Get Ready for the Coziest Fall Season with These DIY Crafts
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Fall is finally here! With the cool temperatures nearing, it's time to start nesting which means easy and comfy-cozy DIYs. To help you get started and inspired, we've gathered the best fall crafts for adults and children. Each of these easy fall DIYs is incredibly cute, fun to make, and bound to go wonderfully with the rest of your fall decorating—especially because they're all easily customizable. Try changing the colors or adding meaningful personal details to any of these projects. While you explore these creative ideas don't forget about all the other fun fall things to make, like front door fall wreaths, yummy apple desserts, and delicious dinners using loads of fall ingredients.
What matters far more than following the instructions to a T is spending time away from your phone, off of your computer, and not plopped down in front of the tv. So get thoroughly engaged in your handiwork—all while celebrating the beauty of the season.
Once you've found a project that you are excited to make and that fits with your decor, why not make it a family affair? Crafting doesn't have to be a solo endeavor; on the contrary, it's actually the perfect thing to do in the fall with your whole family, just the kids, or even a group of friends. You can also head over to our favorite fall crafts for kids for more age-appropriate ideas. No matter which project you choose we know everyone will have a spectacular time!
More Crafty Ways to Celebrate Fall
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Best Fall Decorating Ideas to Turn Your Home Into a Seasonal Escape
Plaid Pumpkins
Nothing says fall quite like a cozy plaid blanket and these pumpkins will get you ready for the season and excited to spend time around the fire pit!
Get the instructions for Plaid Pumpkins.
Bittersweet Wreath
This dramatic and colorful wreath only takes a few supplies to make and can adorn your door all season long. Hang using a plaid scarf or extra wide ribbon.
Get the instructions for a Bittersweet Wreath.
Dried Hydrangea and Leaf Wreath
A conical shaped hanging basket makes the perfect vessel for displaying dried hydrangea and fall leaves.
To make: Place a piece of dry floral foam, cut to size, into the the basket. Fill with dried hydrangea stems and fall leaves, pushing them into the floral foam so they stay in place.
Spooky Door Decor
Bats and brooms add a little fight but lots of charm to this fall doorway.
To get the look: Hang "witches" brooms from the windows with fishing line. Arrange purple mums around the steps with loads of white and green pumpkins and gourds. Place black cauldrons on either side of the door and fill with bare branches. Hang a moss wreath on the door and nestle wicker bats around the scene.
Decorated Door
Welcome guests with an abundant grapevine and bittersweet wreath (get the DIY instructions) and vintage milk buckets stuffed full of fall foliage branches. For extra warm, layer rugs in front of the door.
Fall Foliage Overload
Celebrate the colors of fall by decorating the front door with loads of blooms, foliage, pumpkins, and wicker.
To get the look: Hang an asymmetrical garland filled with fresh and dried leaves and dried hydrangea around the door. Nestle more branches in wicker-covered demijohns and add loads of blue, orange, and white pumpkins to the steps, some of which have been covered in even more dried leaves.
Related: Leaf Craft Ideas to Help You Fall Into the Season
Simple Leaf Pumpkins
This super-simple DIY will add lots of fall charm to your door this year.
To make: Coat the back sides of colorful leaves with adhesive spray. Immediately attach the leaves to your pumpkin, being sure not to push down all the points so they have a more organic look.
Related: More No-Carve Pumpkin Ideas
Preserved Moss Wreath
This wreath is just the right amount of spooky for a fall doorway.
To make: Attach preserved forest moss to a grapevine wreath with hot-glue, then mix in Spanish moss (we used dried and artificial). Leave a few strands of moss hanging down for a dripping effect.
Night Sky Pumpkins
Bats, moons, and start adorn neutral pumpkins to create a spooky but sophisticated scene.
To make the bat and moon pumpkins: Draw a bat or crescent moon outline on a pumpkin. Next, fill in the outline with nails, using carbon steel nails for the bats and
silver flatheads for the moon.
To make the star pumpkins: Hollow out a gourd. Freehand star shapes with a pencil, then carve over the outlines. Illuminate with a battery-operated tea candle.
Related: More Fun Pumpkin Carving Ideas
Cozy Porch Overload
This modern farmhouse had a nice deep porch that is just screaming for over-the-top fall porch decorations.
