Pinecones & Leaves
Let’s Celebrate Fall!
In a world full of Pinterest boards, beautiful magazine spreads and instagram-perfect homes- it is easy to forget that decorating spaces and places this season can be as simple as collecting leaves from our own backyards. Although I adore the sight of front porches decked with truck loads of pumpkins and thoroughly enjoy walking down store isles of seasonal decor, I can’t let myself forget that there are countless other ways to make spaces beautiful without breaking your back, or the bank. When I find myself in the position of wanting or needing simplicity, I go on a hunt for alternative ways to add beauty to the spaces where our family and friends will be gathering.
This year, in search of simplicity, I decided to use real leaves and pinecones as decorating touches. All it took was a foraging trip to the park and simple prep to preserve the items that I found. Now I have all that I need for fall accents in our home. If you’d like to join me in the fun, follow the directions below for the easy steps on how to preserve leaves and pinecones to decorate your spaces and places as well. It really doesn’t take much effort and you’ll have all the decor you need this fall season.
How to: Preserve Leaves
Directions:
Gather fallen leaves and test for dryness. Look for mostly dry, not brittle or limp. If too fresh then press between books on parchment paper for a few days before proceeding. When ready to begin, prep the space by placing leaves in a single layer on wax paper. Brush one side of the leaf with a thin coat of Mod Podge using a foam brush. Let dry for 30 minutes or until the white coat turns clear. Flip leaves over, brush the other side and let dry again. Use leaves by scattering them around the table or tie with twine onto wine glasses.
In the pictures above you can see the process of preserving fall leaves. After being painted with Mod Podge, the leaves will look white (above left). Then, once they turn clear, they are dried completely (above right) and ready to be used as you wish. See the picture below for one of the many ways you can incorporate leaves into your fall spaces.
How to: Preserve Pinecones
Directions:
Bake pinecones to remove any tiny critters, dry up the sticky sap, and give the pinecone a beautiful glossy finish. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with foil and lay pinecones in rows allowing space as they expand when baked. Place in the oven for about 30 mins. If pinecones were gathered on a damp day, it might take longer. Keep a close eye and pull them out when the house smells of pine trees and your pinecones go from a matte to glossy finish. To use, simply place around the table or add to a bowl along with cinnamon sticks as a centerpiece.
Before Baking…
After Baking…
Decorating Ideas…
There are countless ways to use your preserved leaves and pinecone accents! Here are just a few ways that I have started to incorporate them into our spaces this fall. More to come but for now, these are three ways that I have used mine.
1) Potpourri Bowl: place pinecones, leaves, and cinnamon sticks in a bowl. Add a few drops of your favorite fall smelling essential oil.
2) Food Presentation: use leaves as a seasonal touch when serving desserts, like these painted french macarons.
3) Wine Glass Markers: tie one or two leaves with twine around the base of each wine glass.
4) Autumn Tablescape: incorporate preserved pinecones and leaves onto your next tablescape like the one I created below. For directions on how to recreate this look, visit my blog post here. Honored to have this table scape published in Lee's Summit Lifestyle November 2021.
I can’t wait to see what you come up with too! I’d love to see your fall accent creations so please share with me over at @silvertoothhome on instagram. Let’s celebrate the season together! Cheers!
