Nature supplies the best materials for your autumn crafts!
You don’t have to hit up the big-box store for autumn decor. The cutest autumn decorating supplies can be found outside! So take a nature walk to gather some acorns and pinecones and pick up some fallen twigs, because here are my 15 favorite autumn nature crafts:
Acorn Cap Peg Dolls
Little kids will love this new seasonal toy, or set these cute little peg dolls with acorn caps in your autumn display. If you’ve got felt or fabric on-hand, you can even dress your peg dolls in some custom autumnal outfits!
Bleached Pinecones
This is a cool way to give a new look to your nature table finds. If you want to make your collection even spookier for Halloween, add in some found animal bones. Mount skeletonized leaves behind the display.
Cornstalk Wreath
This is the perfect project to make when you get home from the pumpkin patch and corn maze! The tutorial calls for a prepared grapevine wreath as the wreath base, but you can substitute any wreath base (or even a cardboard circle) you have on hand.
Cinnamon Stick Wreath
This is way better than a store-bought cinnamon broom, and it lets you use up all of the old cinnamon sticks in your spice cupboard so you can get fresh ones for this year’s holiday baking.
Dried Harvest Garland
This is such a fun way to celebrate what a bountiful harvest season you had (and maybe even a way to use up the last few bits of that harvest that your family will no longer allow you to force-feed them, lol). I love the combination of dried fruits and flowers, spaced out with wooden beads. Homemade clay beads would also be so pretty here!
Painted Acorns
This is a good way to color match specific decor (how pretty would these look decorating an autumn wedding?), or even just to use up some stash crafty acrylics. If you’re feeling especially artistic, get out your tiniest paintbrushes and turn each acorn into an individual masterpiece!
Pinecone Flowers
This is a very kid-friendly craft, as long as an adult works the shears. Make flowers, and then experiment with making all kinds of natural mandalas.
Plaster Leaf Prints
To get the best leaf prints, you’ll want to make them while the leaves are still, if not green, at least supple. After that, you can paint them in all your favorite autumn colors.
Pressed Leaf Luminary
This is such a simple project with such a big impact. Battery-operated tea lights are a MUST with these, however!
Pumpkin Candle Holder
Put those decorative mini pumpkins to work for you this autumn! For an even more natural and eco-friendly project, roll or dip your own beeswax candles.
Pumpkin Spice Bath Bombs
I am obsessed with EVERYTHING autumn during the season. I’m happy to listen to the Over the Garden Wall soundtrack while soaking in a bath
Sweetgum Wreath
Pinecones and acorns are iconic autumn decorations, but I also think it’s super fun to move beyond them and forage other seasonal items–like sweetgum balls!
Twine Pumpkin
Did you know that twine is a natural material? It’s true! Jute twine is a terrific choice for this project. Dye it with RIT dye or liquid watercolors, or leave it naturally brown for the perfect autumn palette.
Walnut Wreath
You know by now that I’m a sucker for projects that you can leave up for multiple holidays/seasons–and this is one of them! Walnuts are thematically on-point for the harvest season, but since they’re easily stored, were traditionally eaten throughout the winter. Celebrate that–and make life easier for yourself!–by leaving this walnut wreath up until Spring.
Wood Slice Pumpkin
I love how cute these wood slice pumpkins are, and how you can display them from the beginning of autumn all the way through Thanksgiving. While you can buy pre-cut wood slices, you can also cut these yourself–just let the slices dry out as long as you can, then sand them super smooth.
P.S. Do you have a favorite autumn nature craft? Tell us about it in the Comments!
