Chelsey: I woke up to frost on my windows and put a stocking cap on my toddler this morning. It is officially fall. (Death to the Asian Beetles!) I want to soak in the brisk morning air and savor these perfect days before we have to think about the snot freezing in our noses. #midwestwinters
I asked my extremely talented and crafty friend, Mallory Richardson, to create a fall decor piece (that even I could do) to help us celebrate this season. She whipped up this beautiful fall mobile and shares with us the instructions and some pretty how-to pictures. I hope you enjoy! Now excuse me while I go bake some oranges…
***Guest Post***
There are few things in life I love more than fall. The smells, the scarves, the Pumpkin Spice Lattes– you name it. So, of course, it wasn’t hard to find inspiration for a fall do-it-yourself project.
What I really enjoyed about his DIY is that it gave me an excuse to go outside and search for fall beauty to bring into the home. I was hoping for something rustic and natural. So here it is: a step-by-step tutorial for you to bring the look and smell of fall into your home.
Get outside! That is the best part about this time of the year. So many beautiful colors. Find colors and shapes that you would like to bring into your home. I chose smaller leaves, but large leaves would work great as well.
Now for the yummy smells! Dried oranges are an awesome way to give fragrance and color to your home. Begin by slicing the orange thinly so it will dry properly. Let the oranges sit on a paper towel for a couple of hours allowing some of the juices to dry up before you put them in the oven.
Place the slices on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven for 3-4 hours at 200 degrees. I let these bake while I got stuff done around the house. And VOILA! You have beautifully dried oranges.Here are a few other materials I gathered / bought:Aren’t these natural and raw materials beautiful?!– Dried oranges– Different colored leaves– Twine and a thick needle (or whatever material of string floats your boat!)– Beads! I found little birch pieces (that I drilled holes into) and dark wood beads at Hobby Lobby.– Cinnamon sticks– One medium-sized stick to hold it all together.
Assembly time! I cut my twine to be about two feet long. Make sure you make a knot at the end before you begin. I also found it helpful to make a knot before each leaf so it stays where you want it on the twine. I waited until I had each part fully strung before I tied it to the stick.
I had fun channeling my 5 year-old self as I beaded each part together in a not-so-perfect way. I like things to match and be centered, so this was a challenge for me! The imperfections give it a natural look.
After you have each part tied on to the stick, cut another 2 feet piece of twine for the hanging mechanism.Tie each end of the twine to either end of the stick to hang it on your wall. Once you hang it, adjust it as you please.
You did it! I am excited to enjoy this DIY project in my home until I come to terms with winter and need to make a new seasonal piece. I hope you enjoy this project as much as I did!
PS- keep out of reach of cats. This can easily be mistaken for a fun toy 😉
