It’s finally fall, which means the air is buzzing with cold breezes, pumpkin spice and a constant excitement for all the holidays soon to come. My favorite part of this beloved season is the decorations – from jack o'lanterns to twinkling lights, there’s nothing that makes me feel more spirited. But when you’re living in a dorm room, it can be challenging to find or create not-so-basic items that fit within the residential standards. Don’t worry though – I got you covered. Here are three simple decor DIYs that are both ~fall-tastic~ and Northwestern themed (which means purple-overload) so that you can represent your seasonal and school spirit at the same time.
2-Step Painted Pumpkin
pumpkin1 from North by Northwestern on Vimeo.
Supplies:
- Small pumpkin
- Paintbrushes
- Acrylic paint (specifically purple and white)
pumpkin2 from North by Northwestern on Vimeo.
Step 1:
Paint your pumpkin white. This should take at least two coats, depending on how opaque you want it. After you’re done painting, let it dry.
pumpkin3 from North by Northwestern on Vimeo.
Step 2: Paint a pattern in purple on your pumpkin. I did purple polka dots that vary in size, but stripes, chevron or even a paw print would look adorable.
pumpkin4 from North by Northwestern on Vimeo.
2-Step Mason Jar “Candle”
Mason jar 1 from North by Northwestern on Vimeo.
Supplies:
- Mason Jar
- Fake leaves
- Small fake “tea light” candle
- Paint brushes
- Acrylic paint (purple and white)
Mason jar 2 from North by Northwestern on Vimeo.
Step 1: Paint half of your leaves purple, and half of your leaves white. The number of leaves you use depends on how many you want to put inside your mason jar. I ended up using only four because I didn’t want it to appear two cluttered. Once you’ve painted the leaves, let them dry.
Mason jar 3 from North by Northwestern on Vimeo.
Step 2: Place your candle inside, and then arrange the painted leaves around the sides however you think looks best. And then you’re done! Turn off the lights in your room, and you’ll have a fancy little candle that looks perfect for fall.
mason4 from North by Northwestern on Vimeo.
4-Step “Happy Fall” Banner
Banner 1 from North by Northwestern on Vimeo.
Supplies:
- Purple cardstock
- Twine
- Small clothespins
- Paint brushes
- Acrylic paint (purple and white)
Banner 2 from North by Northwestern on Vimeo.
Step 1: Cut your twine into two strands of equal length. The length of the strands depend on where you are going to hang your banner, but about 3 feet each works well.
Banner 3 from North by Northwestern on Vimeo.
Step 2: Cut the cardstock into rectangles. Mine were sized to about 4 inches by 2 inches. If you want the banner to say “Happy Fall,” cut nine rectangles. But if you want to write something else, of course, just make as many rectangles as there are letters. I wanted to make the rectangles a bit more aesthetically appealing, so I cut triangles out of the bottom. You could honestly do any shape that you think would look nice – for example, you could cut them into leaves or pumpkins, if you are a bit more talented than I am.
Banner 4 from North by Northwestern on Vimeo.
Step 3: Paint each letter on a different piece of paper. I used white for the base of each letter, and then went back and outlined it in darker purple to make them stand out.
Banner 5 from North by Northwestern on Vimeo.
Step 4: Attach each letter to the twine with a clothespin. Since I was doing two words, I put “Happy” on the first strand and “Fall” on the second.
Banner 6 from North by Northwestern on Vimeo.
Bonus: You can hang fake leaves on the twine to give it that extra-special fall touch!
Banner 7 from North by Northwestern on Vimeo.
The goal of these three DIYS are to be both easy and adorable. If you want to add another layer of fun to this fall activity, plan a hang-out with your friends where you gather around in a student lounge to paint pumpkins and style mason jars. Making decorations is the perfect way to destress (especially during midterm season) and to get into the festive spirit.