fbpx

Simple Ideas for Decorating with Leaves this Fall

decorating with fall leavesMake Like a Tree

By Mimi Greenwood Knight

Here in Texas, it’s harder to rely on the riot of fall colors enjoyed by some of the country. But if you know where to look—or what to plant—you’ll still find enough red, yellow, orange, and even purple leaves to get you stoked about the season. Take a stroll through your neighborhood or visit a local park to bring home some of your favorites, then have fun preserving their beauty any number of ways.

fall decor welcome signFall Welcome Sign

Consider a new replacement for the traditional autumn wreath by painting the inside of an old tray with chalkboard paint. Add autumn branches, colorful leaves, and berries around the tray, write a welcoming message inside, and hang it on the front door to greet guests. (If you’d like to repurpose it, swap out the leaves for evergreen and holly come Christmastime.)

fall lead table decorSimple Decorating

It doesn’t take Joanna Gaines to appreciate the prettiest and brightest leaves scattered in the center of your dinner table or strung along a railing interspersed with tiny white lights. The result is simply elegant.

Leaf Press Wall Art

Press your nicest leaves in a flower press or between the pages of a book. Then either mat and frame them or adhere them to card stock with spray mount from the craft store and arrange several on the wall.

No-Carve Pumpkin

Just because jack-o’-lantern season is over doesn’t mean that pumpkins are no longer excellent fall décor. Try painting varying sizes of pumpkins white, then use Mod Podge to decorate them with colorful fall leaves and greenery. Display them with smaller pumpkins or gourds.

Leaf-Stamped Linens

Interesting shapes are more important than bright colors for this one. Paint one side of a leaf evenly with craft paint, position it on a cloth napkin or placemat paint side down, cover with a paper towel, and roll it with a rolling pin to leave the painted impression on the surface of your napkin or placemat.

decorating with fall leavesMason Jar Candle Holder

Don’t put away that Mod Podge yet! Use it to adhere (real or faux) fall leaves onto a Mason jar. You can use a sponge craft brush, but we found our fingers easier. Simply drop a candle inside, and you’ll have a lovely autumn votive.

Autumn Leaf Gift Tags

This is a great one if you give baked goods as holiday gifts, and it couldn’t be easier. Gather leaves with interesting and varying shapes. Cover them with paint in fall colors, and press onto large cardstock gift tags. 

Leafless? Plant these trees now to enjoy fall color in the future.

  • Shumard Oak
  • Arizona Ash
  • Purple Leaf Plum
  • Crape Myrtle
  • Raywood Ash

You May Also Like

Bora Bora

Jewel of the South Seas Lose Yourself in the Ultimate Island Paradise

A backyard garden designed to attract pollinators such as honey bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other native pollinators

Welcoming Wildlife

By Mimi Greenwood Knight It happened again this morning. I heard my husband “whisper” ...

Squeeze the Day

By Audrey Ashe In the kingdom of fruits, lemon might be the freshest of ...

Matters of the Mind – Brain Building Activities

By Mimi Greenwood Knight We’ve all stumbled when reaching for a stray thought— a ...

Snowed-In Cinema

Whether you’re actually snowed in or not, there’s nothing quite like curling up inside ...

Empowering Teens through Smart Spending

Helping teens learn to handle money can be a tricky proposition. Mistakes can quite ...