Daring Frugal Ideas for Autumn Decoratingby Nicole Humphrey | More from this Blogger 13 Oct 2006 07:00 PM As mentioned before, Fall is my favorite season, and of course I love to decorate the house to reflect that. From a wreath on my door to simple decorations around my home, I love bringing fall indoors and enjoying it. These ideas that I have used have come from all over the places, but every single one of them is an inexpensive alternative to a more pricey store bought version. Saving money is important to me, family time is even more important. So while I am keeping money in my wallet, I am able to combine my love for crafts with my love for family time and we create the projects together. And then of course, we decorate together enjoying everything as a family. In a way, you're getting a two for the price of one deal. You are saving money by making your own items, and you are saving money on family entertainment. Can't beat either of those. So here are a few ideas to keep you busy this fall as the winds start whipping a bit harder, the leaves are quickly changing colors and your family is spending more and more time indoors. Make Some Salt Dough Many people make salt dough ornaments for their Christmas tree, but you forget that salt dough can make anything for any time of year. Whip up a batch of salt dough using one cup of flour, one cup of salt, and a 1/2 cup of water. Sometimes more or less water is needed depending on how dry your home is. You are looking for a non-sticky dough. Once you've made your salt dough, cut it into fall shapes using cookie cutters or even pencils, knives, toys, etc. You can make leaves, pumpkins, acorns and other items with the salt dough. Bake them on a cookie sheet at 200 degrees for 30 minutes per side. You might need a little more time if item is thick or large. You can then paint it and hang it in windows, place them on a stick like a fall Christmas tree, or just place them around your home. Shape into fall figurines like Indians, pilgrims, animals, etc. Cluster them in groups on a table or mantle. Have fun! Papier maché Make some paper maché and have some fun creating more autumn creations. Combine equal portions of flour and water and then soak newspaper strips in the mixture. Drape the newspaper strips over a shape such as a balloon, a bowl or a bottle. Allow to dry and add more layers. You can create pumpkins, autumn bowls or boxes, baskets, whatever you'd like. Check out the frugal living blog for more terrific decorating ideas and to see more of this article. Learn more about Nicole Humphrey  Nicole Humphrey is a freelance writer, consultant for CTMH and a Sr. Blogger for families.com. She resides in St. Charles, Missouri with Mike and their five children and two furbabies. Relevantfrugal tags User Comments  QueenAngie Central Illinois, USA |
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