Falling Leaf Garland

Hang this quick and easy garland from your mantel or use it in your next holiday table arrangement to bring the season to life.

Colorful leaf garland is a versatile Halloween decoration.

What You'll Need

• 9-1/4 x 12-inch sheet lightweight copper sheeting (.003 thick, 40 gauge)
• Giant leaf paper punches
• Craft foam or stack of newspapers
• Blunt-tip stylus
• Metal baking sheet
• Embossing tool
• Scrap paper
• Disposable gloves
• Makeup sponge
• Rub-on metallic finish
• Paper towel
• Wire cutters
• 2 yards nontarnish brass wire, 18 gauge
• Round-nose jewelry pliers
• Assorted beads: brown, green, earth-tone colors
• Pencil or dowel
• Embroidery needle

1. Punch 12 to 15 leaves of assorted shapes from lightweight copper sheeting. Place leaves onto craft foam. Use blunt-tip stylus to emboss leaf veins in soft copper.

   Emboss leaf veins using a blunt-tip stylus.

2. One at a time, place leaves on baking sheet and heat with embossing tool to burnish, varying color tones from bright copper to shades of orange, rust, bluish-purple, and gold. Repeat for all leaves. Let cool.
   
   
3. Place leaves on scrap paper, and with gloved hands use a makeup sponge to apply metallic finish. Let sit for 1 to 2 minutes, then wipe off excess with paper towel, buffing lightly while leaving color in grooves and corners. This gives a softened, antiqued look. Repeat for both sides of all leaves.
   
   
4. Use wire cutters to snip several 3- to 5-inch lengths from brass wire; set aside. To make garland, use round end of jewelry pliers to curl a small loop at end of long brass wire. Slip a few beads onto opposite end of wire, and push them all the way down. Bend, curl, and loop wire as you work, adding beads wherever you want. Create spirals by wrapping wire around pencil or dowel.

   To create a spiral, wrap the wire around a pencil or dowel.

5. Put leaves on the craft foam sheet again. With an embroidery needle, pierce a small hole near stem of each. Insert a small piece of wire (from step 4) through each pierced hole; bend wire into a "U" shape, and wrap it around itself to hold leaf in place. Slip a few beads onto remaining length. Attach this piece to garland, bending a small loop around garland wire to hold it in place. Repeat for all leaves, alternating shapes and spacing leaves along length of garland.

   To hold the wire in place, bend a small loop in the wire.

You can use the finished garland in a multitude of ways: to enhance a Halloween centerpiece, decorate a Halloween tree, adorn walls and doors, and more. Another natural fall item -- the pumpkin -- is featured next. We'll teach you how to make a whimsical jack-o'-lantern that "jumps."

Want to scare up more fun Halloween ideas? Try these:

• Halloween Crafts: Not done being creative? These are great do-it-yourself projects for Halloween, from trick-or-treat boxes to candy jewelry.
• Kids' Halloween Costumes: Try on our unique costume ideas for your ghosts and goblins.
• Halloween Masks: Want an easy way to dress up for Halloween? Try a mask instead of a costume. Check out our selection of monstrous masks.
• Halloween Games: Play more than 20 spooktacular games to entertain kids and adults alike.
• Halloween Recipes: Learn how to make dozens of bewitching Halloween treats.
• How Halloween Works: Traces the popular holiday’s Celtic roots to American traditions celebrated today.