Framed Leaves

Everyone agrees, autumn leaves are a work of art.  Why not frame them?  Make a simple mounting board with a piece of work from a building supply store; just have the cork cut to fit inside a wooden frame.  Old worn frames look best...they have that antique look that's perfect for country decorating. You can cover the cork with fabric to compliment your colors.  Just stretch the fabric over the cork and staple to the back.  Arrange the leaves and glue to the fabric.  Then fit the cork inside the frame and use a tack hammer to pound tacks or fine nails through the cork and the back of the frame.  Attach a fine wire or saw-toothed brad to the back for hanging.

Colorful Apple Baskets

Those pretty red-handled wooden apple baskets are beautiful filled with bundles of sunny fall grasses and flowers.  Try any combination of strawflowers, everlastings, roses, pussy willow, cat tails, yarrow and hydrangeas.  Paint your basket freehand, or use stencils to brush on a pretty design.  (You can use cookie cutters to make stencils, too!)

Peppermint Foot Bath

After a hike or a hard day, treat yourself to this pick-me-up for tired and aching feet.  Gather several stems of fresh peppermint, or 2 ounces of dried peppermint leaves.  Combine with about four ounces of juniper berries in a saucepan and add a quart of water.  Heat slowly to just below boiling, stirring occasionally.  Cover the pan and let is set until the mixture is just warm.  Add 12 drops of sandalwood essential oil and 6 drops of cypress oil and stir.  Strain through a coffee filter and pour the liquid into storage jars.  When ready to use, fill a large pan or bowl with moderately hot water and stir in about 1/4 cup of the mixture.  Soak feet for at least 10 minutes.

Pine Cone Candles

Collect pine cones during your autumn outing, and use theme as a base for a beautiful candle.  Wrap candle wicking around the pine cones, tucking it in so it's securely wrapped, and leave an inch or two at the pointy end.  Dip your pine cones several times into melted paraffin.  If you have an assortment of candle stubs saved, you can also melt these to make interesting colors.  Melt your wax in an old coffee can placed in a double boiler filled one third full with water over very low heat.  If you're making candles indoors, you can save on cleanup by using an electric skillet lined with foil and about 1/2-inch of water; then put your coffee can on top of the foil for a "double boiler" effect and melt the wax over low heat.  To make the candles stand up, you can hold your dripping candles over muffin tins to create a round wax base.  Your pine cones can also be used as firestarters, and look pretty in a basket by the fireplace or on the mantle.

Preserved Leaves

Gather bright leaves and branches of scarlet, orange and red.  In a jar, mix one part liquid glycerin (available at most drug stores) with three parts hot tap water.  Pound the ends of the leaves and branches with a lightweight hammer, making it easier for them to absorb water.  Stick the ends of the branches and leaves into the water-glycerin mixture.  Allow to stand for about a week.  The leaves will become soft and pliable.  They are now preserved for wreaths and decorations.

Golden Wheat Wreath

The square shape of this wreath is excellent for framing a mirror or a collage of fall leaves.  From your walk in the woods, find four sticks of similar thickness to make the frame.  Arrange them with their ends crossed and bind the corners with twine.  Cover the sticks with sphagnum moss and wind twine all around to secure the moss to your frame.  (Allow the moss to dry before decorating.)  Gather golden wheat and allow it to dry.  Wire the wheat into little golden bundles, leaving a long enough end of wire to tie the bundles onto your frame.  Add a few dried sunflower heads, pine cones, or autumn leaves, attaching them with wire.  Finish with a seasonal bow.

Leaf Lightcatcher

Find a particularly large, beautiful autumn leaf.  Take two sheets of 8"x10" glass and sandwich the leaf in between.  (Glass is available at most framing centers and hardware stores -- or you can use the glass from the "Framed Leaves" project above.)  Tape all around each edge with 1/2" or 1" wide copper foil tape, leaving a little tape at each end so it can be snipped neatly at a slant in the corner.  Burnish the tape down with the tip of a rubber spatula.  Prop your leaf in a window sill to catch the light.  For a longer lasting display, you can use a preserved leaf from the project above.

Apple Cones

Take a very large pine cone and level it by rocking it gently back and forth on a solid surface.  Take small slices of dried apples, fold and insert them snugly between the cone petals, skin side out.  (Use hot glue to secure the slices to the cone.)  Insert small sprigs of baby's breath and glue them to the edges of the cone's petals.  Sprinkle a few drops of essential oil on the edges of your cone.  Hang in a doorway, bedroom or bath, or give as a gift.

Herb Candles

Gather fresh bay leaves, parsley, tarragon, basil or any combination of your favorite herbs.  Select a large, white or ivory pillar candle.  You will need a heatproof container that is taller and wider than the candle.  Fill the container with enough hot water to reach the shoulder of the candle when it is immersed.  Holding the candle by the wick, immerse it in the hot water for about 30 seconds.  Remove the candle and press your herbs into the softened wax. Refill the container with more very hot water and dip the candle again briefly to seal in the herbs.