How To DIY Your Own Vintage Inspired Fall Decor

You may be surprised at how easy it is to DIY a fantastic vintage-inspired fall decor piece. You can make a vintage-looking jack-o-lantern to display this fall without too much effort. If you're thinking that jack-o-lanterns are just for Halloween, they aren't — they still give fall vibes and can be displayed throughout the season. This is a clever piece that would complement other vintage fall decor items in your home.

For this project, you'll need a projector that works with your phone or PC, a piece of wood, acrylic paint (black, white, and orange are great jack-o-lantern colors), a jigsaw, and some sandpaper. You'll start by projecting an image of a jack-o-lantern onto a piece of wood. Trace the image onto the wood, then paint it. Next, use your saw to cut the excess wood from around the design. Finally, file or sand down the edges to make them smooth.

If you think you might want to put your jack-o-lantern outdoors, applying weather-resistant wood sealant will keep it from soaking through and warping. When placing decorative items outside, even for short periods, it's essential to be aware of the downsides of woodscaping, such as the potential for damage and the need for maintenance.

If you want more than just a happy fall jack-o-lantern, one fun idea to enhance this project would be to turn the whole concept into a "Welcome" sign for your front porch. All you need is a larger piece of wood (or you can skip cutting away the excess) and stencils for the lettering. You could also include some glow-in-the-dark paint to make your jack-o-lantern pop at night. Adding some leaves to the project is another idea — you can make it a budget-friendly multi-media artwork piece with some cheap faux leaves from the Dollar Tree.

With this concept, the ideas are endless. Add other wood pumpkins, leaves, vintage-looking squirrels, acorns, and more, utilizing some of the same supplies you have on hand from the original project. Mix your vintage-inspired decor with actual vintage pieces, and nobody will know the difference. Once considered outdated, keeping your spooky, cute vintage Halloween decor up for all of fall is once again acceptable, so keep that creepy, cozy vibe going.