(Foliage + Hammer) + (Fabric Paint + Sand) = Unexpected Fun!

On a recent spring walk I collected some natural odds and ends - ferns, a feather, a few flowers... really whatever caught my eye! I've heard of artists pounding foliage onto fabric with a hammer. It's supposed to leave a a stain or imprint so of course I had to try it! 

Here are the fruits of my labor - lots of hammering and stamping with fabric paint. 

I started with a piece of fabric that I had stamped earlier with thickened dyes.
My tools are in order so let the pounding begin! 

This is what's left of my pounded fern. 

I am amazed at the clarity of the stained fabric. You can really get some nice detail. I tried pounding the flowers but didn't get any pretty colors... which doesn't make any sense. They were wet so I'll try it again with dry flowers and assume it will create a better result. 

I wanted to try stamping the sticks and stones to see what would happen. The stick was predictable but I wondered what would happen if I mixed beach sand with the paint. 

Holding the stone in my hand I pressed and rolled the stone onto the fabric. Once the sandy paint dried it had an interesting and thick texture.

Have you tried pounding natural materials to create a design? Please share!