DIY Real Maple Leaf Garland | Fall Decorations

Here's a quick, inexpensive way to decorate for Autumn- make an autumn leaf bunting! This colorful maple leaf garland made with real, dried autumn leaves is an easy craft project for the young and the young at heart. 

Perfect for dressing up mantels, hanging in windows and on staircase banisters, the leaves retain their color for a long time and are great seasonal decorations that last through Thanksgiving until it's time to swap them out for winter decorations.

My maple leaf garland cost absolutely nothing to make. The leaves are Mother Nature's gift to us, gathered on my daily walks. I dried the leaves and then pinned them up using my mini clothes-peg string that's usually reserved for displaying my Christmas cards. Strung up over the fireplace, this beautiful garland brings me a lot of joy whenever I pass it.

No mini clothes-peg string? No problem. Twine and paper clips work just as well.

Gather bunches of colorful Fall leaves and dry them between sheets of newspaper. I slide the newspaper under my heavy living room rugs. The weight of the rug prevents the leaves from curling up and the newspaper absorbs any moisture from the leaves. 

In about 7 to 10 days, the leaves will be dried out and ready to string up as as garlands. It's so easy!

And with these garlands, long after the last red leaf has been whirled away outside, there will still be a colorful reminder of Autumn inside to brighten up grey, dreary days.

Check out my other craft ideas, by clicking on the "DIY" tag below or on the "Autumn" tag for more autumnal inspiration.