With Thanksgiving and cold weather fast approaching, brightening up your dorm or apartment with some cute decorations is a good way to get in the holiday spirit. However, buying décor can get expensive, and making decorations that don’t look cheap or childish can sometimes be difficult. But have no worries – we’ve scoured the Internet to find the best Thanksgiving craft and decoration ideas that are perfect for a college budget. Now all you’ll have to worry about is how to show off your creations to all of your friends!
1. Mason Jar Candle Holders
This pretty craft is perfect to light up your room or dining room table on those nights when you want to feel cozy and warm. Plus, it’s made out of things that most people have lying around anyway!
All you’ll need is a handful of leaves (use real ones from outside for free!), a mason jar, twine, some ModPodge, a paintbrush, and a candle or tealight.
Arrange the leaves in a pattern you like on the inside of the mason jar. Apply a thick layer of ModPodge on top of the leaves, allow it to dry overnight, and wrap some twine around the neck of the jar. Once everything is done, place a tealight in the bottom of the jar.
These jars are so pretty, especially when you make a few of them to cluster on your table! You can also add some glitter if you want the jars to really shine!
2. Leaf Garland
This gorgeous garland is perfect because it is totally customizable – there are so many options to customize it to your tastes. Whether you change the message on it, choose a specific pattern, or make it long or short, it’s up to you. Plus, making a bunch of these is so quick that you can easily decorate your whole room on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
You only need three things for this project – some leaves, a sharpie or paint marker, and a bunch of string or ribbon. Just decide on a word or phrase for your garland, write one letter on each leaf, and tie the leaves onto the string or ribbon. Hang this up over a doorway, across a wall, or over a fireplace for a pretty display that everyone will enjoy!
3. Painted Pinecones
These pinecones are possibly my favorite craft on this list. Simple, pretty and delicate, these would look perfect in a bowl on a table or desk. This is also probably the cheapest decoration to make – the pinecones are free, and if you don’t have some kind of paint at home, you can borrow some from friends or buy it cheap at the craft store!
For this craft, all you need is a collection of pinecones and different colors of paint. Use the paint to coat the ends of the pinecones in a variety of fall colors. Let them dry, put them in a festive fall bowl or dish, and wait for the compliments to roll in!
4. Glittered Pumpkins
Pumpkins are often seen as Halloween-only decorations, but in reality, these fall vegetables are perfect for decorating your home all through the season. These glitter pumpkins will brighten up any room, and look great no matter what size pumpkin you choose.
To make your glittered pumpkins, pick out a couple of pumpkins (of any size) from the nearest pumpkin patch, grocery store, or wherever pumpkins are sold. Next, coat the pumpkins with a layer of glue or ModPodge (it might be easiest to use a paintbrush to do this), and pour any color of glitter all over the surface of the pumpkin. Make sure to cover up any sparse spots with extra glitter to ensure that your pumpkins have a thick coat of glitter, and let them dry overnight. In the morning, enjoy your beautiful glittery pumpkins and place them under a light so the pumpkins shimmer.
With all of these homemade decorations, you’ll never have to worry about going home to a cold, boring dorm or apartment again!