Halloween has come and gone, and while we’ve had a couple of small snowfalls in recent weeks, we’re still clinging to Autumn until every last leaf has fallen. I figure we still have a good week or two left (if we’re lucky) so we’re celebrating with these Fun Fall Leaf Projects!
Don’t you just love autumn leaves? I can never get enough of the vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows! I love taking walks in the fall, breathing the crisp air, and marveling at the beautiful trees. There is just something so magical about them.
“The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let the dead things go.”
– Anonymous
I’ve always loved this quote. It serves as a good reminder for us to focus on the hear and now, and to let go of all of the things we cannot control. Live life to the fullest. Enjoy the little things. Relax. Breathe. And let go of the things that no longer bring us joy. This is what all of the beautiful falling leaves remind me of each autumn.
And what better way to appreciate the beauty of the season, than to create some fun fall leaf crafts, with my little nugget, that we could use to decorate our home?
Fall Leaf Sun-Catchers
Creating some fall leaf sun-catchers is the perfect way to bring the beautiful autumn colors inside, to brighten up your windows! But in order to make the fall leaf sun-catchers, you need fall leaves. π So, first on our agenda was a leaf hunt! Our little nugget was so excited about going on a leaf hunt…she talked about all of the different colors of leaves that she was going to find (she was even certain we would find some pink and purple leaves). We grabbed our hats and a plastic baggie (to store our leaves in) and we set out on our hunt around the neighborhood. We really didn’t need to go far to find some of the most beautiful colors of leaves. We made sure to search for a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. We had the best time!
When our bag was full, we came home and dumped our leaves out on the kitchen floor. I quickly taped a sheet of clear contact paper to the front of our dishwasher, and we started sticking our favorite leaves onto the sticky contact paper. This was another highlight for my little nugget! She loved creating her colorful leaf masterpiece!
Once our leaf masterpiece was complete, I carefully placed another sheet of clear contact paper on top, pressing firmly to seal the leaves in place. We could have just used our square of leaves as a large sun-catcher on our back door, but we wanted to take it one step further and create fall leaves of our own…from our fall leaves. π
We drew some random leaf shapes on our contact paper and then carefully cut them out. Then we taped a few of our leaves to different windows in our home. They look incredible when the sun’s rays shine through…the perfect homemade fall decor!
Fall Leaf Rubbings
I remember making leaf rubbings in school when I was a young child, and I always thought they were amazing! The detail that emerges by simply rubbing a flat crayon on a white piece of paper, that is resting on top of a leaf…it’s magnificent!
My little nugget had so much fun on her first leaf hunt, that she requested to go again. When we brought home our second haul of leaves I needed to find a way to utilize them, and so I decided to share the love of leaf rubbings that I discovered as a child.
We placed a small selection of leaves on top of the dining room table and then covered them with a piece of white paper. I taped the edges of the paper down so that it wouldn’t slide around while we were trying to rub the leaves. We unwrapped an orange, yellow, and red crayon and I showed my daughter how to lay the crayon flat on the paper and rub it (pressing firmly) across the entire sheet of paper.
She started rubbing and was quickly amazed that she was creating her very own fall leaves. She loved mixing up the colors, and enjoyed the project so much that we ended up with three completely different and beautiful works of art! They are so colorful, intricate, and detailed that I might just have to frame them, so we can display them every Autumn!
Do you have any fun fall leaf crafts that you like to make with your kids each Autumn? I would love to hear about them in the comments below.
And here’s hoping that we all get just a little more time to enjoy this incredibly beautiful season, before the snow really starts to fly.