To get the look: Stack plain and decorated pumpkins on the steps along with metal buckets, olive buckets, and maroon, yellow, and orange mums. Flank the front door with loads of fall foliage nestled in tall, narrow-necked metal vessels such as milk cans. Hang a DIY bittersweet wreath on the front door and drape blankets over chairs and place comfy pillows on a bench to complete the scene.
Grain Sifter Wreath
A vintage grain sifter makes the perfect base for a colorful and textured fall wreath.
To make: Attach a piece dry floral foam to the bottom inside, slightly to the side of a vintage grain sifter with wire. Cover the floral foam in preserved floral moss, holding it in place with hot glue. Insert fall leaves, feathers, Hypericum berries, anddried wheat into the foam. Attach acorns with hot glue.
Apple and Boxwood Wreath
Nothing says fall like load of fresh apples, apple cider, and apple cider donuts (a personal favorite!). If made with with fresh apples this wreath will last one season. If you want to display it year after years opt for fake apples.
Get the instructions for the Apple Wreath.
Twine Leaves
Look for a variety of fern leaves to create a nature-inspired pumpkin you can put on your front porch our scatter about the yard.
To make: Draw leaf shapes on the pumpkin with a pen. Attach gardening twine over the drawing with hot glue.
Flower Power
Artfully arrange cleaned and dried pumpkin seed flowers with acorn top centers on a classic orange pumpkin.
To make: Start by cutting small circles of craft paper (about a 1/2-inch diameter). Hot-glue the pointy ends of the seeds around each circle to create the petals, then cover the exposed center with a small acorn top. Use craft glue or hot-glue to attach the flowers to the pumpkin in a haphazard fashion.
Wreath of Plenty
Grasses come in all colors, shapes, and textures, creating infinite opportunities for embellishment.
To make: Craft a wreath from dried millet and hare’s-tail grass to circle the stem of a larger pumpkin, such as a blue Jarrahdale (middle), or use a wispy grass such as stipa to crown a small white pumpkin (bottom center). Glue stems of puffy hare’s-tail grass (far left) at differing heights around a white pumpkin.
Moss, Lichen, and Pumpkin Wreath
Create a textural wreath by incorporating different types of moss, such as Spanish moss, preserved forest moss, and dried tree lichen.
To make: Cover a 12- to 16-inch foam wreath form with clumps of moss and lichen, attaching with hot-glue. Glue tiny bits of moss and lichen around the stems of mini white pumpkins, then secure to the wreath with floral pins and wire.
Pretty Plummed Pumpkins
Feathered friends lend their plumes to help create these fancy pumpkins. Perfect for your fall tablescape all season long!
To make: Hollow out a tall gourd such as a Hubbard squash, and slice a sliver off the bottom to help it stand. Place a piece of damp floral foam inside and fill with feathers, foliage, and flowers (here, roses and ranunculus). For the festooned pumpkins, use hot-glue to cover with long turkey (large) or pheasant (small) feathers. For the larger pumpkin, finish with wispy green chicken feathers around the crown.
Leaf Etched Pumpkins
Take inspiration from nature to create these pretty leaf etchings.
To make: Start by tracing leaves on a pumpkin with a pen. Use a thin linoleum cutting tool to etch each leaf outline and stem, then a wider linoleum tool to remove the skin inside the etched outlines, exposing the flesh.
Flower Tower
Create a stunning centerpiece for your fall table of buffet with a stack of pumpkins and loads of seasonal flowers.
To make: Start with three white pumpkins that stack nicely. Remove the stems from the bottom and middle pumpkins. Insert three wooden skewers into the bottom of the middle
pumpkin, then pierce the skewers into the top of the bottom pumpkin to help hold them together. Repeat with the top and middle pumpkins. Using long floral greening pins, attach small pieces of damp floral foam where the pumpkins meet. Insert flowers (here, dahlias, ranunculus, and roses), foliage, and privet berries around each tier.
Related: Fall Centerpieces to Liven Up Your Dining Table
Felt Flower Wreath
Choose any color flowers you like to make this simple yet charming wreath.
To make: Make or buy felt flowers and leaves. Hot-glue flowers and leaves to a grapevine wreath form and hang with a length of ribbon.
Monochromatic Dried Flower Pumpkins
Create monochromatic pumpkins to match you decor by using dried petals (like blue hydrangea) or whole buds to cover a pumpkin.
To make: Separate the petals from a dried flower and hot glue onto a pumpkin until it is entirely covered or use buds to create a pattern on the pumpkin, attaching them with hot glue, too.
