1. Natural Beauty
Take a cue this season from Mother Nature and bring fall's finest colors into your home with leaves, popcorn kernels, cinnamon sticks and other items you may already have at home. Here's how to get your materials ready:
- Collect pinecones and leaves. Put your pinecones in the oven at 200 degrees for 20 minutes. This will kill any small bugs.
- Dehydrate oranges in the oven. Thinly slice, place them on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 200 degrees, occasionally rotating. Expect to bake them for around two hours or more, but individual times will vary based on your oven and how thick or thin your slices are.
- Don’t forget to have have some cinnamon sticks on hand!
Once you have the items above, it's time to get decorating! Grab a big bowl and fill it with pine cones. Add some cinnamon sticks and leaves, and arrange all three items in the bowl to your heart's content.
The easiest tip of all? Fill glasses with popcorn kernels, particularly if you can find festive-colored varieties.
2. A New Spin on Farm to Table
Pumpkins and squashes make for not only delish fall dinners, but also festive (and easy!) decor. Line them up with materials from idea #1 to create a festive tablescape. If you have any you're planning on not eating, give 'em a spritz of rubbing alcohol to preserve them a little longer.
And don't forget to roast those seeds for a delicious snack!
3. Create Your Own Cozy Candles
Nothing does more to change the ambiance of a room than lighting a few candles. These are super simple to make, plus it's a great way to recycle old glass jars. Here's how to get started making your own candles:
Beeswax Candle Recipe
- double boiler
- 1 pound beeswax
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- glass jars (you choose how big you want your candles to be!)
- candle wicks
- clothes pegs
- essential oils (optional, but my favroite is peppermint!)
Instructions
- Create a double boiler.
- Melt the beeswax and coconut oil in the double boiler.
- While the beeswax and coconut oil mixture is melting, secure a wick at the bottom of the glass jar with a bit of glue.
- Use a clothes peg to keep the wick straight. Pass the wick through the small hold in the middle of the clothes peg.
- Add in your drops of essential oils of choice to the melting beeswax and oil mixture. (optional)
- Pour melted beeswax and coconut oil to the glass container.
- Once the wax has completely hardened, it is ready to light and enjoy!
About the Author
Stephanie Moram is a Green Living Mentor and the CEO and Founder of Good Girl Gone Green, where she teaches busy women how to live greener and more sustainable lives without feeling overwhelmed. You can follow Stephanie on Instagram @goodgirlgonegreen_