With fall’s arrival, the leaves are changing colors and there is an abundance of fallen leaves in our yards (and in our gutters!). One option is to rake the leaves and place them in yard bags only to be picked up and tossed away. But why do that when there’s a great opportunity to do arts and crafts with family and loved ones as you prepare for the holidays?
With the kids out of school for fall break, it’s always good to keep their hands busy and creative juices flowing. Try out these DIY fall leaf art projects to help spruce up your yard and have fun!
First things first, here’s what you’ll need in order to best preserve the leaves:
- Autumn leaves. Collect leaves from your yard in a variety of shapes and colors and then wash gently and allow them to dry. Be sure to grab some small leaves, too, to help fill in detail in your project.
- An old book. You can press the leaves in an old book to perfectly flatten them, making them easier to use in your project! Leave them in this book for a day for best results.
- Acrylic spray. Spray with the acrylic sealant on both sides to protect the leaves from crumbling and falling apart.
Once they’re preserved you’re ready to go to try these crafts!
Draw on your leaves!
This one is simple: once your leaves are preserved, you and your family can easily draw designs on the leaves. Draw with metallic sharpies for the best effect in creating autumn leaf art. You can also use your decorated leaves for these other project ideas.
A leaf mandala.
Use removable Scotch mounting putty to arrange your leaves in a mandala or other designs on your wall. You can easily rearrange the leaves if you ever get bored with the design!
A “stained-glass window.”
A quick and easy art project you can use to decorate your home! For this you will need:
- Wax paper
- Craft glue
- Crayon
- Old sheets of newspaper
- An iron
Gather your favorite, most vibrant leaves and arrange them on a sheet of wax paper. When you decide on a design, glue the leaves to the wax paper and add crayon shavings for extra design. Cover with a second sheet of wax paper, then place between a sheet of newspaper and iron on low heat in order for it to set. Hang your craft in a window and enjoy your own fall decor!
A leaf garland.
Another quick and easy project to spruce up your interior fall decorations. For this you’ll need:
- Your favorite decorated leaves
- A satin ribbon
- A hot glue gun
- Pushpins
Take the satin ribbon and lay face down. Arrange your favorite leaves in a line, face down with the stems on the ribbon. Next, use a hot glue gun to attach the stems to the ribbon. Let sit for a couple of minutes to dry and then voila! You have a beautiful, handmade leaf garland that could adorn your door or hallway. Use push pins to hang on the wall or exterior.
While most leaves that fall on our yards are perfect for use in a DIY leaf art project, some leaves get caught in the home’s gutter system and aren’t salvageable. Call Ned Stevens to learn more about our gutter cleaning services and arrange a gutter cleaning today. New customers receive $25 off your first service for a limited time.
