How To Make Realistic Autumn Leaves Out Of Coffee Filters For The Perfect Fall Garland

Fallen leaves and crisp autumn air intermingle, letting you know it's time to embrace the coziness of harvest time. Add cozy decor into your space to fill it with autumn warmth, whether you choose leaves, pumpkins, or acorns. If you love to find simple ways to turn fallen leaves into beautiful home decor, you will enjoy this long-lasting leaf garland DIY. Instead of displaying real, crisp leaves, which won't hold up when it comes time to store the decoration for the next year, this project can be inspired by them or use them as a creative outline. Just grab some spare coffee filters and a paintbrush to bring it to life. Hang it from a window or along a mantel for a simple, handmade fall decor piece.

To make realistic, colorful leaf garlands, you will need several items. Some of these supplies you might have around the house, and one important piece you can collect right outside your front door. If you don't have to buy a lot of these supplies, it can be a fun option to decorate for fall without spending a dime. The main item to have on hand is round, white coffee filters. You will also need yarn or string, liquid watercolor paint, droppers or paint brushes, pencils, scissors, and a way to attach the leaves to the string, like a yarn needle or tape. While you can use leaf templates or just cut out leaf shapes, consider collecting unique-shaped leaves from the trees on your property for a personalized touch to this project.

To create this leaf garland, begin by tracing leaf shapes onto flattened coffee filters, either with leaf templates, real leaves, or freehand. After cutting out the shapes, turn to your watercolor paints. Letting your creativity flow, take droppers full of red, green, yellow, and orange paint and add color over the leaf shapes until the entire surface is filled. After the leaves are dried, you can attach them to a string or ribbon to create a garland to hang. Thread them with a yarn needle, or use tape. Create one long garland or several strings of leaves to add a little warmth to multiple areas of your home.

You can also go above and beyond to make these paper leaves made out of coffee filters more realistic. Before cutting out your shapes, crinkle up the coffee filters to add a little texture. Or consider using a little brown paint or even old tea bags to color the edges of your leaves for a realistic, crisp touch. Once you have finished, your colorful leaf garlands can be hung across window panes, over the tops of doorways, or even on a fireplace mantel for a fall mantel idea that is ridiculously cozy. String up several in the same area for a full, layered look that won't crumble like a real leaf garland.