5 Sustainable Crafts for Fall embraced by NC Solar Now
Keep Your Children Entertained and Learning
5 Sustainable Crafts for Fall. Temperate nights, pumpkin-spiced lattes, hayrides, apple picking — as the weather begins to change in North Carolina, there are so many reasons to get excited about the return of autumn. This year, NC Solar Now, wanted to embrace our creative side with five sustainable crafts to do with your kids. So grab your hoodies and snuggle up with these awesome kid crafts!
Pressing and Drying Leaves
It wouldn’t be fall unless you raked together a big pile of leaves and dove right in. While crunchy foliage is fun for all ages, it is also an excellent medium for craft projects. One of the easiest ways to enjoy the beautiful display of colors is to preserve them through pressing and drying. There are many different methods to dry leaves, so we will stick with the easiest and most sustainable option.
- Step 1: Sandwich the leaf between sheets of wax paper or newspaper.
- Step 2: Place the leaf/wax paper combination inside a heavy book.
- Step 3: Keep the book(s) in a dry location and set aside for two weeks or until the leaves are completely dry.
- Step 4: Remove leaves and enjoy their beauty year-round.
Fall Leaf Lanterns
Now that you have a bunch of dried leaves, you may be wondering what to do with them. One great option is to create a fall leaf lantern. To do this, rummage through your recycle bin and find discarded glass jars. Then head to your craft closet (or local craft store) to pick up some decoupage glue. Now, for the fun part!
- Step 1: Gather up several of your favorite semi-dried leaves.
- Step 2: Have your little humans paint a layer of glue onto the cleaned jars.
- Step 3: Paint the leaves with a thick layer of decoupage glue as well.
- Step 4: Place the leaves onto the jar in different patterns and locations.
- Step 5: Repeat steps 2-4 until the entire jar is covered and your budding artists are happy with their sustainable art project.
- Step 6: Let the jars dry until the glue is completely translucent.
Pinecone Birdfeeder
A DIY pinecone birdfeeder is a great way to have fun with your child while creating something that serves an environmental purpose. The supplies you will need to complete this craft are relatively simple, and you may already have them lying around the house (yarn, birdseed, peanut butter, and pinecones).
- Step 1: Gather pinecones from your lawn or surrounding area.
- Step 2: Wrap a six-inch piece of yarn around the top of the pinecone and knot to create a loop. (This will be how you hang your pinecone birdfeeder for all the animals to enjoy.)
- Step 3: Cover the pinecone in peanut butter using a spatula. Make sure to get the peanut butter into all of the cracks and crevices. If your child has a peanut allergy, feel free to use another variety of nut butter.
- Step 4: Roll the pinecone in bird seeds making sure to cover the entire pinecone.
- Step 5: Hang in a visible location and enjoy watching all the birds that come to feast on the creation.
Dried Orange Garland
Dried orange garland is a classy craft project that can bring a pop of color to your fall decor. The orange garland is also a multipurpose craft because it is eco-friendly and economical.
- Step 1: Cut oranges into ⅛ to ¼ inch thick layers. Depending on how long you want the garland to be will gauge the number of oranges needed.
- Step 2: Blot the slices with a clean towel to remove any excess moisture.
- Step 3: While you can place the orange slices into the oven at 225℉, the more sustainable option is to place the oranges in the sun and let Mother Nature do the work.
- Sun-dried: Place the orange slices in a single layer on a baking sheet in direct sunlight. Allow them to completely dry, flipping them occasionally throughout the drying period.
- Oven: Place the orange slices on a lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for roughly 2.5 hours at 225℉. Flip the slices after 1 hour of baking. After the full baking time, remove any slices that begin to brown and allow the remaining slices to continue to dry as needed.
- Step 4: Once the orange slices are dried and cooled, string them onto twine, leaving a 1-2 inch gap.
- Step 5: Place around the house and enjoy the touch of nature in your home.
Acorn People
Acorn crafts are extremely easy and should be on every parent’s “to-do” list this fall. To make utterly adorable acorn people, all you need is acrylic paint, a black sharpie and…wait for it…some acorns!
- Step 1: Collect acorns and allow them to bake in the sun for a few hours to remove any excess moisture.
- Step 2: Evenly paint the acorn bottom with 1-2 layers of acrylic paint.
- Step 3: Once the paint has dried, add faces to the acorns to create little people.
- Step 4: Embellish the acorn as you see fit- paint the top part to create a colorful hat, add earrings or accessories, place a piece of twine at the top to make a decoration or necklace.
- Step 5: Show all your friends your amazing family of acorn people.
Fall Fun
These sustainable fall crafts are all about making memories with your family while helping the environment! Creative ways to inspire the fall enthusiast, create something truly beautiful and do so while keeping your carbon footprint in mind.
Want to learn about other interesting sustainable ideas? Take a look at some of our other blogs.
NC Solar Now
NC Solar Now is North Carolina’s Most Trusted solar panel installer and embraces the philosophy that solar is for everyone! We’ll be by your side from your first free virtual consult through our warranty period and beyond. Visit us online at NC SOLAR NOW or contact us for more information. Check us out on Facebook or Instagram. Want to chat with someone? Give us a call at 919-833-9096.
