If you’ve ever wished to frame the beauty of the fall, why not learn how to make autumn leaves wall art? All you’ll need for this stunning fall craft idea is a picture frame from an old painting or a craft store. By gluing a sea of autumn leaves on a piece of cardboard that fits perfectly in the frame, you can create three-dimensional autumn leaves wall art to grace your office, kitchen, dining room or living room. This fall craft idea is so pastoral and soothing that it fits anywhere really, depending on the size and type of frame you choose. So let’s get started.
What Will You’ll Need for This Fall Craft?
To make this autumn leaves wall art consider where you wish to hang it. For a living room or dining room, you’ll want to use a large, ornate frame, which you can find at great prices in garage sales. If you can afford to pay a little more for the autumn leaves wall art frame, check out your craft store.
To make your autumn leaves wall art more dramatic though still cost effective, you can buy a large, cheap frame, then buy window casing (molding) at a home improvement store to build a second, mitered frame around the original. (I talk in detail about building a mitered frame in this article).
Another way to create large, dramatic autumn leaves wall art without spending a fortune on a large frame is to buy a collection of cheap identical frames and duplicate the same fall craft idea in all of them. When you hang the frames in a cluster, the grid created by the small frames will look like a French window overlooking a majestic autumn forest.
Finally, you will also need craft glue and a container in which to collect the leaves for this fall craft idea.
What Color Should the Picture Frame Be?
I recommend focusing on the shape and size of the frame rather than on its color. To stay within the color hues appropriate for this autumn leaves wall art, you can easily spray paint the frame with a crackled finish (like this one from Rust Oleum), or you can paint it a solid fall color.
Which Leaves to Collect for the Autumn Leaves Wall Art?
The beauty of this fall craft idea lies with the leaves you collect. Take a large wicker basket or plastic bin in which you can place the leaves without crushing them. Look for as wide a range of colors as you can find, from green to yellow, orange to red, light brown to dark brown. A medley of shapes will also enhance the beauty of your autumn leaves wall art, so look for leaves under different trees. From experience I’ve learned that it’s better not to collect leaves in the rain, as they will really stick together and tear later.
How to Dry the Autumn Leaves for this Fall Craft?
Even if you collected your leaves on a sunny day, they are likely to have some moisture on them. Spread a paper towel on your dining room table to coat it, then spread the leaves over the towels to air dry them for a few hours. The bottom of the paper towel will dry the bottom of the leaves, so you won’t need to turn them over. Be careful not to over dry the leaves or your fall craft will crumble as you make it.
How to Make the Autumn Leaves Wall Art?
Now comes the fun part. Lay the picture frame with its cardboard backing on your work surface. Pick up one autumn leaf, place a dab of glue on its back, and glue it to the cardboard. Continue gluing leaves in a collage that completely conceals the cardboard back. You can even glue leaves on top of each other to increase the layering and beauty of your autumn leaves wall art. Continue until you fill the entire cardboard, and make sure leaves overlap the frame all around.
And that’s it, your autumn leaves wall art is ready to grace your walls. If you enjoyed making the this fall craft idea, discover more ways to create your own art, as well as 10 wall decor ideas you can make at home.
