9 Ways to Decorate With Fall Leaves

Coat Fall Leaves With Mod Podge to Preserve Them

There are multiple ways to preserve fall leaves. However, if you want to maintain the leaves' bright colors and don't want to dry them, the best method is to use Mod Podge. Normally, this glue would be used to adhere the leaves to another surface. Instead, you will be glazing the individual leaves. Once dry, use these leaves in centerpieces, fall vignettes, or incorporate them into another craft like a garland or banner.

How to Preserve Fall Leaves from Rosyscription

Upgrade Your Fall Mantel Using a Leaf Bundle

For this project, use either fresh branches or imitation branches from a craft store. If you decide to use fresh branches, remember that the leaves will dry and drop off if you don't coat them. Use a spray finish to preserve the life of the branches for a longer period of time.

When creating your vignette on the mantle, consider grouping the leaf branches with two other objects of varying height to create a group of three. Also, be sure to vary the height of the actual branches within the arrangement for the best result.

Simple Autumn Mantle from Dear Lillie

Upgrade a Basic Votive With Fall Leaves and Sweaters

There are a lot of projects involving fall leaves and candles—but unless you don't plan on using the candle, think twice before wrapping white pillar candles with dried leaves. That could turn into a major fire hazard!

Instead, get a similar look by upgrading a glass votive candle for fall. Here, an old sweater was repurposed and enhanced by adding a dried leaf with part of the sweater.

Sweater Votive Candle DIY from Family Chic

Craft a Fall Leaf Banner for Your Mantel

Creating a fall leaf banner is simple enough, but making it not look like a kid's craft project is another story. This banner is refined, elegant, and creates a whimsy focal point for the mantel. This blogger uses silk leaves for this project, but if you want to use the leaves you collected from outside, just make sure you preserve them first.

Fall Banner with Book Pages from Sondra Lyn at Home

Use Magnolia Leaves for a Fall Wreath

Magnolia leaves are all the rage for farmhouse style homes. You can buy imitation magnolia leaves quite readily that will stay green for their lifetime. However, using dried magnolia leaves as you see in this wreath makes the project feel more fall-inspired.

Decorating with Nature from The Frugal Homemaker

Add Glitter to Fall Leaves

Another creative way to preserve your fall leaves is to add some glitter into the mix. Pour some colored glitter into a bowl of Mod Podge, then coat each leaf. The more layers, the stiffer and more glittery your leaves will become.

For best results, choose glitter colors that match the color of the leaves.

Glitter Fall Leaves DIY from Typically Simple

Print out Fall Leaves for Your Wall

Not all fall leaf projects have to involve actual leaves. Sometimes, the only thing you need to do is print out a well-designed printable to create a new art piece for your home.

Find or make a frame like this one with a clip. The best part about it is that you can easily change out the art with the change of seasons.

Free Fall Printable from A Night Owl

Press Fall Leaves to Make a Wall Art Collage

Pressing leaves is a technique that isn't only reserved for fall leaves. You can press just about anything from your garden to create timeless and one-of-a-kind art pieces for your home. If you want to tackle some pressed leaf art, consider the following tips:

• Keep the frames and backgrounds simple so you don't detract from the leaves. Opt to not use a mat or other embellishments.
• Make more than one! Leaf art is going to look best in groupings on the wall. Keep all the frames the same size and hang them in exact rows, or use varying sized frames and hang them in a more abstract fashion.
• Make sure your leaves are fully dried and pressed before you add them to the frame. This will ensure they will look the same way in a year from now as they did the day you made the art.

DIY Pressed Botanical Art from A Forest Full of Songbirds

Use Leaves as a Fall-Inspired Stamp

Leaves make great stamps and stencils, which opens up an endless amount of options for your fall decor. Here, the stamps are used to make tea towels. But don't limit yourself to just that. You can make stamped placemats, artwork, throw pillows, and more.

When crafting leaf stamps, use varying sizes and shapes of leaves. Also, make sure you rotate the leaves slightly and have them randomly scattered. The only thing to avoid is having one leaf facing downward and another facing upwards. Have the bottom of the leaves all facing downwards so it looks like they're falling.

DIY Leaf Stamped Tea Towel from Boxwood Avenue