If you ever needed proof that magic exists, just peek into the world of Laura Dalla Vecchia, the artist behind Leveza Art. Brazil is home to more than 1,800 species of birds—yes, 1,800!—and Laura has found the most charming way to celebrate these incredible creatures: stitching them by hand onto dry leaves. That’s right, actual leaves. It feels like nature and art had a very adorable baby.
Laura’s love for craft started early. She grew up tagging along with her mother at craft fairs, soaking up that creative energy before she even knew how special it was. Years later, while spending time at her grandparents’ farm in Pará, she tried something new—embroidering on leaves instead of fabric. And boom, dry leaf embroidery became her signature style.
Her connection to Brazilian birds runs deep too. As a kid, she’d join her dad on boat trips, quietly watching and listening to the forest wake up around them. Those memories now flutter into her artwork, stitch by stitch.
What makes her pieces so captivating is how raw and intimate the process is. On social media, she shares everything: the leaf, the sketch, the colorful thread, and her steady hands turning the most fragile canvas into a portrait that feels alive. She calls it “Made by hand. Made up of time.” And honestly, you can feel that time in every detail.
Laura has embroidered more than 150 birds so far—like the bright saffron finches with their sunny feathers, the tiny amethyst woodstar, the bold white-throated toucan, and the adorable bananaquit. One of my favorites? A trio of finches perched on a tiny branch she stitched into the piece so it literally pops out of the leaf. Pure whimsy.
If you’re already imagining your favorite bird (or your pet!) in leaf form, good news—she takes commissions. To explore more of her bird embroidery, check out her website and follow Leveza Art on Instagram. You might just fall in love with leaf art too.