Stadium Blanket
Bundle up with an embellished blanket while enjoying cool nights on the front porch.
To make: Topstitch chenille letter and numbers onto the blanket or adhere with iron-on fusible tape.
Braided Rope Wreath
The neutral tone of this twine wreath makes it the perfect choice if you want a one-and-done wreath for the whole season.
To make: Wrap a wire wreath form in thin jute rope. Cut six long lengths of the same rope you used to wrap the wreath form. Hot-glue one end of three lengths together. Repeat with the second set of three lengths. Braid rope bundles together. Hot-glue braid to the wreath form. Attach an oversize bow, made from upholstery jute webbing, with hot-glue.
Sporty Centerpiece
Forget the ho-hum glass vase and opt for a vintage football helmet filled to fill with fall blooms. To keep it steady, wrap a 3-inch embroidery hoop with jute ribbon, and center the helmet upside
down on it. Fill a glass vase with water and place in the helmet; add flowers to vase (here, butterfly ranunculus, chamomile, and brown-eyed Susans).
Class Rings
Napkin rings, that is. As the cool weather sets in and sports ramp up, set a table with school spirit by using old buttons.
To make: Wrap an unfinished wood ring with thin neutral twine. Open each pin back and thread the spear through a few strands of the twine, then close.
Brown Transferware Pumpkins
Turn your favorite collection into spectacular pumpkin decor! Here, inspired by antique brown transferware, pumpkins get a Mod Podge makeover.
To make: Color copy your favorite transferware plates and platters. Tear or cut the copies into strips, about 1/2- to 1-inch wide then use Mod Podge (any finish will work) to attach strips to white pumpkins.
Tiered Colander Pumpkin Display
Stack vintage aluminum colanders to create a picture-perfect kitchen display.
To make: Cut pieces of floral foam to fit in the bottom and middle colanders. Push colanders into foam to help them stay in place. Place pumpkins around the bottom and middle colanders and completely fill the top colander. Add bittersweet sprigs throughout.
Cloche Covers
Pumpkins displayed in vintage glass cloches add a dramatic pop to fall decor. Round out the setting with vase full of fall leaves and a cozy wool blanket for keeping the chill away.
Bead-and-Wheat Wreath
Enjoy this fall wreath on the front door or above the buffet all season long.
To make: Make six to eight bundles of dried wheat and/or dried pampas grass, holding the ends together with brown floral wire. Starting at the bottom, use wire to attach bundles to a beaded wreath form (each subsequent bundle will cover up the wire of the previous bundle). Cover the wire of the last bundle with jute ribbon. Use a second length of ribbon to hang the wreath.
Crock Pumpkin Perch
This display just screams fall! Decorate the front steps or stoop with a menagerie of flat, wide pumpkins and mums perched on crocks.
Grain Sack Pumpkins
Take inspiration from a country classic—vintage French grain sacks —for this years pumpkin decor. Display on the front porch, maybe next to a bench with pillows covered in grain sacks, to create a warm fall welcome.
To make: Simply Mod Podge striped ribbon either vertically or horizontally around white pumpkins. Display stacked on pumpkins, benches, or stools.
Leaf Motif Pumpkins
Greet trick-or-treaters and well-wishers with a wheelbarrow stuffed full of painted on and decoupaged leaf motif pumpkins. Bulk up the display with no extra work by including loads of varying size and color pumpkins
Make decoupage leaf pumpkins: Cut out leaves and flowers from new or vintage wallpaper or wrapping paper. Decoupage to pumpkins using Mod Podge.
Make painted leaf pumpkins: Use a leaf-shaped stencil to paint fall colored leaves on green, blue, or white pumpkins. Once dry use a white paint pen to outline the leaves, add veining, and decorative details.
Wheat Wreath
Using two different types of wheat to create added texture and color to the ubiquitous wheat wreath.
To make: Attach pieces of dried wheat (trimming the ends as needed) to a wooden craft ring with hot-glue, overlapping the pieces as you work your way around the form.
Fabric Pumpkin Centerpiece
Craft your own personal pumpkin patch using old quilts and fabric scraps. To make, start with a round piece of fabric and a ball of batting (about the size you want your finished pumpkin to be). Gather up the fabric around the batting and hot glue it together in the center. Collect dried stems, or purchase faux stems, and attach with hot glue for a realistic touch. Line the middle of a long farmhouse table with a runner, then pile on your creations and other seasonal greenery. These would be an adorable accent to a mantel or buffet as well.
