Fall Swag

 

 It’s Fall Y’all!

This is WhatchamaFALLit week!!!  All week-long you’re gonna be seeing our awesome fall swag (pun intended!)Okay, okay…fall decorations.  Friday, we’re having a linky party….bring your swag and join the partaaay!  If you don’t want to link up….come check out the AMAZING fall projects we’re gonna have in the line up…it’s an all start cast!  There will be so many FALL fixins…there probably won’t be time to see all of them!

Fall is such a colorful, versatile season.  It’s always been an exciting time.  With Football, homecoming, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas…There is ALWAYS some festivity happening! That is all the reason to deck out the duds…but keep it within budget.  Spend the money where it matters…at least that’s how I see it.  

This fall swag is super fun to make, and really easy.  There are so many ways you can deck out a place with fall…and it lasts for so long.  You can go elegant, bright and bold, or a huge pop of one color.  You can go all natural, or as crazy as plums and turquoise…yes, if it’s done right, and I’ve seen it done right, it’s amazingly beautiful.

I started this tutorial while I was still in Montana, so I’m swaggin’ out a couple of unconventional areas.  I did a little makeover in a corner of our little accommodations there, but you have to cruise over to Deja Vue Designs to see that.  This Fall swag, table topper, mantle topper, or what ever you want to use it for, is really easy to make.  I will say, it’s a little time-consuming, but OH, so worth it when it’s done.

 

How thick and detailed you want to make this, is really a personal preference, you’ll see the two different styles couldn’t be any different, or easier. 

The first one, is bold and bright, and full of fall colors.  (They are basically the same concept, but different colors.)  What I did with this one, is picked up a pack of $5.00 scrapbook paper from Wally-World.  I chose one in the colors and patterns that I liked for fall….Just think, the right colors, and different shapes, and you could have a swag or wreath for ANY season in the world!

Next I drew out some leaf shapes on brown craft paper.  These are the basic shapes that you’ll use throughout both projects. (here’s a template of some leaves from last week, in case you don’t want to draw your own) I cut out a bunch of them in all the colors.  I made them big, I made them small and in between.  You need a bunch.  I didn’t count how many I had….I just made a big ole pile.  I would, if I were you, keep them separated by size.  This will make things go a little easier when you start putting it together.

Once you feel like you have enough leaves to start, fire up the glue gun, baby….and get ready for the fun.  I made this colorful swag on a floral stem from Hobby Lobby.  It’s flexible though…and that’s important.  If you don’t have a stem, take a stretch of ribbon.   Just start with a length of ribbon as long as you want your swag.

By bending the lower branch backwards….it creates a swag…instead of a stem.

Now begin by gluing your largest leaves onto your swag base.  I start where I want the bend…or bow to be.  On this festive swag…that’s about a third of the way down.  On my natural swag…it’s in the middle. 

 

Place your leaves pointing toward the ends.

Once you have your base with the larger leaves…start adding and filling in with the smaller ones.  Add them where ever your artistic mind says they go.  There is no right or wrong, only what looks good to you.  I generally add two to three extending on the ends of the larger leaves.  Change the way they lay…and set on the your base leaves.  Some off the ends, some under, some over. 

As you will see below, my two swags, couldn’t be more different in design….but they are both based off of this concept.  I always leave just a little room either in the middle…or about a third of the way down one side…and that’s where I have the two directions start.  This small space is for a bow, or some sort of decoration.  If you don’t care for a bow…try placing a pumpkin, bird in a nest, or anything you like in the focal area.

Now…attach a wire, string, or a bread twist tie for a hanging mechanism.  The swag I bought…had one on it…so it was easy.  The natural one…I had to use a bread tie.

You can use these for a table runner…just add some pumpkins, gourds or whatever suits your liking. Did you see the awesome grapevine pumpkins last week? 

 There are so many things you can do with this darlin’.

A mantle decoration..  If you like mantels….coming up soon on Deja Vue Designs….I’m sharing several festive fall mantels with my readers.

 See that cotton and burlap wreath over the mantel? I made that last year for free too! 😀

 A corner swag…to doll up a little area, like a did on DVD.

 

Or…you can join the ends…and make a wreath.

 I also made this simple, all natural swag with the same concept.

Here’s the all natural wreath.  Same concept, just mostly craft, and scrapbook paper.  I picked up a few little accessories at the local Hobby Lobby.  This porch project is for a fall porch line up coming in October….can’t wait for that!  I hope you’ll stay posted for the info on that parade.

 Want to see a couple of other neat project you can do with these paper leaves?

I found this picture from Anthropologie.  I don’t know what the price on it was…but I can only imagine….

 

 

I found this a couple of days after I made my swag…. I’m pretty sure theirs is fabric…but so what.  So here’s what I did with my left over leaves…

 

 

What about a little extra color for your pumpkins?

 

 

Okay…so I know that wasn’t quite five…want to see that rest? head over to Deja Vue designs…and check the rest of them out!

Do you like the traditional fall colors, or will you go with all-natural or non-traditional?  I’d love to see how it turns out!

 

Love Y’all!

 

Tammy

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