Simple Fall Crafts

Create an everlasting flower bouquet that will brighten a room -- no water or green thumb necessary. Gather a bunch of vintage and reproduction flower pins (we used about 22 pins for our arrangement). Fold a length of florist's wire in half and attach each end to the back of a pin; repeat for all the pins. Cut florist's foam to fit inside a vase, and insert the wires for a pleasing bouquet.

Liven up a bookshelf for fall with a fall-color bookend. To make, cut two 8x10-inch pieces of fun, colorful fabric and place right sides together. Sew three sides using 1/2-inch seam allowances; turn right side out. Insert a sealable plastic bag filled with sand, and topstitch all around to finish. Use the bookends to corral your books, files, and folders with fall flair.

Give a small container a quick update with different shades and sizes of pearls. Use a fast-drying glass or jewelry glue to secure the pearls to the container lid, making sure each pearl is positioned to minimize the hole. Fill gaps with small seed pearls. Wrap the bottom of the container in an ivory satin ribbon, securing with hot glue. For the finishing touch, glue a clip-on earring to the center of the lid.

Brighten a wall for fall with this easy-to-make leaf artwork. Mount felt leaf shapes (available at crafts stores, or you can cut your own) in shadow boxes with scrapbook-paper mats. Add extra flair with decorative stickpins and snips of ribbon.

Create this snappy-looking piece of artwork (and de-clutter your home!) from odds and ends long forgotten in your junk drawer. Start with an old frame with a wood backing (fine-grain wood at least 1/2-inch thick works best), then raid a junk drawer for interesting-looking objects to arrange into a fun and clever pattern. Attach each shape to the base with contact adhesive; let dry. Spray on a primer and a few smooth coats of white paint to finish.

Give a vintage mirror a fun update with fall color and turn it into a magnetic memo board. Remove the mirror from its frame, or use painter's tape to cover the frame. Spray several coats of magnetic paint on the mirror, letting the paint dry between each coat. Apply a layer of colored chalkboard paint; let dry.

Editor's Tip: To make your own chalkboard paint in a custom color, combine 1 cup of latex paint with 2 tablespoons of unsanded tile grout, using a paint stirrer to mix. During application, gently sand the dry paint between coats with 150-grit sandpaper. Apply several coats of paint for the best results.

Create an array of fun-looking paperweights and pretty decorations from felted rocks. Layer five alternating rows of roving fiber (found at fabrics stores); place a rock in the middle and wrap it. Submerge the covered rock in hot water, squeezing out air bubbles. Remove and rub the rock in soap until you have a foamy ball. Gently pat the ball, smoothing out creases and bubbles. Repeat until the roving starts to hug the rock, then rub and roll it as it felts, adding more soap and water as you rub. When the roving is tight to the rock, rinse in hot then cold water; let dry. Embellish with perle cotton stitches.

Artfully display fall specimens on microscope-slide-inspired frames to brighten a shelf for fall. Place a pressed leaf between two pieces of glass. Secure the pieces of glass together by wrapping colored linen book cloth tape around all four sides.

Editor's Tip: To create pressed leaves for fall crafts, place leaves between layers of newspapers and weigh down with a stack of books. Let dry for a couple of days, then iron each leaf between two pieces of waxed paper to enhance the color of the leaves, using a pressing cloth to keep wax off the iron.

Set a warm autumn mood on your fall table with plain glass votives containing a small cluster of bittersweet berries, freshly cut or faux. Make sure to light candles for only a short period, and never leave them unattended.

Update a pretty wooden picture frame for fall with a string of pressed leaves. Hang the leaves on a colorful ribbon with jewelry-making S hooks (found at crafts stores), and tie the ribbon to nails tacked into the frame to make a great accent piece for a fall mantel. Round out the display with dried gourds perched on egg cups and a branch full of berries.

• Get more real-home fall mantel decorating ideas.

Transform an old six-panel window frame into a five-day calendar to add fall color to your weekly planning. Each day of the workweek is assigned a frame, and the sixth makes room for extra notes. Start by taping off the wooden frame with painter's tape. Spray several coats of magnetic paint on the front of the glass, allowing each coat to dry before applying the next. Paint each pane with colored chalkboard paint, using a paintbrush to reach the edges and a small foam roller to create a smooth surface.

Editor's Tip: To make your own chalkboard paint in a custom color, combine 1 cup of latex paint with 2 tablespoons of unsanded tile grout, using a paint stirrer to mix. During application, gently sand the dry paint between coats with 150-grit sandpaper. Apply several coats of paint for the best results.

Keep your fall decorations natural and simple with this fun craft project. Gather freshly fallen leaves from the backyard and use a needle to thread them onto a string, securing the ends with knots. Tack the garland onto the edge of a table, along a banister, or across a door frame to add instant fall color.

Make a pretty fall statement on your table with these cornhusk-wrapped votives. Start with a package of clean, pressed, uniform husks for tamales (found in the ethnic food section at grocery stores). Soak a husk in warm water for a minute to make it pliable, then wrap it tightly around a votive holder and secure with a rubber band. Trim the excess at the top and bottom and tie a thin strip of twisted husk around the center. Remove the rubber band.

Be reminded of what you're thankful for this season with this pretty fall message board. Cover foam-core board in linen and set it in an old frame. Pin on leaves cut from colored paper and old books.

Add messages and images to envelope-style felt coasters that you can change with the season. Cut out a thumb notch and a window on one end of a felt rectangle. Fold the shape in half and stitch or glue the sides together. Print words or a design on colorful cardstock so the printing will show in the windows.

Create a texture-rich frame to display a fall leaf or photo. Affix acorn caps to an inexpensive frame using hot glue. To complete the artwork, glue an oak leaf to a piece of stretched burlap.

This clear glass ornament serves as both a place card and a take-home favor for fall party guests. To make, remove the metal top of a clear ornament and tuck sprigs of bittersweet inside. Use a glass marker to write a guest's name. Replace the top and tie on jute string.

Add a bit of fall color to simple storage containers with real or faux leaves. Using decoupage medium, adhere pressed leaves to fabric storage boxes, then stack inside a bookcase for a falling leaf effect.