Silver Leafed Pumpkins
These DIY shimmering leaves look great on blue-hued or green pumpkins such as Jarrahdale, Blue Doll, Blue Moon, and Fairytale.
Make the pumpkins: Attach silver leaf with sizing to one side of fake or real leaves (alternatively, you can spray paint leaves silver). Once dry, spray adhesive spray on the back of the leaves and attach to pumpkins.
Leaf & Pinecone Napkin Rings
Oak-shaped leaves cut from scraps of fabric get tied up with mini pine cones that have been spray painted gold. Tie around corresponding color napkins for an on-point table setting.
Bittersweet Vine-Wrapped Pumpkins
This simple craft, which is perfect for decorating your fall table or front porch, only takes three supplies and just a few minutes to make. If you can’t find bittersweet vine, try using grapevine and attaching berries with hot glue.
Make the pumpkins: Wrap white pumpkins with bittersweet vine, holding it in place with T-pins and hot glue.
Tabletop Topiaries
Create a grouping of these tabletop topiaries to display as a centerpiece or on a buffet.
Make the nut topiaries: Lightly spray styrofoam craft balls with brown paint. Once dry, hot glue nuts to styrofoam balls in an orderly pattern, as shown. For the walnut topiary, start with a middle equator row and add rows up and down from there. Add hazelnuts to fill any gaps. For the raw almond topiary, start at the top and work your way down, gluing horizontal rows around the perimeter and overlapping slightly for full coverage. Leave space at bottom to rest on top of candlestick bases. Attach with hot glue, as needed.
Make the pumpkin and squash topiaries: Remove stems, except for the top pieces. Stack two pumpkins and secure using small wooden skewers or toothpicks. Skewer the bottom piece and place into crocks filled with floral foam. Cover foam with Spanish moss, and finish with grapevine accents.
Etched Vine Topiary Pumpkin
The perfect sophisticated decor for greeting guests to your front door. Place directly on the porch or layer on a vintage ladderback chair with different color plaid blankets.
Make the pumpkins: Purchase one large, one medium, and one small pumpkin (any color combo works) that stack nicely. Remove the stems from the large and medium pumpkin. Lightly sketch a vine pattern on a pumpkin with a pencil. Use a linoleum carving tool to etch out the pattern. Once complete attach red berries or beads with hot glue.
Plaid and Wood Table Setting
The hues of fall are on display in this warm and cozy table setting. Start by cutting a vintage wool blanket into placemats. Drill holes in nuts and thread with wire or twine to create napkin rings. Finally pen guests names on new or vintage wooden spoons to create sweet place cards.
Painted Faux Bois Pumpkin
Adding paint to an etched faux bois (the artistic imitation of wood) pumpkin helps the colors pop adding fun flair to this sophisticated pumpkin. Display on a covered porch next to the door or on a table.
Make the pumpkins: Lightly sketch a faux bois pattern on a pumpkin with a pencil. Use a linoleum carving tool to etch out the pattern. Once complete, paint unetched part of the pumpkin with acrylic paint. If you get any paint in the etched grain you can remove it up with the carving tool once dry.
Fiery Flowers Centerpiece
Go for bold red and yellow blooms instead of the usual muted fall tones. In a vintage pudding tin or other favorite vessel, add flowers first, then mix in fall leaves, berries, magnolia leaves. Pro tip: Start with more stiff/branchy pieces to make a strong base, then move to softer, delicate materials. Finish it off with a ribbon tied with dried gourds.
Ombre Pumpkin Centerpiece
Paint small white pumpkins in differing shades of red and pink to create a lovely ombre effect down the center of the table. Add single maroon flowers in bud vases here and there for a light floral touch.
Washi Tape Quilt Squares
Modern quilt squares made from washi tape come together to make this oh-so-country pumpkin.
Make the pumpkin: Starting in the center of a large white pumpkin, cut lengths of washi tape to create a square. Use a thinner width of a second color of tape to make another square within the first one. Add a square of tape in the center, and top with a smaller square. Continue making squares, varying the designs as you go.
Mini Orange Pumpkin Place Card
All it takes is a fancy gold push pin and rough torn card stock to turn the cutest mini pumpkin into your guest's place card.
Washi Tape-Covered Pumpkins
Washi tape is a simple and impactful way to turn a plain-ole pumpkin into a colorful display.
