The holidays are upon us once again and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. If you haven’t decorated for the big day just yet, then never fear because we have several sophisticated and simple eco-friendly fall crafts that can be put together in a snap.

Who doesn’t enjoy a quick, high-impact project that will have your house looking fall-worthy in a matter of minutes? I know I do! So grab those glue guns, scissors, fabric, supplies, and whatever else you might need (hint: it starts with a “W” and rhymes with “mine”) and let’s get crafting!

1. Glitz and Glitter

There aren’t many things that won’t benefit from a dusting of glitter, and your autumn décor is no exception. Fortunately, with a few materials from your craft bin and some foliage from your backyard, you’ll have several adornments that will fit right in this fall.

Scour your backyard for acorns, pinecones, and leaves. Coat them with a layer of Mod Podge, or watered down glue, and sprinkle with glitter – golds, reds, and any other warm hues would signify the colors of fall. Gather up some clear glass display jars for the acorns and pinecones and try attaching the leaves to a strand of ribbon for a simple and festive garland for your mantel.

2. Deck the Walls

If you have some metallic paint or gold leafing lying around, then set aside a few outdoor leaves – odd groupings are best – and coat them thoroughly with the pigment. Once dry, pop them into frames for instant wall art for just a few bucks.

Bust out some hot glue, paint, an old mirror, or picture frame, and put all of those extra wine corks to good use. Create a cork board for your kitchen reminders in a snap by laying the corks flat inside the empty frame painted in the color of your choice. Get creative – try out a chevron pattern for an extra cute touch.

3. Tabletop Trimmings

Set the table in style with some whimsical and handmade cake plates. Combine unused or thrifted tapered candle holders with a decorative platter or plate and some really strong glue like E-6000. Flip the plate and candlestick over, center your candlestick, apply glue, affix the candlestick to the bottom of the plate and, once dry and upright, you’ll have instant appetizer and dessert serving stands.

Vary the height of the candlesticks to create visual interest, or replace the plate with a bowl for a really fun way to serve candies. Clear candlestick bases look great with solid plates and bowls on top. Have fun with color and patterns for a customized table setting.

Use a paper punch on backyard leaves for some of the cutest holiday confetti ever. Slip the leaf in the punch just as you would paper. Butterflies, leaves, trees, circles, stars, or whatever else you have would make for a really sweet smattering on your dinner table.

If you have pinecones in your backyard and a hacksaw in your garage, then you’re already two steps ahead for these pinecone place cards. Let your guests know who will be sitting where when you create these elegantly simple table markers. Collect pinecones from your yard, and after debugging them, carefully use the hacksaw to make a slit about ¾ of the way down from the top to toward the center of the pinecone. Slip in a handwritten piece of cardstock with your guests’ names and you’re all set.

4. Pumpkin Spice

Spread some holiday cheer by whipping up an ultra-cute, ultra-classy monogrammed pumpkin. If you think traditional pumpkin art looks a tad tacky, then don’t worry because this project hinges on the simplicity of color and embellishments.

Coat the orange part of your pumpkin thoroughly with white or off-white paint, find your initial online and print it out to make a stencil. Trace it on to the pumpkin, and after it’s been painted white, carefully brush over the transferred letter with glue. Sprinkle on some glitter, cover well, and you’ve just completed a monogram pumpkin in time for Thanksgiving.

Use mini pumpkins as votive or tapered candle holders. Grab your drill along with a spade bit that matches the circumference of the candle you intend to use. Carefully drill into the stem portion of your mini pumpkin. Apply gentle pressure here and stop when you’ve created enough space within the pumpkin to just cradle your candle – be sure not to drill all the way through. Pop in a candle, light it up, and it’s just that simple.

With a few simple eco-friendly fall crafts in your arsenal, you should be well on your way to holiday bliss. What’s your favorite holiday decoration or tradition? Let us know on the EcoSalon Facebook page!

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Image of Craft Supplies via Shutterstock

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Fall is the time for entertaining and that leads to the desire to spruce up your place. Nature’s bounty of colorful leaves, acorns, apples, pinecones, mums, pumpkins and more all lend themselves to being used to create DIY fall decorations.

Like the idea of using the best of nature’s autumn to make your own DIY fall decorations, but not sure where to start? We’ve got some great project ideas to get you inspired.

15 DIY Fall Decorations Using Natural Elements

1. Acorn Bark Owls – These fun and adorable bark and acorn cap owls would be fun to make with kids and could be used as DIY fall decorations for your table.
2. Acorn Wreaths – If you have an oak in your yard, then you not only have a lot of squirrels but you also have an abundance of acorns. Turn that bounty into a pretty front door wreath.
3. Leaf and Nut Wind Catcher – Let your creativity shine with this idea for creating a seasonal mobile/dreamcatcher.
4. Glitter Leaves Garland – Glam up your space with this easy tutorial for making a glitter leaf garland. This project calls for artificial leaves, but you could use real ones instead.
5. Wood and Burlap Wreath – Turn fall tree pruning into a stunning front door wreath made from log slices and burlap.
6. Mini Gourd and Pumpkin Wreath – Love those mini gourds and pumpkins but never know what to do with them, use them to make a colorful wreath.
7. Gourd Birdhouses – Whether you use them just for show or actually place them outside for the birds, curved-neck gourds can be turned into gorgeous birdhouses.
8. “Mumkin” Pumpkin Planter – We love the idea of a “mumkin”, or a hollowed out pumpkin used as a pretty planter for fall mums.
9. Yarn Wrapped Gourds – Yarn addicts, cover gourds in pretty autumn colors.
10. Gourd Centerpiece – Turn a library card catalog drawer (or make your own drawer from wood) into a mini gourd centerpiece.
11. Floating Acorn Candles – This idea for using acorn caps to make your own floating candles is an example of super clever DIY fall decorations.
12. Twig Vase – Cover a repurposed coffee can with twigs for an easy repurposed vase.
13. Dip Painted Pine Cone Garland – Dip pine cones into autumn-colored paints to make a seasonal garland.
14. Mason Jar Acorn Lanterns – Fill hanging mason jar lanterns with acorns and votive candles  for autumnal mood lighting for your next dinner party.
15. Apple Candles – Use apples as pretty votive candle holders to add color to your table.

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Top Image: TheGreyWoods

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