25 Clever Ways to Use Autumn Leaves

Shannon Quinn - November 13, 2019
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25 Clever Ways to Use Autumn Leaves
Photo: Credit: Shutterstock
You can use gouche or acrylic paint to make these leaves. Credit: Shutterstock

5. Painted Leaves

An easy DIY project is to take some leaves from your back yard, and paint or draw designs on them. This can be done using white paint and a very thin paint brush. It can also be done with white chalkboard paint markers from the dollar store. Another great idea is to take a doily and dab white paint over top of it so that it is left with a pattern underneath. Once the leaves are made, you should let the paint dry for several hours.

By using a doily and paint, it leaves a beautiful pattern. Credit: Shutterstock

Both kids and adults can have fun with this, and the end result is absolutely beautiful. After they have dried, you can choose what to do with them next. Maybe you want to glue them onto garland, a piece of paper, or have them hanging from a mobile. The options are endless, and we have gone over several ideas on this list.

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These little critters were made with acrons, leaves, and more. Credit: Shutterstock

4. Create Adorable Forest Creatures

For years, people made toys out of the natural objects that they could find outside. Dolls were made from carving wood, corn husk, and so much more. You and your kids can take items from outside and turn them into little toys of their own. In the photo above, you can see an example of how someone used tooth picks to push berries, acorns, and leaves together to make cute little animals.

This angel doll was made out of natural foliage. Credit: Shutterstock

You can also make a cute little angel or fairy doll by using leaves as the wings. The options are truly endless. You may be surprised to see what your kids think to make if you put these objects in front of them, and ask them to create something. It sparks their creativity and imagination, and it can become a cute decorating throughout the fall.

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These adorable ghost decorations are easy to make. Credit: Shutterstock

3. Turn Leaves into Spooky Ghosts

Leaves begin to change right around Halloween, so it only makes sense to turn them into spooky decor. This would be perfect for a classroom full of kids too, since the materials for making the craft is very cheap, and possibly free if you already have the supplies on-hand. You can gather leaves and spray them with white paint, or let your kids paint them by hand. Allow the leaves to dry for several hours.

You will want to cut off the top of the leaf to make the ghost’s head. Credit: Shutterstock

Next, cut the top off of the leaf so that it is curved. All you need to do is take a sharpie and draw on eyes and a mouth. Once these ghosts are done, you can choose to glue them to a card, construction paper, or even hang them from strings so that the ghosts are flying around your house.

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These gifts are wrapped with brown paper and leaves. Credit: Shutterstock

2. Using Leaves as Gift Toppers

Around Christmas time, it is all too common for people to use holly or other greenery as present toppers. This looks gorgeous, of course, but few people ever thing to do this in the autumn. If you are going to a birthday party in the fall, it can be a great idea to use leaves to decorate the top of a present, too. In fact, these leaves are so gorgeous and colorful, it would look so much better than a standard plastic bow.

This orange paper and string look beautiful with leaves. Credit: Shutterstock

As an added bonus, you can make your gifts look like something out of a magazine for free, or only spending a dollar or two. Some of the best options are to use brown paper bags with tule. Or, you can find solid color paper in orange, yellow, or red from Dollar Tree.

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This candle jar is made with a few leaves and a tea light. Credit: Shutterstock

1. DIY Candle Jar

In the autumn, you can find expensive fall jars from places like Bath and Body Works. However, these can be very costly, and go up to $20 to $30 for just one candle. You can make your own DIY candle jars just by getting a simple glass mason jar, and attach leaves with mod podge. Then, you can add a simple tea light, or find affordable scented candles at Dollar Tree.

You can choose to add ribbon or any extra pieces to these leaf jars. Credit: Shutterstock

Once the candle is lit, the leaves will glow orange in the dark. Since these are so cheap to make, it would be easy to make several of these to put around your house so that you have the all ambiance in every room.

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