Many people believe they are not creative enough to try crafts that may seem difficult at first. I am here to tell you right now that everyone possesses a creative side. You just have to find your medium, whether that be drawing, sewing, baking or something in between. The best way to find your medium is to try simple crafts that perk your interest. What better way for you to celebrate a holiday than by homemaking something that gives you spirit and joy. Autumn is a gorgeous time of year that is known for vibrant colors and cozy aesthetic, so here are five crafts that will get you into the seasonal spirit and hopefully spark your creativity!
1. Floral Wreaths
Courtesy: Domestically creative
A wreath on the door is not only a simple way to portray excitement for the fall season but also a welcoming piece of décor. This particular wreath that I found consists of fall florals and an embroidery hoop. On your shopping list for this wreath, include a large wooden embroidery hoop which should be less than five dollars, a pick of some fake blooms that suit the color scheme you are going for, some twine to hang it on your door, a glue gun and either some fabric or a small centerpiece like miniature pumpkins. If you would like to make a fall sign, grab some autumnal scrapbook paper as well and use a hole puncher to hang it with twine. Use a pen to write the letters on each piece of paper with stencils that you can find at the store or online. If you do not like seeing the wood of the hoop, I would suggest wrapping fabric around it and use the hot glue gun to make the end of the fabric stay tightly wrapped on the hoop. Also, use the hot glue gun to glue on the autumnal leaves and florals to the hoop in any way that you prefer.
2. Apple Cider Sugar Scrub
Courtesy: Happiness is Homemade
What’s better than a sugar scrub for relaxation and rejuvenation? An autumnal sugar scrub in a mason jar! This apple cider sugar scrub is perfect for the dry skin we all suffer through in the fall season. First off, use any kind of sugar you’d like, but the recipe I have says that the scent of brown sugar works very well with that of the apple cider. For any sugar scrub, you need an oil component and coconut oil is a great option for the skin. Truthfully you could buy any fragrance oil online in whatever scent you’d like for your scrub, but for this apple cider sugar scrub, it calls for apple cider fragrance oil mixed with a few spices. Start out with about a cup of the brown sugar. Add in 1/2 cup of the coconut oil, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin spice and about 10-15 drops of the apple cider fragrance oil. Mix well and place your scrub in a mason jar to share with your friends in the chilly season.
3. Fall Leaf Embroidery
Courtesy: The Artsy Market Shop
Embroidery may seem difficult at first glance, but there are many simple patterns online that will help you when starting as a beginner. If the pattern is too complicated, you can take a pen that works well on fabric and trace the design onto the cloth for an easy template. For a simple leaf embroidery pattern, I would buy a plastic or wooden hoop. There are many different fabrics that you can use, but the simplest one to use for beginners is called Aida cloth because there are already perforated holes for more uniform, clean embroidery stitches. If you want to use thicker linen you can do that too, which usually works better for patterns that use stitches like in the example above. Be sure to pick up some embroidery floss. The undisputed favorite brand, as well as the most abundant in craft stores, is DMC threads. If you are looking for autumn colors, numbers 3852 or 4121 DMC are two good ones, but pick whatever catches your eye. The last thing you need is embroidery needles. If you think you may struggle to thread the floss through the needle, there are threaders that are very helpful for beginners and are usually found near the needles in any craft store. There are many cheap patterns that you can download through Etsy or online.
4. Soft Maple Sugar Cookies
Courtesy: A Latte Food
No fall season is complete without a sweet dessert to warm you up and share with friends. These cookies are simple but delicious. Start by combining ¾ cup of softened butter with ¾ cup of sugar and ¼ cup of brown sugar. Blend this well and then mix in ¼ cup of pure maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract and 1 egg. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients, including 2 teaspoons of baking soda, 2 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar and ½ teaspoon of salt. The recipe also calls for a cinnamon-sugar coating that’s made up of ¼ cup of sugar and 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon. Save this for the dough to roll in before placing it in the oven. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Chill the dough for one hour before placing the baking sheet in the oven at 375 degrees for around 8-10 minutes. Take out the cookies and enjoy.
5. Paint a Pumpkin
Courtesy: Beau-Coup
Change up your usual pumpkin carving with a cute painted pumpkin. You can use either a real pumpkin or a fake one. If you use a fake pumpkin, you can reuse it for years to come. My first suggestion is to paint the bottom half of the pumpkin with acrylic paint. Let the paint dry, and then use mod podge, an essential adhesive for any crafter. Then, either roll or sprinkle the glitter onto the pumpkin. Let that sit for just a few minutes and then put another coat of the mod podge over the glitter, as this will help the glitter to not shed as much all over your home. My second suggestion is to paint your pumpkin with a gingham pattern. This is also a really simple but cute way to decorate your pumpkin and is a pattern that is very compatible with the fall aesthetic. First, you are going to pick a white paint, whether that be spray paint, the fastest option, or acrylics. Let that coat dry and then pick out a light shade and a dark shade of the same color for paints. Definitely use acrylics for this so it’s easier to be more exact. Paint the lighter shades in vertical stripes first and try to evenly space them out. Then paint about two horizontal stripes over the vertical with the lighter shade. Use the darker shade to paint over the area where the vertical and horizontal lines cross over each other. Finish the pumpkin by spraying it with a topcoat sealer if you have one.