Crafting Autumn's Magic: Nature-Inspired Decor and Creative Joy

I Love Autumn

I mentioned in a recent post how I love Autumn and how I believe it partially stems from childhood experiences walking along leafy avenues and boreens, (Narrow roads often with grass growing up the centre), to school.

Autumn marks a time of change, recharge and regeneration. This time of year is especially suited to creative endeavours as we begin to spend more time indoors. The obvious changes in the colouring of nature and the blustery weather beginning to creep in are perfect things on which to base a celebration through creativity.

Nature's Touch: Simple Autumn Crafts

It's a wonderful idea to bring the outside in when you can. This way you can feel connected to the changing of the seasons and to nature in general.

It is sometimes a great idea to think about a few seasonal specific things to do. Autumn activities. Autumn crafts, even small manageable projects that celebrate the season. Autumn things that don't take too long but make an impact and that help us to connect with the natural world.

To Collect just a few or even a big pile of chestnuts and put them in a bowl on a coffee table is such as simple but effective way to adorn such places you see on a daily basis. Tie a few fallen chestnut leaves together by the stalks and hang them near the fireside or just inside the front door along with a few other found objects from the garden or a walk. Tie a few bunches of lavender or rosemary with a little ribbon and hang them in appropriate places. Break out a few saved jars and pickle a few onions, bought or homegrown or even make a single batch of chutney to put in your larder with a lovely ribbon or string and labels. Bake a seasonal cake or just add cinnamon to your usual plain madeira buns or cake to add that lovely scent to the air and that unmistakeable flavour to your baking.

Break out the wool and needles and knit an Autumn wooly hat and be prepared for some brisk Autumn walks. You will be warmed by the satisfaction of being creative and productive as well as your exercise.

Check out our Handmade Wooly Hat Collections Here

Creative Sparks: School Memories and Beyond

I didn't seem to mark the seasons for myself when I was a younger adult. At least after I left school it seemed to slow to a stop. The structure of school did all of that for us beforehand. Even so, in school I was actually bored by the thought of the 'dusty nature table'. I simply couldn't connect for some reason. Maybe because of the idea that only the 'best' things made it onto the table and I didn't usually agree with the status quo.

I was a least aware of seasonal activities because of art class, strangely enough, holding a different story to nature class. The leaves that I can remember and identify now without difficulty, are the ones we had to collect and make creative collages, prints and drawings from in primary school.

As a pretty active but shy and socially awkward child creativity was a great relief and outlet for me and in many ways helped shape my personality. It gave me a lifelong appreciation for nature and the seasons. Autumn stands out in memory because there was so much to collect like chestnut leaves, with their fabulous big leaves, chestnuts of course with thier deep shiny polish and prickly green jackets, sycamore seeds that flew like helicopters and bits of birds nests, dried twigs blown by the winds and other splendid jewels of nature.

Creativity as a Source of Resilience

Even now I realise more and more how creativity grounds us and gives us solace when everything else all around us seems to be going to pot.

It's an anchor in the storm for many and it provides a place of calm and inner strength and purpose. Without creativity the world would be stagnant. Closer to home it can make your day and inspire your life, if you let it.

In a nutshell, get the Autumn activities going. If you can, do Autumn crafts or any small Autumn thing to celebrate where we are and to be present to all the beauty and abundance we have available to us at all times, both physically, emotionally and creatively.

Until Next Time... Amanda