Make the pumpkin: Fully cover a small or medium pumpkin vertically with lengths of washi tape. Once covered, attach a piece of twine around the base of the stem, holding it in place with hot glue.
Plaid Fall Wreath
Plaid shirts and autumn leaves go together like Thanksgiving and turkey! We love the idea of celebrating both of those fall staples in one cheerful wreath.
Make the wreath: Trace leaf stencils onto double-stick fusible webbing, then fuse them to plaid fabric and cut out leaf shapes. Next, fuse the cutout leaves to felt, and cut out once more. Finally, wrap a foam wreath form with ribbon and attach the leaves with push-pins or hot glue, mixing the plaid and felt sides. Hang with a strip of plaid fabric.
Rickrack Pumpkin Face
No carving necessary to create this sweet pumpkin face.
Make the pumpkin: Lightly draw a simple pumpkin face on a pumpkin. Use lengths of black rickrack to cover the drawing, attaching it with hot-glue. Attach small white buttons to the corner of each eye with hot-glue. Cut pumpkin-shaped leaves from green felt and lengths of green rickrack to create tendrils; attach at the base of the pumpkin stem with hot-glue.
Button Napkin Ring
This neutral toned place setting is just cute as a button!
Make the napkin ring: Either buy wood buttons or drill small holes into small wood rounds. Thread holes with white twine and tie around napkins.
Rickrack Frankenstein
Is he friendly or is he not?! With rickrack spool bolts, how could he be anything other than sweet and cuddly.
Make the pumpkin: Cut a length of extra-large black rickrack. Cut a piece of black felt the same length and attach it to the rickrack so that only the bottom “ruffles” are showing. Attach the top of a flat-shaped heirloom pumpkin for hair. Attach two small black buttons to the center of the pumpkin with hot-glue for eyes. Attach a length of thick black cording above the eyes with hot-glue for eyebrow. Attach lengths of medium-size black rickrack to pumpkin with hot-glue for scar and mouth. Wrap two wooden spools with green rickrack and attach to the bottom sides of pumpkin with hot-glue for bolts.
Sweater Pumpkin
Braided lengths of soft yarn will keep you pumpkin warm come October 31.
Make the pumpkin: Glue four strands of yarn together and to the top of the pumpkin just below the stem with hot-glue. Braid stands together, using two strands per plait. Glue braid to the bottom of the pumpkin with hot-glue. Repeat, spacing braids about one-inch apart, until covered.
Rickrack Birdcage
Wrap and oblong pumpkin with large black rickrack to create the wires of a spooky birdcage. Friendly crow optional!
Make the pumpkin: Remove the stem from a large oblong pumpkin; reserve. Attach lengths of large rickrack to the top and bottom of the pumpkin, spacing evenly, with hot-glue. Attach two double layers of large rickrack horizontally at the bottom and top third with hot-glue. Fashion a door from black pipe cleaner, and attach lengths of rickrack to the back; wedge under one of the vertical lengths of rickrack. Attach pumpkin stem to the center of a black ceiling light canopy, and place on top of pumpkin. Hot-glue a toy crow to the pumpkin and set on a black plate or cake stand.
Ombré Fall Wreath
A pretty collection of yellows, oranges, pinks, and reds makes this wreath a perfect fit for the fall season—but we think it'd still look appropriate on your front porch come spring and summer.
Make the wreath: Set four medium plastic bins on a covered surface. In each, mix 6 cups of warm water, 3 Tbsp vinegar, and 1 cup Rit liquid fabric dye in desired colors. Note: Wear gloves so your hands don't get stained from the dye. Soak dried corn husk in the mixture for 20 minutes; rinse with water and let dry on newspaper. Place husks between two thin towels and iron flat. Hot-glue a few layers of dyed corn husks around a 12" foam wreath form to create a sunburst shape. Attach a loop of wire to the back with hot glue and use to hang.
Painted Farm-Scene Pumpkin
A full moon watches over a swarm of bats in this pumpkin painted with a farm scene.
Make the pumpkin: Lay a large oblong pumpkin on its side and lightly draw a line the length of the pumpkin one-third of the way from the bottom. Lightly draw a farm scene (barn, windmill, moon, tractor, and hay bales) above the line. Paint the bottom third of the pumpkin with black acrylic paint, using the line as a guide. Use a white paint pen to color in the moon. Use a gray paint pen to add detail to the moon, if desired. Use black paint pen to color in the scene, free handing corn stalks and flying bats.
