PHOTOS: Crafting with Found Fall Foliage

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Don’t let all that colorful fall foliage go to waste! Bring fallen leaves, nuts and branches indoors with simple DIY projects that will make the autumn season last for months to come. To help you along the way, Earth911 raided a few of our favorite craft blogs to bring you 15 truly amazing (and virtually free) reuse ideas that are sure to brighten any home.

Homepage Image: Dana/The Wonder Forest

1. Glossy Preserved Leaves

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Photo: Shannon/Madigan Made

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Keep the colors of fall in your home all year round by picking up autumn leaves on afternoon walks and preserving them for crafting like Madigan Made blogger Shannon.

After snagging some cheery leaves while walking her dog in the Philadelphia suburbs, Shannon got creative and decided to try an alternative means of preserving them.

“I knew you could use wax paper or glycerin to keep leaves fresh. But I wondered if you could use decoupage to preserve leaves,” the crafter wrote on her blog.

Needless to say, the idea worked splendidly, and Shannon was left with shiny, glossy leaves to put on display in her home and use for craft projects.

Check out her tutorial at Madigan Made to see how she did it, and save that fall foliage before it’s too late.