There is something about fall that gets us in the decorating mood. Whether it be the pumpkin carving as a kid, or the beauty of an autumn color palette, fall presents the perfect opportunity to go all out when decorating a living space. Whether it be for your dorm, apartment, or home, here are some different decoration ideas that can be made for under $15.00.

Supplies:

3 Packs of Leaf garland, Dollar Tree, $3

5 pack of sparkly gourds, Dollar Tree, $1

64 pack of fall leaves, Dollar Tree, $1

Mason Jars, Thrift Shop, Price varies, I found 5/$1

Poster Board, Walmart, $2

Large Frame, Rummage Sale, $2

50ct String lights, Walmart, $2.99

I also used Sharpie, tape, glue, clothespins have around the house... worth about $2

For a grand total of... $14.99!

1. “Autumn” Mason Jar Lights

Supplies: 5 mason jars, 25 leaves, sharpie, string lights

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What to do: Take one leaf per mason jar and write out A-U-T-U-M-N or any other message you want displayed using sharpie. Make sure the letters are bold and easy to read from a few feet away. Next, glue or tape these leaves facing out inside of the mason jar. I put mine with the lid facing up, so that the lights can be easily inserted in the top. After inserting the letters, fill the jars with leaves, or simply tape/glue leaves around the rest of the inside of the mason jar. To finish off, fill each jar with several lights, and set it on a flat surface as a decoration!

An alternative to this is to use glass vases, small candles, or battery-operated lights, to remove the wires from sight. You could even use real leaves that have fallen from trees outside, although they might not last until next year.

2. Seasonal Frame (Versatile for holidays as well)

Supplies: Large Frame, 1 Piece of poster board, string of leaves, remaining detached leaves, two clothes-pins

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What to do: Glue the clothes-pins onto the frame and let it sit until the glue is completely dry. While it is drying, cut one piece of poster board to fit inside the frame, as if it were hanging from the clothespins. Then, wrap the string of fall leaves around the frame. Write out a saying, such as “Happy Fall Y’all”, “Happy Halloween”, or “Autumn is here”. Then, take the loose detached leaves (make sure to save a few for the next project), and glue them all over the poster board. Attach the poster to the clothespins and display on the wall, or prop up in the corner on a small table.

To take it further, you can make different decorations and posters for each holiday! Display the frame year-round, or for just the major holidays and seasons… It’s all up to you!

3. Fall Centerpiece

Supplies: Gourds, remaining few detached leaves, two strings of leaves, poster-board

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What to do: Take a piece of poster-board and cut it into the desired size of your center-piece. This will be the tabletop-space that it takes up. Completely cover the outer edges of the poster-board with leaves, trying to make a natural-look, as if the leaves had fallen onto the table. Next, arrange the Styrofoam gourds in the center of the poster-board, gluing them down to create the preferred shape. Finally, wrap the remaining strings of leaves around the center of the arrangement, to create a centerpiece fit for fall!

To make this an even bigger piece, perhaps for a kitchen-table centerpiece, Styrofoam pumpkins can be purchased at craft stores, as well as additional kinds of ribbon, leaves, etc. to add to the piece. Adding string lights would also be suitable for some faint lighting for those late autumn nights. For an outside decoration, using real pumpkins, gourds, and leaves glued together, a beautiful fall arrangement could be constructed as well.

Happy crafting!