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This simple fall arrangement didn’t cost me anything because I had all the supplies needed already at home. Even if you don’t have the items at home already, they won’t cost you much since all you need is brown paper bags for the DIY paper leaf, free tree branches, hot glue, and some optional fairy lights.
I love how this project turned out for the corner of our living room and I love showing you how easy and affordable it was to make. Let’s go!
Fall foliage DIY paper leaf branch arrangement
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You can use brown packaging paper, brown paper shopping bags, or brown paper lunch bags the way I used for my paper bag snowflakes. I had plenty of the bags left and they are really affordable at the grocery store for around $2-$4 depending on the size. I like using the bags best since they aren’t as thick as larger brown shopping bags or packing paper.
(If you use brown packaging paper then you could even use a Cricut or other cutting machine to do the leaf-cutting for you.)
Craft supplies needed
- brown paper or brown paper bags like lunch bags or shopping bags
- scissors
- hot glue sticks and glue gun
- branches (acorns optional)
- plug-in fairy lights (optional)
- flower pot (or any other container or vase)
- leaf shape
- floral foam blocks
- flower pot
- rocks
- colored pencils (optional)
- water colors (optional)
Step-by-step instructions on how to make a leaf with paper for your fall floral arrangement
You might wonder, why I don’t just use real leaves from outside. The reason is that they crumble and fall apart. It’s that simple! Fortunately, this is an easy DIY and straightforward craft tutorial. Check out my video for more detailed instructions.
Video tutorial
I made a video so you can see better how I made the leaves and put them together on the branches. If the video doesn’t load for you then you can watch the video on my YouTube channel instead.
Step 1: Choose a leaf you like
Pick a leaf shape. I made a printable template for you that you can use if you don’t want to go outside to find a leaf you like.
Just as mentioned above, the real dried leaves crumble and fall apart which is why I made a temple instead.
Here is a free leaf template for you to print. You can slightly scale the size of the leaf in your printer window.
Step 2: Cut out the leaf template
Use sharp scissors to cut out both of your different-sized printed leaf templates. Don’t worry about being too exact.
Step 3: Trace leaf template
Place the paper templates onto your paper bag sheets so you can trace them with a pencil. I was able to fit both, the larger and the smaller one, onto one paper lunch bag.
Step 4: Cut out paper leaves
Use sharp crafting scissors to cut out your paper leaf shape. Since the brown paper bag has more than one layer, you’ll end up with several brown paper leaves.
Step 5: Fold the leaf in half
Fold all the paper leaves that you cut out in half to create the center spine middle of the leaf.
Step 8: Crinkle, Crumble, and shape the paper leaf
Use your hands to shape the leaf into a more realistic look. Real autumn leaves are crinkled and dried old leaves are crumbled inwards. Try to replicate that by crinkling the paper leaf.
Step 9: Glue paper leaf onto a branch
Use a hot glue gun to attach your paper leaves to whatever project you want to use them for. I glued them to real branches but you could also make a paper leaf wreath or paper leaf garland for your fall mantel decor that way. It works best to have the branch on top of the leaf as pictured below. Simply add a line of glue to the bottom of the leaf and stick it to the branch.
I also hot-glued a few acorns to the branches.
Photos of finished branches with paper leaves and fairy lights
I’m definitely not big on decorating my home for fall because I tend to hold on to summer for as long as I can. I have however been wanting to make one of these faux leaf fall foliage arrangements with paper for a long time and I’m glad that I finally made it because I love how it looks in our living room. The colors are perfect and the fairy lights add cozy charm in the evenings.
You be the judge…
I get asked about the brass planter so many times. It is one of my all-time favorite Goodwill finds.
Links to sources if still available: salt lamps | curtains | throw from Ikea | area rug | lumbar pillow | paint color Quail Egg by Valspar | pleated lamp shades | lamps are from Goodwill | coffee table from thrift shop | disco ball | baskets | combed macrame wall hanging | furs |
I love how the branches look with or without the fairy lights.
Update: I came up with a way to make a paper moth clip to add to the branches for Halloween decor.
More fall DIY projects and seasonal home decor
So is this something you’d try to make? It is definitely an easy project that you could make with your kids.
Tschüß,
Materials
- brown paper or brown paper bags like lunch bags or shopping bags
- leaf shape
- colored pencils (optional)
- Watercolors (optional)
Tools
- scissors
- hot glue sticks and glue gun
Notes
- You can use these simple leaves for a variety of projects such as a fall DIY leaf garland for your mantel, a fall DIY paper leaf wreath, or a fall floral arrangement with branches the way I did.
- The paper leaves look great just in brown and you don’t need to add any extra details to them if you don’t want to.
- I find that paper lunch bags work best because they aren’t as thick as standard brown packaging paper or brown paper shopping bags.
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