Fall Colors

Here in Texas there aren't really seasons; we have winter, a month of spring, summer, more summer, and even more summer.  I miss the fall colors and the cool days.  I yearn for my comfy sweaters and sweatshirts, picking apples, and curling up with a warm cup of apple cider and a good book.  I also miss being able to wear jeans every day (and the not shaving my legs because I am wearing jeans every day, but perhaps that's TMI).  Yesterday did not feel like Halloween and today definitely does not feel like the first of November.

In order to make this northern girl feel more at home here in the South, I am attempting to bring pieces of autumn into my home.  I didn't do any decorating for Halloween.  I'm just not a Halloween junky.  I prefer traditional to cheesy in my home decor.  I think, perhaps, this stems from the fact that I try to decorate on a budget and can't afford to be going out to buy new things for each season.  I try to keep my seasonal decor affordable.  And, almost all my rotating decorations are things that I have either had for a while, made very cheaply, or constructed with my kids.

My most recent creation cost nothing.  As my daughter is home from school today with a fever and cough, it also served the dual purpose of keeping us busy for a few minutes.

Supplies for today's project:

• twine
• construction paper in fall colors
• printer
• scissors
• single whole punch
• leaf printable (click here for the one I used)   
• black marker

Directions:

1. Load your printer with fall-colored construction paper and print the desired number of leaves using the leaf printable.
2. Write things you are thankful for on each leaf.
3. Cut out the leaves.
4. Whole punch each leaf at the top.
5. String the whole-punched leaves along the desired length of twine.
6. Hang up (I used Command hooks on my mantle leftover from last year's Christmas stockings!).

That's it.  Simple, cute, a fun family activity, and (my favorite!) cheap.