Grapevine Wreath and Garland
Channel the California wine country with this stunner.
Make the wreath: Use floral wire to bundle five or six-inch lengths of fresh olive branches together. Attach bundles to a wire wreath form, making sure the branches go in the same direction. Add dried white statice flowers here and there with floral wire.
Leaf Place Card and Acorn Napkin Ring
Nature is the theme of this classically fall hued table.
Make the crafts: Hot glue acorns to lengths of brown waxed twine and use to tie up rolled napkins. Apply gold leaf to a portion of a preserved maple leaf and use a gold paint pen to mark with guest's initials.
Cross-Stitch Pumpkins
Add homespun charm to your decor with our tent and campfire.
Make the pumpkins: Download and print our cross-stitch patterns. (Adjust pattern size as needed.) Tape onto artificial, carvable pumpkins. (Trust us: You'll want to display these year after year.) Punch through the pattern's cross-stitch points with an awl. Use a jab saw to cut an opening in the bottom of both pumpkins large enough for your hand to work inside. Cross-stitch using a tapestry needle and yarn. For tent support poles and campfire logs, adhere twigs with hot-glue.
Gnome Pumpkins
Welcome visitors with these sweet petite gnome friends.
Make the pumpkin: Trace hat template on wool fabric, adjusting size as necessary; cut out. Use craft glue or iron-on fusible tape to glue straight edges together. Fill hat with batting to help it stand upright; set on pumpkin. Attach a small wood craft bead to a small pumpkin with hot-glue to create a nose. Attach strands of yarn with hot glue around nose to create beard; trim as necessary.
Cinnamon Stick Placecard Holder
Welcome guests with a the scent of warm spices.
Make the holder: Wrap the ends of cinnamon sticks in red twine and slip place cards in the stick's natural crevice to create placecards.
Lace Embellished Pumpkin
This pretty pumpkin will look right at home on your holiday table or lining a kitchen shelf.
Make the pumpkin: Separate sections of lace trim or use flower appliqués and attach to pumpkins with hot-glue.
Corn Husk Wreath
Adorn the door with all things corn husk. Start with a flint corn and corn husk wreath and move onto a corn husk garland. Pumpkins and colorful mums round out the scene.
Make the wreath: Start with a flat-wire 18-inch frame, then hot-glue corn husks (roughly 18) and corncobs (roughly 9) in an alternating pattern. Fray the ends of the corn husks to add more dimension.
Button Witch Hat
An extra large pumpkin makes a perfect home for a witch hat made from buttons, string, and ribbon. Display on the front porch with a mini broom and bowl of candy!
Make the pumpkin: Lightly draw a witch hat on a large white pumpkin. Attach thin black twine along drawing with hot-glue. Attach a length of twine in a zigzag pattern down the point of the hat with hot-glue. Attach medium-size buttons on top of string at even intervals and where the zigzag meets the outline with hot-glue.
Button Spiders
Creepy spider made from buttons, string, and pipe cleaners slither about pumpkins. The very idea is sure to make your skin crawl!
Make the pumpkin: Thread red string through the holes of a large or medium-size black button in a crisscross pattern; knot or glue in the back to hold in place. Cut eight 1- to 2-inch lengths of black pipe cleaner and glue to the back of the button with hot glue with four on each side; shape into legs. Attach a smaller black button with hot-glue to make a head. Repeat as desired. Attach a black string to the back of the larger button with hot-glue, and hang spider around stem or attach directly to a pumpkin with hot-glue.
Fall Fruit Wreaths
This festive decoration couldn't be simpler. Just add faux apples to the bottom of a grapevine wreath (or two!), then hang and admire. Bonus: Adorn the porch with cozy blankets so you can sit outside an admire the stars on crisp fall nights.
Pumpkin Jam Jars
We're absolutely smitten with these pumpkin "Mason jars." They're a combination of so many of our favorite things!
Make the jars: Print pumpkin and apple templates on removable tattoo paper. Attach to small white pumpkins per package directions. Remove the stems from pumpkins. Cut a piece of cardboard to fit into the opening of a wide-mouth Mason jar ring. Attach a round of gingham fabric, centering it, to the cardboard. Glue pumpkin stems in centers. Attach lids to tops of pumpkins.
Pine Cone Wreath
Pine cones are the most inexpensive crafting material out there, and make beautiful additions to fall wreaths. You can pick up a few right in your own backyard!
