Easy Gardening DIY Art and Craft Ideas for Autumn

Vego Garden
Vego Garden

Fall, with its festive woodland charm, cheerful ornamental gourds, and chill weather, inspires DIY gardening projects. As your garden activity winds down, it is a good idea to repurpose plants and flowers into creative crafts that will last a long time. Below is a list of DIY activities suitable for both adults and kids, so take advantage of any leisure time to begin a new hobby or rekindle an existing one. Head into your garden or local craft store, gather some basic materials and supplies, then settle down in a comfortable spot in your house and start crafting. 

Make Stickers Using Real Dried Flowers 

Though the hobby of flower preservation dates back thousands of years, it became increasingly popular during the Victorian era, which accorded great symbolism to flowers. Dried flowers are a great way to add decorative elements for sketchbooks, art journals, and scrapbooks while capturing the beauty of nature. Today, the age-old art of flower preservation has been updated into stickers using real flowers. Below is a basic outline of what you’ll need to do. 

  • Press your flowers using a specialty flower press or a heavy book. Larger flowers will need to be disassembled into small pieces for easier pressing. 
  • When dry, transfer the flowers to a sticker sheet or a piece of parchment paper. Lay clear packing tape on the parchment paper. Make sure there is enough tape to cover the entirety of the flower. For a more professional look, lay them out on top of a vinyl sticker sheet.
  • If using paper, tape over the blossoms. If using a vinyl sticker sheet, carefully place another sticker sheet on top of the flowers and press down. 
  • Cut around the edges of the flower, leaving a half inch border. When you’re ready to use your stickers, peel off the parchment paper or sticker at the back and apply as needed. 

Make Natural Ink Using Black Walnuts  

Walnut ink brings a timeless, rustic appeal to sketches and calligraphy. Black walnuts, which fall to the ground during autumn, can be collected and left to turn black to make ink. Once you have collected the husks, soak them in water for at least 24 hours in a large pot. Be sure to wear gloves when handling to prevent staining. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes – the longer the time, the more intense the color of the ink. Allow the mixture to cool and store in a glass container. To extend shelf leaf, add isopropyl alcohol or vodka to the mixture.

Easy Gardening DIY Art and Craft Ideas for Autumn | Vego Garden

Make Artwork Using Autumn Leaves  

There are plenty of DIY artwork you can make from leaves, from leaf clay dishes to leaf collages. If you’ve outgrown the colorful leaf paintings of childhood, then try fun figurative sketchbook illustrations using dried leaves. One popular way to repurpose colorful leaves gleaned from an autumnal trek is to paste oddly shaped leaves into your sketchbook and draw heavily-lined figures using black markers and sparse amounts of color. Leaves can also be utilized in printing to make stationery, cards, and other artwork. 

Make a DIY Succulent Pumpkin Holder  

A novelty item found on Etsy or other online marketplaces, DIY succulent pumpkin holder kits are a striking option for fall décor. These charming centerpieces are perfect for succulent aficionados and fans of autumn. For a cheaper and more sustainable alternative, try making them at home. To pick the perfect pumpkin, choose one that is firm and unblemished.  

  • Supplies needed: Pumpkin or gourd (preferably with a flat top), sheet or sphagnum moss, white or hot glue, various selection of succulent cuttings 
  • In small sections, apply hot glue to the top of the pumpkin. Add a layer of sphagnum moss to the pumpkin, about ½ - 1 inches thick. 
  • Attach the succulents to the sphagnum moss using a hot glue or clear gel glue. First, add a small amount of glue on top of the moss, then attach the succulent. Secure the stem by covering it with a thin layer of moss. Repeat the process by adding more succulents around the stem until you reach your desired amount. 
  • Mist the plants with water once a week to help establish new roots. Once the pumpkin starts to decompose, slice off the top and rehome your succulents by planting it on a pot or container. You can also cut off individual plants to transplant. 

Build a DIY Raised Garden Bed that Will Last 

Raised garden beds are a great investment for both kids and adults. Typically, most garden beds are made from a lower-quality steel material that will only last for 5 – 6 years before needing replacement. For a long-lasting raised garden bed, Vego Garden offers easy assembly for a diverse collection of high-quality garden beds unmatched in the market. All Vego Garden metal raised beds are made with VZ 2.0, a specialty material made from Zinc, Magnesium, and Aluminum coated steel that is designed to last over two decades. Whenever you are a teacher seeking to introduce your students to the value of nature or a casual gardener looking to get started, Vego Garden Beds offers the most cost-effective and quickest assembly option compared to other DIY solutions. 

17" Tall 9 In 1 Modular Metal Raised Garden Bed Kit

$189.95 $169.95

The classic of the classics, this is the first raised garden bed kit we launched. The 3.5' x 6.5' and 2' x 8' configurations are among the most iconic designs for anyone who is new to garden beds. The height is also great for easy, quick access when gardening and assists in keeping slugs and pests at a minimum too. Great for growing herbs, succulents, veggies, or flowers.…

Vego Graden | 17

Make Bookmarks with Real Leaves

Whether you enjoy chilling gothic stories or cozy mysteries, relaxing with a cup of coffee and a good book after a long day is a great way to destress. Brighten up your reading experience with a fashionable bookmark made from real autumnal leaves. 

  • Supplies needed: Leaves for pressing, watercolor paper, cardstock, or heavy paper with interesting textures, Mod Podge, white glue, paintbrush, laminating sheets 
  • Press leaves in a book or flower press and leave overnight. 
  • Cut paper into rectangles.
  • Arrange leaves over the bookmark. Once satisfied with the arrangement, adhere the leaves to the paper using Mod Podge with a paintbrush. Apply another layer over the leaf to seal it in place. Then, apply a final coat over the entire bookmark, making sure the edges of the leaves are flat. You can also use white glue, applied in small dabs, if you do not have Mod Podge.
  • Protect the bookmark using laminating sheets.  

Easy Gardening DIY Art and Craft Ideas for Autumn | Vego Garden

Paint a Pumpkin 

If you don’t like carving pumpkins, you can still decorate your pumpkin by painting them. You’ll need a pumpkin, acrylic paint, a Sharpie black marker, some paintbrushes, and a sealer (optional). Browse online for a wealth of painting inspiration, ranging from whimsical galaxy-colored designs to hot pink patterns – they don’t need to be Halloween themed. Although there is an abundance of ornamental pumpkin varieties, it is best to choose small to medium-sized ones with smooth skin, such as jack-o’-lanterns, Baby Boo, and Porcelain Doll. 

Easy Gardening DIY Art and Craft Ideas for Autumn | Vego Garden

Make a Seed Mosaic    

Recommended as a fun classroom activity, a seed mosaic helps kids appreciate the diversity of seeds. Beans, corn, pumpkin seeds, and other seeds with hard exteriors are suitable for this project. Choose seeds with a variety of shapes, colors, and textures for a more in-depth design. Geometric shapes, birds, butterflies, and fishes are popular themes to create using seeds – the more sophisticated designs that are possible will surprise you. For older kids, it is recommended that they draw an outline before gluing on the seeds. 


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