Decorate House with Falling Leaves

Autumn is upon us and the leaves have started to change color. Before long they will be falling and filling our yards with color. Before you rake them all up, save the best for these home decoration ideas that can involve the whole family.

Placemats

You and your children can create leafy placemats using self-adhesive laminate sheets, freshly fallen leaves (they shouldn't be dry and crumbly), a ruler and scissors.

Expose one laminate sheet and place sticky side up on the table. Place the leaves onto the laminate, leaving approximately a one-inch border on each side. Peel the backing off the second sheet and place it on top of the leaves, sticky side down. Try to line it up as neatly as possible.

Lightly smooth over the whole thing using the edge of the ruler to push out any air bubbles. Trim the edges as needed to make them neat.

Mobile

You can create a mobile using laminated leaves. You will also need two sticks about the same diameter and length, awl, scissors, large-eye needle and twine.

Laminate the freshly fallen leaves using two pieces of laminate but do not overlap them. Cut around the leaves, leaving a quarter-inch border.

Poke a hole anywhere along the border and push the twine through it, knotting it on the back. Make several of these with the twine at varying lengths.

Cross the two sticks at the middle then wrap the twine around it to hold it in place, knot it in the center and allow the excess twine to hang down while you tie the leaves, pinecones and acorns onto the sticks at varying lengths. Hang from the ceiling.

Pressed Leaf Art

What can you create using various sized leaves? A butterfly? Maybe a fairy? Perhaps a fish? For this project you'll need freshly fallen leaves, a heavy book, paper towels, craft glue, toothpicks, cardstock, matte and frame.

Put the leaves between two pieces of paper towel then place between the pages of a heavy book. Leave them in a dry, cool spot for at least two weeks.

Arrange the leaves on the table to create your picture then gently flip them over. Use the toothpick to place a thin line of craft glue around the edges then layer from the back to the front onto a piece of complimentary-colored cardstock. When it has dried completely, frame with a piece of matte.