If thoughts of crisp air, autumn leaves, harvest colors, and (of course) Halloween and Thanksgiving put you in a creative mood, you’re certainly not alone! Fall is a particularly rich time of year for the craftiness gene to get ‘a-goin’ — and it’s also a perfect time to entertain friends and family at home, as the days get shorter and the temperatures drop.
Whether you’re hosting a festive dinner, getting ready for tricks and treats, or even just hosting a football-watching Sunday, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite crafts and tips from bloggers to help get your autumn started on festive footing.
Fall Parties
It’s a fact: Halloween steals the spotlight every single October. If beer and pretzels are more your speed than candy and costumes, why not be a little different and throw an Oktoberfest party instead? Blogger Jessica Hill suggests starting from the German cultural theme of gemütlichkeit, which means “hospitality” or “comfort”. With that in mind, pull together some tables to get everyone cozy, then decorate with German beer coasters, fall flowers, place cards shaped like steins and pretzels, and even a German dachshund statue or two! Then serve up some German grub and dig in. It’s an OktoberFEAST! Sehr gemütlich!
Of course, we aren’t suggesting you ignore Halloween altogether — that would be downright frightening! If you’d like to treat your guests to a goodie that will also, well, make them cringe a little (that’s the fun of Halloween, right?) try Courtney Whitmore’s clever spiderweb cupcakes. A tuft of white cotton candy on top of a cupcake simulates spider’s silk; just affix a plastic or chocolate spider for the finishing touch. It tastes delicious, of course, but we’ll bet your friends will pause for a second or two before taking a bite!
Have a bunch of little goblins you need to sweeten up? Kids of all ages — but the mini-monsters in particular — will shriek in delight when you serve Angie Holden‘s spooky marshmallow creatures. Although they look like inedible décor, these guys are totally yummy and safe to eat. The secret is using food coloring markers (available at grocery or craft stores) and spray-on food coloring. As a bonus, the monsters are simple for little hands to help create — and stuff in their mouths — making them the perfect kid craft this Halloween. Gather up a bunch of your favorite neighborhood ghouls and get to work.
Autumnal Décor
If you’re more on the crafting than cooking side of things, you likely enjoy hunting down fresh ideas for giving your abode a seasonal spin. However, if you’re not into the idea of completely decking out your pad, there are plenty of ways to add subtle autumn-themed touches. One clever idea: Kelly Rowe‘s cork trivets cut in the shape of falling leaves, which are simple to make and add an elegant touch to your entertaining. Just trace a leaf template onto a sheet of cork, cut out with an X-acto knife, and place on your table. A set of these cute trivets makes a unique and economical hostess gift as well.
While you’re considering your table, why not plan ahead for a show-stopping Thanksgiving table with Megan Duesterhaus‘ innovative and inexpensive centerpiece concept. Decorate mason jars with layered Cricut medallions, ribbons, and alphabet letters in fall colors to spell out a word or phrase of your choice — one letter per jar (Need ideas? “Thanks” is a good one to start with, but you can also try “Gratitude,” “Bounty,” “Blessings”…use your imagination.) Then simply put similar-hued flowers in each jar. The result is a striking arrangement that can stretch to any size; adjust the length of the phrase you choose based on how many guests you plan to seat! As a bonus, you can extend this centerpiece to the winter holidays by simply swapping the medallions and blooms for ones in Christmas or Chanukah colors.
Of course, if you’re planning on having a crowd come over, it’s a great idea to mark where the party is taking place. Do this in style with Marty Walden‘s repurposed fence-board pumpkin. The project involves a purposefully distressed look, so no worries about being “perfect” here. After painting and arranging the boards, plus adding vinyl letters for a fun, fall-themed phrase of your choice, you can use the pumpkin as a signpost welcoming all and sundry to your place for some autumn fun, and feast, or whatever you have on tap!
Now that you have a few ideas to get started on fall fun, don’t forget to take a few moments to sit back here and there, and savor all the unique delights of the season, as it passes all too quickly. Before you know it, the winter holidays will be here!
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