I love craft projects! I do them with my students at school, I’ve hosted craft parties in my home and I love to spend a quiet Sunday working on a new project. This blog was created to share my adventures in travel and food, but I’m not doing a whole lot of traveling lately. So…. I’m going to share some autumn crafts that can decorate your home until the winter holiday season arrives.
Rustic Pumpkins
Materials:
- 24 inch long 4×4
- Table saw (or ask someone at your local lumber store to cut the lengths for you!)
- Drill(optional)
- Wood Glue
- Thick branch
- Orange paint ( I got a paint sample from my local hardware store)
- Raffia or ribbon
Directions:
- Cut the 4×4 into 6, 8, and 10inch lengths. If you want, this is also the time to make a branch sized hole with the drill where your stem will be inserted. This is an optional step but will make the stems really stick in there. Cut your thick branch now too, into stem lengths.
- Paint your “pumpkins” and allow to dry completely. You may want to do a couple of coats.
- Once they are dry, put a decent amount of wood glue in the “stem hole” and insert the pre cut branches. If you skipped the rotary saw part just put a little wood glue on the base of the stem a hold for a few minutes to make sure it’s stable.
- When the glue is dry and stems seem sturdy, tie a bow of raffia or ribbon around the stems.
And voila! You’re done and have a super cute pumpkin trio that can stay up all season long. This project was inspired and tweaked a bit from a post I saw from Crafty in Crosby. They also make a cute black cat which I may make this year since we now have our own black magic kitty.
Twine/Jute Pumpkins
These pumpkins are super easy to make. You can put on your favorite seasonal movie or show and whip up a couple of these in an hour!
Materials
- toilet paper ( I used Dollar Tree rolls, the smaller size makes them perfect to wrap)
- twine/jute
- scissors
- hot glue and glue gun
- thick branch (cut or snapped to make your pumpkin stem)
Directions:
- To wrap your pumpkin, cut long strips of jute rope, about a yard at a time. Glue the end of your first strand of jute in the center of your toilet roll and start wrapping it carefully around the roll.
- Continue wrapping around the roll, gluing the ends of each strand of your twine as you go! Wrap until your roll is completely covered.
- Secure your last section with hot glue and gently place a stick in the center of the roll. Add a little dollop of glue to secure your stem and you are done! You can add a ribbon or different color twine around the stem for some extra prettiness.
Fabric Pumpkins
These pumpkins are also made with a toilet paper roll. You’ll be ready if there’s ever a shortage again, you have your autumn décor in a TP emergency!
Materials
- Large roll of toilet paper
- 18-20 inch square piece of fabric
- Hot glue and glue
- Ribbon or faux leaves
- 4 inch piece of branch or cinnamon sticks
Directions:
- Unroll the toilet paper about 10 times, and then roll it loosely back up to give more of a round shape.
- Lay out your fabric and place the toilet paper in the center.
- Grab one corner of the fabric and tuck it inside of the toilet paper roll. Slowly work your way around gathering up the fabric and tucking each corner into the roll. You may need to use a bit of hot glue to secure the fabric, it depends on the type that you use. It’s a judgement call.
- Tie a ribbon around your branch piece and stuff it into the center.
The nice thing about these pumpkins is that they can be customized with the fabric of your choice, the possibilities are endless!
Easy Autumn Wreath
This wreath can be made as elaborate or simple as you want. I kept mine simple with a few felt rosettes but you could add a bow or even cover the whole wreath with felt flowers. I used this blog post from Life After Laundry to learn how to make the flowers.
Materials:
- Grapevine Wreath
- Felt in colors of your choice
- Fabric Glue
- Hot glue and glue gun
- Scissors
- Wire or ribbon for hanging
Directions:
- Read the felt flower tutorial and make as many rosettes as would like. Hot glue to the grapevine wreath, attach ribbon or wire for hanging and you’re done!
There you have it. Four easy crafts that will make your home feel festive and cozy for the autumn season. If you have cute craft ideas send them my way! I love to spend an afternoon creating something. Happy crafting! 🙂
