42 Best Autumn Leaf Craft Ideas to Help You Fall Into the Season

Adorn large pumpkins with leaf motifs for a sweet and welcoming display.

To make stained glass leaf: Cut a hole in bottom of a pumpkin; scoop out pulp and seeds. Draw a leaf; etch veining, and cut out between veins using a pumpkin-carving knife. Attach glassine paper inside with push pins. Add a battery-operated candle.

To make oversize leaf: Draw an oversize leaf and cut out. Scoop out pulp and seeds. Place a pillar candle in opening.

Oak-shaped leaves cut from scraps of fabric get tied up with mini pine cones that have been spray painted gold. Tie around corresponding color napkins for an on-point table setting.

Greet trick-or-treaters and well-wishers with a wheelbarrow stuffed full of painted on and decoupaged leaf motif pumpkins. Bulk up the display with no extra work by including loads of pumpkins in varying sizes and colors.

To make decoupage leaf pumpkins: Cut out leaves and flowers from new or vintage wallpaper or wrapping paper. Decoupage to pumpkins using Mod Podge.

To make painted leaf pumpkins: Use a leaf-shaped stencil to paint fall colored leaves on green, blue, or white pumpkins. Once dry use a white paint pen to outline the leaves, add veining, and decorative details.

Go for bold red and yellow blooms instead of the usual muted fall tones. In a vintage pudding tin or other favorite vessel, add flowers first, then mix in fall leaves, berries, magnolia leaves. Pro tip: Start with more stiff/branchy pieces to make a strong base, then move to softer, delicate materials. Finish it off with a ribbon tied with dried gourds.

Oversize dry leaves make for perfectly impactful place cards. Simply use an oil based paint pen to write names of dried leaves.

These DIY shimmering leaves look great on blue-hued or green pumpkins such as Jarrahdale, Blue Doll, Blue Moon, and Fairytale.

Make the pumpkins: Attach silver leaf with sizing to one side of fake or real leaves (alternatively, you can spray paint leaves silver). Once dry, spray adhesive spray on the back of the leaves and attach to pumpkins.

Greet guests with this charming alternative to a fall wreath. Simply apply a layer of chalkboard paint to the inside of an old tray, then add autumn branches and bittersweet berries for a seasonal finish. (Swap in evergreen and holly for the holidays!)

See fall wreath ideas.

Waxy magnolia leaves will hold up well in this outdoor fall wreath. Simply wire magnolia leaves, gourds, and mini pumpkins to a small tobacco basket to create this front door stunner.

The ultimate door decor for all the bibliophiles out there!

Make the wreath: Draw a 3-inch-wide maple leaf shape on a piece of cardboard and cut out to create a stencil. Trace on original pages (or, if preferred, photocopied pages) of a vintage book—consider a fall-themed title or mystery novel—and cut out approximately 100 leaves with decorative scissors that have a “torn paper” edge
(michaels.com). Attach book page leaves to maple leaves with hot-glue. Attach layered leaves to a 16-inch wreath form with hot-glue, layering and overlapping them as you go. Hang with burlap ribbon.

Turn a fall leaf into a place card by adding a swath of gold leaf across one portion. Write guests initials with a gold paint pen.

Welcome trick-or-treaters under a canopy of fall branches.

Make the tree: Wrap a tall mailing tube in wood grain contact paper. Stuff with fall branches (you can glue faux leaves to bare branches, too). Hold in place with a nail and wire.

Trace leaf shapes onto birch bark, then cut them out and fasten together to form this stunning, one-of-a-kind wreath. It's so pretty, you can keep it up all through the winter.

Make the wreath: Trace leaf cookie cutters on the backs of birch bark strips, then use an X-Acto knife to cut out. (Or, use our oak- and maple-leaf templates, scaled as needed. You'll need about 75 leaves total.) Hot glue half the birch leaves around a 20" foam wreath form. Hot glue 5/8" wooden cubes on the backs of the remaining leaves, then layer them onto the wreath to create a 3-D display.

Instead of framing pressed foliage, simply adhere it to card stock with spray mount. Then, tack the naturally good-looking pinups into place.

The blazing color palette of autumn takes the spotlight in this seasonal display of needle-felted pumpkins and an edible "leaf" cookie wreath.

Get the tutorial for our Autumn Cookie Wreath.

A festive garland is the easiest way to spruce up a drab entryway, no matter the season. It just so happens that this one's perfect for fall.

Get the tutorial at The House That Lars Built.

Once you learn the simple method behind these gorgeous leaf imprints, we guarantee you'll be itching to use it on almost every craft project under the sun. It's that beautiful—and that easy.

Get the tutorial at All Things G&D.

Got an autumn birthday in your family? Surprise the guest of honor with these incredibly chic leaf toppers.

Get the tutorial at The House That Lars Built.

Here's a craft so easy, you can do it with your kids. The result is a wreath that's lovely (and grown-up) enough to be hung right on your front door.

Get the tutorial at Happiness is Homemade.