I made my first fall wreath from a bag of leaves my kids raked up and a wire hanger, and it looked better than the forty dollar one I had been eyeing at the store. The whole thing took about twenty minutes.

What You Need

• A wire wreath frame or a bent coat hanger
• Twine or thin floral wire
• Dried leaves, seed pods, small pinecones, whatever is in the yard
• A hot glue gun for the stubborn pieces

Build It in Layers

1. Tie the twine to the frame and attach your largest pieces first. They set the shape.
2. Fill the gaps with smaller leaves, overlapping so the frame does not show through.
3. Work in one direction around the ring.
4. Add a loop of twine at the top for hanging, then hang it up and fix whatever looks thin.

Make It Last

Fresh leaves curl and go brown in a week indoors. Dry them flat between sheets of newspaper for a few days first, or press them in a book. A light coat of clear spray sealer helps them hold up through the season, though the color will dull a little either way.

Mine hangs on the front door from October through Thanksgiving. If it starts shedding, that is a sign to pull the loose pieces and glue them back down.