Fall Decor Fabulousness

Cooler temperatures are on the horizon, along with thoughts of pumpkins, falling leaves, and hot chocolate. Add some sparkle to your home with a twist on fall DIY ideas -- a Glittery Harvest Centerpiece, and Wire-wrapped Fall Candles!

Glittery Harvest Centerpiece
• Twig cornucopia & pumpkin
• Faux gourds & pumpkins
• Autumn berry garland
• Burlap garland
• Sage raffia
• Spray paint: gold, copper
• Glitter: gold, copper
• Glitter glue
• Tacky glue
• Wire cutters
• Blue painter’s tape
• Waxed paper (to catch excess glitter)

Directions (click for printable directions):
1. Apply painter’s tape to stems, or remove stems from faux gourds and pumpkins; spray gourds and pumpkins with gold and copper paint. When dry, remove painter’s tape or replace stems.

2. Wrap burlap garland around cornucopia and tie in a knot; trim ends. Apply glitter to the top and opening of the cornucopia by squeezing on tacky glue, then pouring glitter over the wet glue. Set aside until glue has dried; shake off excess glitter onto waxed paper, funnel back into container. Repeat as often as necessary to create a glittery crust. Further embellish the cornucopia with raffia and short lengths of berry garland, adding touches of glitter glue as desired.

3. Position twig pumpkin over waxed paper and squeeze tacky glue over the top and partially down the sides. Pour glitter over wet glue. Repeat as desired.

4. Tie raffia around the smaller gourds and secure with glitter glue. Embellish a few berry garland branches with glitter glue. Tuck into the arrangement or wrap around pumpkin stems. Incorporate glitter glue into the cornucopia and twig pumpkin to blend the golds and coppers, to fill in bare spots and to add more sparkle as desired.

• 2" Pillar candles: brown, cream, red
• 12 gauge Aluminum floral wire: gold, brown
• Round-nose pliers
• Needle-nose pliers
• Wire cutters
• Masking tape

Directions (click for printable version):
Tip: Cover the jaws of the pliers with masking tape to protect the coating on the wire. This tape will only help to  protect the surface. Be extra careful to avoid scratching the coating off the wire. 

1. Take end of the wire from spool and wrap wire around candle. Spiral the wire around candle in a varied pattern to add interest, like vines growing around the candle. Leave 2" extra length at both ends and cut off any excess. Remove wire from the candle.

2. Bend both wire ends into a leaf shape. Use the provided template as a guide or create your own leaf pattern.

3. Cut a piece of wire 4" long and bend one end into a leaf shape. Attach the leaf to the vine base by wrapping the straight end around the wire vine. Start at the base of the leaf you are attaching and wrap down. Once the leaf is secure, cut off any excess wire. If the leaf is sliding on the vine, crimp the wrapped part tightly with pliers. Be careful not to scratch the wire.

4. Repeat step 3 to add the desired amount of leaves up and down the vine base.

5. To add swirls to the vine base between the leaves, cut a piece of wire 4" long. Create a loop at one end with needle-nose pliers. From the loop, use your fingers to create a spiral shape. Connect the spiral to the vine base in the same way the leaves were added, by wrapping the end of the wire to the vine and cutting off any excess.

6. Place the candle back into the middle of the vine. If the vine seems loose after adding the leaves, take the candle out and pull the ends of the vine to create a tighter loop. Slide the candle back into the center.