Make the wreath: Wrap a 16-inch wreath form with burlap ribbon and loop a piece around the wreath form for hanging. Paint the tip of 40 pine cones in fall colors such as orange, yellow, and beige with acrylic paint. Brush the tips of 10 pine cones with matte Mod Podge and sprinkle with gold and copper glitter. once dry, wrap an 18-inch length of floral wire around the base of each pine cone and twist tie around the wreath form to secure, layering and overlapping them as you go.
Pumpkin Checkers
Fall's a whole lot more fun when you can play with it, not just in it! These checkers allow you to do just that. The whole project is such a fun alternative to the store-bought version.
Make the game: Paint 32 squares on a large (roughly 30-inch) wood board with burnt orange craft paint. Use mini white and orange pumpkins as game pieces.
Lush Garland
Spruce up your living room with a magnolia's broad leaves, transformed into a natural garland.
Get the magnolia garland tutorial.
Corn Husk Wreath
Nothing says "fall" quite like flint corn. Here, it's dried and assembled into a gorgeous wreath.
Make the wreath: Detach husks from one side of 20 medium-size Indian corn. Hot-glue the undersides of the corn to their husks. Lay out the corn in a circle with the tops pointing out, alternating colors. Hot-glue the corn to an 18-inch craft ring, and fill in any sparse areas with extra husks.
Honeycomb Pumpkin
It's cute, fun, and just a little bit different. This honeycomb design is an easy alternative to the more intricate pumpkin carving ideas designs out there.
Make the honeycomb pumpkin: Cut a hole in the bottom of a medium orange pumpkin; scoop out pulp and seeds. Draw a honeycomb pattern on the front; etch out. Cut out a few of the combs and paint the remaining combs with yellow craft paint. Lean a honey dipper against its side.
Pumpkin Basket
Pumpkins inside pumpkins? It's fall inception, and we're loving every bit of it.
Make the basket: Cut off the top quarter of a flat pumpkin (this is a Musquee de Provence variety); scoop out pulp and seeds. Attach lengths of grapevine just below the opening with T-pins. Attach a grapevine handle just inside the opening with T-pins. Nestle mini pumpkins in the basket.
Book Leaves Wreath
How fun is this paper wreath? Allow it to bring the spirit of fall right to your front door this year.
Make the wreath: Draw a 3-inch-wide maple leaf shape on a piece of cardboard and cut out to create a stencil. Trace on original pages (or, preferred, photocopied pages) of a vintage book—consider a fall-themed title or mystery novel—and cut out approximately 100 leaves with decorative scissors that have a "torn paper" edge. Attach book page leaves to maple leaves with hot glue. Attach layered leaves to a 16-inch wreath form with hot glue, layering and overlapping them as you go. Hang with burlap ribbon.
Pumpkin Sign
There's no better way to welcome your visitors this season than with a pumpkin sign! Write your message of choice directly onto the pumpkin for a serious "wow" factor.
Make the sign: Cut a large hole in back of an oblong pumpkin; scoop out pulp and seeds. Remove flesh so it's light enough to hang. Etch outline of desired phrase on long side of pumpkin. Color center of letters with a black oil-based paint pen. Paint two 2" by 1" boards black; once dry, use white paint for desired phrases. Hang from bottom of pumpkin with chain. Cut hole in oblong top of pumpkin. Cut 1" dowel the width of the top inside of pumpkin (parallel with words). Tie rope around dowel, and feed rope through hole; hang.
Pumpkin Barrel
Talk about adorable fall porch decor. This "barrel" is the perfect way to show off your apple-picking treasures!
Make the barrel: Cut off the top quarter of an extra-large pumpkin; scoop out pulp and seeds. Hot-glue three strips of burlap ribbon around outside of pumpkin. Stuff pumpkin three-fourths full with Poly-Fil. Insert burlap fabric into the opening and fold over outside of pumpkin; hold in place with upholstery tacks. Fill with apples or desired items.
Fall Jar Pumpkin
This pumpkin is the ultimate Mason jar craft! Start by removing the stem of a medium pumpkin—but don't throw it away. Next, use wired twine to spell out “fall” and hot-glue to the pumpkin. Paint the pumpkin and twine with light blue craft paint. Make sure it dries completely. Lastly, place a nine-to 10-inch tart pan upside down on the pumpkin. Hot-glue the reserved stem to the center of the pan.
