Every year my kids and I collect beautiful fall leaves.  They usually sit in a pile until they dry out and crinkle apart into leaf dust on my table.  Inspired by Martha Stewart, we created these framed Pressed-Leaf Butterflies and hung them in our craft room.  Martha’s website also has instructions for a Leaf Decoupage Picture Mat which looks really nice.

We have also gathered acorns over the years.  One year we threw the bag onto the counter and woke up to little worms crawling around!  Gross!  So now we wash the acorns and dry them in a warm oven.  My favorite craft to make with the acorn hats is also inspired by Martha.  (OK, I really like Martha!)  Her Acorn Crafts are beautiful.  Here is our acorn frame.  I think it has a vintage feel.  (A vintage photo would be great in there!)

Every Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, Annie and I make crafts for all the ladies of the family (Grandmas, Aunts and out-of-college-cousins (sometimes)).  One year we made the acorn frames.  We also made the acorn mirror and gave that to one aunt.  The process is simple.  We select a wooden frame from JoAnns, stain it, glue the acorn caps on and decoupage.

If you would like more fall inspiration, please run over to my friend Sarah’s blog:  Memories On Clover Lane. She illustrates a simple but fabulous way to preserve leaves for display in a vase or a simple garland.  I hope to try it.  By the way, if you are impressed with Sarah’s header, search her blog for a tutorial on how to use Picasa to make such a header.  She also has other tips on how to make photos larger in your blog.  (And yes, she is everything she appears to be – beautiful, creative, fantastic mom, great photographer,….)

Enjoy the fall!

PS, from yesterday’s post: This is a shoutout to another blog I write with the owner of Contemporary Cloth.  She is hosting a giveaway for a free yard of fabric.  The giveaway is here.  You can check out my newest apron in Piccadilly fabric here!