with the acorns from this year save this as a Nature Study. I am pleased with your concern for the thoughts of your discerning readers. I do like it better as a Nature Study:)

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  5. What a beautiful house, Erin! I feel your pain about raking. When we lived at our lake house, I had to bag leaves all the time. It was horrible! Each autumn I filled at least 75 bags. Yeah. EACH autumn. Now that we live out in the country, I can blow those messy leaves across the yard and right into the woods. No more bagging. Yay! Problem is....now I have MORE trees! lol! Anyway, your acorns are so pretty painted. I usually collect a bucket of them now and scatter them around for the squirrels during the winter. :)

    xoxo laurie

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  6. Your house is gorgeous! This time of year, my whole life is taken up with leaves so I envy you having a service take care of it. I think I like the second colour best on the acorns. ~ Maureen

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  7. These pictures look ooh la la on my iPad!

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  8. Your home is beautiful. I never thought to paint acorns. I love how pretty they are painted.

    Dee

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  9. Love your home, and the beautiful Oak trees on your lot. Being not far from you it has been great fall weather, and some badly needed rain for our trees. We can so relate about the leaves, I was single when I bought my home and I love the trees, that was before the first fall and I had to rake over 90 bags on my own. I still love the trees, and now it's easier since I'm married. I love your acorns, and love both colors! Is one very close to the color on the outside of your house. I'll have to head across the street and collect some acorns for myself.

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  10. The painted acorns are so cool. Did you do one side, let it dry and then flip them over?

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  11. Erin, What a easy... fun... and inexpensive way to use what nature gives up! LOVE them displayed all together in the glass! What great photography too! I would love you to stop by StoneGable and join TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS going live tonight at 8:00. Your painted acorns would be a welcomed addition!!!
    So fun!

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  12. I like the color you used for your acorns!
    I used really vibrant colors on mine--
    http://freddyandpetunia.wordpress.com/2012/09/20/a-little-deviation/
    Catherine

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  13. How beautiful!! I looked and looked for acorns this year and I think the squirrels all got a jump on me! Pinning this for next year!

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  14. I love all the trees and color around your home --- and your painted acorns.

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  15. These are adorable! You could even keep these out at Christmas time too. I love them. The only thing that could make these better is glitter :)

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  16. Oh yes, I love these! (and prefer the first ones you did) I need to find an oak tree around here.
    Saw you linking at Serenity Now.
    Debbie :)

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  17. Erin,
    These are so very pretty and i have featured them at my party today. Please feel free to grab my starfish featured button (it's under my header) for your blog.

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  18. Hey congrats on being featured today at Coastal Charm! She loved your acorns too!!!!

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  19. These are really pretty and I love your color choice. Did you have to dry them in the oven first? Here in GA we get little worms in ours which "decorate" the container after a few days. Ick! You've inspired me to try painting some. Congratulations for being featured on Coastal Charm.
    Babs

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  20. Hi, Thanks for dropping by my blog, so glad to find you. I love your blog and esp. your topic, my favorite FALL. What great acorns, mine are tiny and narrow. I am your most recent follower. Kathy

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  21. Cute idea, but what I really want to comment on is how beautiful your fall yard is. Stunning. Also love your shutter colors. Beautiful. Thanks for sharing, liz

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Thank you so much!