When the Autumn leaves start falling, a fun activity is to collect and preserve the leaves for Fall decorating projects. This is a good way to enjoy all of that beautiful Fall color for a longer period of time. Plus, decorating with leaves is both easy and affordable. You can use the leaves throughout your home in a variety of different ways to bring in rustic warmth. The following examples are some creative ideas on what to do with preserved leaves. If you don’t have access to real leaves, you can simply substitute artificial leaves for these projects.
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Fall Leaves Wreath
I like to keep grapevine wreaths on hand for quick and easy seasonal decorating. To give a basic wreath an Autumn feel, simply add preserved leaves to it. Depending on the leaves that you find, you can either have a variety of Fall colors or something a bit more monochromatic. In my case, all of my preserved leaves are golden. So, to add a little variety, I made some book page leaves to mix with them.
Fall Maple Leaf Candle Holder
All you need to make a decorative leaf candle holder is a round glass candle holder, leaves, and Mod Podge. Layer the leaves around the glass for a colorful sphere of Autumn goodness.
Cover A Pumpkin With Fall Leaves
Instead of carving a pumpkin, why not decorate one with collected leaves? This especially looks striking when you place colorful leaves on a white pumpkin.
Fall Leaf Garland
Fall leaves really don’t need much done with them to make beautiful decor for inside the home. Once the leaves are preserved with Mod Podge or wax, simply thread them onto a piece of twine. Then, use the garland to drape over a fireplace mantel or shelf.
Display Fresh Cut Leaves
You don’t always have to go through the work of preserving your leaves. Another option for Fall leaves decor is to cut down fresh branches with the leaves in tact. Then, place them in a vase for a colorful display.
Embroidered Leaf Place Cards
When you host a dinner party, it’s always fun to get creative with place cards. Here is a perfect idea for a Fall party, like Thanksgiving, which uses dried leaves. Once the leaves are nicely dried, it’s time to get out the needle and embroidery thread. The embroidered names are an extra special detail that make these place cards really stand out.
Leaves As A Stamp
While you don’t necessarily need to use colorful Autumn leaves for stamping, this is a good way to use leaves that have fallen anyway. Simply press the leaves onto ink or paint and then transfer to fabric or paper. These leaf stamped napkins are so perfect for an elegant touch to your next dinner party.
You can also press leaves onto clay to transfer the image. Make sure to check out my post on how to make air dry clay leaves.
