Cora Derby

Sometimes even the simplest decorations can have a significant impact on a space.

With colder weather and Thanksgiving approaching, many students are looking for relaxing, cozy activities to do indoors. Making fall decorations is the perfect idea! It can be very calming to decorate, and it leaves you with the satisfaction that you created something yourself, as opposed to buying it. Filling your home with the fall spirit is something that I would recommend everyone participates in during the autumn months. Whether you use outside items such as pumpkins, leaves, and flowers, or use supplies bought at a store, the perfect fall centerpiece can be created. 

“I find that decorating for fall makes me much more excited for the season,” shares Hannah Chong (10). Not only does decorating create a pretty environment in your home, it also boosts your mood. Sometimes, getting ready for autumn can make a formerly boring night doing homework joyful, as you add fun activities into your schedule.

Here are some DIY fall crafts ideas that are perfect to do this November.

To start off, a cute fall decoration can be made with only a pumpkin and a few flowers. You can use a screwdriver or a knife to carve holes into a pumpkin, and then stick fake or real flowers into it. This creates the effect that the pumpkin is a vase, and it adds a unique touch to any table arrangement. If you fully carve the top of a pumpkin into a bowl shape, you can place succulents on top of it. This is also very pretty and creates a desert-like fall effect.

A second idea is creating a small turkey decoration, which can be made using a pinecone, cotton ball, and thin sheets of felt. It is very inexpensive to make, and most of its supplies can be found at your local dollar store. When gluing a cotton ball and felt to a pinecone, the pieces stay together nicely. Hot glue works best for this part, but super glue is a great alternative. Next, paint the pinecone and cotton ball to resemble a turkey, while adding small pops of color. This simple assortment creates a beautiful fall decoration!

Another festive decoration to craft is a fall wreath, which is made by using a variety of leaves from outside and some glue. Simply find colorful leaves, determine the size you want your wreath to be, and then proceed to glue them onto a piece of wire. Next, add more leaves to fill up any empty space, and the wreath will appear very full and finished. With similar materials, a fall-themed bowl can be created as well. Using a real bowl as a base, cut out a dark piece of paper to mimic its round shape. Glue leaves onto the now-rounded paper, and then remove it from the bowl. The dark background will not be noticeable with all the colorful leaves, and you will have a vibrant bowl to use for appetizers, candy, or anything else you desire.

Now that you’ve created some home decorations, a source of light would be nice to add onto the setup. A lantern can be made with a mason jar, paper, and a light source. This can be lit using fairy lights, a candle, or anything similar. First, cut out fall themed shapes, such as pumpkins, leaves, and turkeys, out of any type of paper. Then, glue them to the middle of your jar, and place fairy lights around it. Turn on the fairy lights, and you are done with the project! The paper inside the jar resembles a silhouette, and the jar pairs very nicely with a cozy atmosphere.

Lastly, there’s the classic carving or painting of a pumpkin. Either makes for a cute decoration and is easy to make. A painted pumpkin lasts much longer than a carved one, though you cannot place a light inside it as you would if it was carved. However, you can add a larger variety of colors onto a painted pumpkin, which cannot be achieved with a carved one, only being different shades of orange.

Overall, there are many options for students who want to create elegant but easy fall DIYs! It is an enjoyable way to spend your time, and the final product brings a great autumn ambiance into a room. Even the simplest decor can have a huge impact on a space, so now is the perfect time to get your crafting started!