Hot-Air Balloon Squash
The star of this craft is a red Hubbard squash, which naturally resembles the shape of a hot-air ballon. Begin by using varying colors of electrical tape, overlapping as necessary to create the width you want. Then, thread string through a mini basket and attach to the pointy end of the squash with a nail or thumbtack. Fill the basket about three-fourths full with plastic packing material, as this will keep it from getting too heavy. Top with mini pumpkins. Finally, insert a hook into the stem end of the squash and tie rope around the hook to hang. Up, up, and away.
Caramel Apple Pumpkins
Although these painted pumpkins look just like real candied apples, they unfortunately don't have the delicious taste. To make this sweet craft, first remove the stem of a medium pumpkin. Use craft paint to paint the top part green, so it resembles a Granny Smith apple. Once dry, use craft paint to paint the bottom 2/3 a golden caramel color. (Are you drooling yet?) Then, hot-glue a 3/4- by 12-inch dowel where the stem was. Display in a large, industrial-size coffee filter.
Burlap Wine Cover
A scrap of rustic burlap, wrapped around a regional wine and topped with a lush remnant of velvet ribbon, is elevated to the truly elegant. Stencil the hostess's initials or a short greeting for an extra touch.
Corn Husk Pumpkins
Tamale wrappers or corn husks can transform any average pumpkin into a farmhouse-chic display. To start, tear the wrappers or corn husks into strips, about a quarter to a half-inch wide. Cover a white or orange pumpkin (whichever you'd like!) with strips, hot-gluing in place on the top and bottom. Hot-glue smaller strips around the stems of pumpkins. You'll need about 25 strips for a small pumpkin and 75 for a large pumpkin.
Tree-Branch Coasters
To make these rustic drink perches, you'll need a tree limb that's roughly three inches in diameter. Saw the branch into slices about 3/4-inch thick—or have a hardware store do it for you—and lightly sand each wood disk. Create the leaf motifs shown by pressing an inked stamp onto each coaster. Let dry for five minutes, then coat the stamped side with a protective matte finishing spray. Allow 15 minutes of drying time before using.
Ticketed Pumpkins
Grab a roll of raffle tickets and get to work! First, separate the roll into individual tickets. Then, working with one ticket at a time, brush glossy Mod Podge on fronts and backs of tickets with a paint brush. Attach to pumpkin, and add more Mod Podge on top. Repeat until pumpkin is covered.
Recycled-Sweater Sham
Think twice before you throw away an old sweater to make room for a new one! To make this pillow, you'll need an 18-inch square pillow insert and a large sweater, cut into two 19-inch squares. Sew the right sides of the wool together along the edges, leaving the bottom open. Turn right side out and insert the pillow form, then stitch the bottom closed. For the flower, cover a two-inch circle of card stock with a piece of a thin sweater; hot-glue to the circle's back. Next, fold a 3- by 20-inch strip of another sweater in half lengthwise. Glue the edges together, then sew a running stitch down the strip lengthwise along the glued seam. Once you've stitched the entire length, pull the thread to gather the fabric and knot. Hot-glue the gathered edge in a circle to the back of the card stock, then hot-glue a pin-back in the center and affix to the pillow.
Jaunty Firewood Carrier
Carry out a seasonal chore in style with a log sling that costs less than $15 to make!
Step 1: Turn a canvas bag inside out, then use a seam ripper to undo the gusseted corners. Using scissors, cut the bag along the side seams so that it lays completely flat when open.
Step 2: Lay the bag wrong side up. Using a pencil and a ruler, draw and 8 1/2-inch diagonal line across each of the bag's corners. Cut the bag along the lines, as shown; discard corner pieces. Then, fold each cut edge over by 1/4 inch and topstitch in place.
Step 3: Cut a piece of faux bois oilcloth that measures 18 1/4''L x 13 1/2W. Flip the bag right side up, then lay the panel across the bag's middle section, as shown. Using bright-orange thread, topstitch the panel in place along its edges.
Step 4: Reinforce the handles by folding each strap back on itself. Clamp or pin the strap in place, then stitch it together. Repeat for the second strap.
Bowl Warmer
Keep your fingers cool and your dish hot with a sweater scrap: Pull a sleeve over a bowl, lining up the finished cuff with the top rim, and hot-glue. Next, trim the wool so it reaches the bowl's bottom edge and hot-glue in place.
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