Fall is the time for family, meaning awkward family gatherings filled with “How are you doing in school?” “Are you dating anyone?” and frustrating forced political discussions. When you aren’t sitting at the dinner table trying to avoid starting any cross generational-beef, you’re hiding in the farthest corner of the house. While you are stuck there with nothing better to do, these crafts might save your sanity.
The hand turkey is a spin on the classic hand print. This craft needs colored papers, scissors, and glue. First you want to trace your hand and cut it out. These will be the feathers behind the turkey, so you will need 2-4 pieces. Next cut out two brown circles for the body and head. With the scraps from the feathers, cut out the rest of the details for the turkey, including legs, beak, and eyes. Lastly, glue everything together and watch the turkey come to life! This craft is rated 4 out of 5 turkeys; it’s fun, but too elementary.
What makes leaf prints interesting is the variety you can achieve. The first step is finding an interesting leaf, and thankfully in fall, there are thousands to choose from. Ideally for this you want a leaf with prominent and interesting veins for the best design. Once you find the perfect leaf –or collection of leaves– you place them under a piece of paper. Make sure the paper isn’t too thick, so the leaf outline easily passes through. Choose any color crayon, and color over the leaves (Note: use the side of the crayon for a wider, more even distribution). For the artists out there this craft is a 3 out of 5 crunchy leaves. Leaf prints are a good option for an easy DIY fall decor, but too easy and not super interesting.
A less seasonal craft is fruit stamps! This craft just needs some paint and some fruit. Before you print, you have to select your fruits. You can choose any fruit you like, although the best options are any citrus fruits, pears and especially apples. Apples, when sliced horizontally, make a little star stamp. Whatever option you choose, make sure the cross section on the inside is interesting. Next choose whatever acrylic paints you want to use. When applying the paint to the fruit, you can dip the fruit into the paint, or you can paint it on using a brush. Fruit stamps are rated 4 out of 5 cornucopias: might get a little messy, but is interesting to do nonetheless!
