Get ready for cool weather and outdoor lanterns!

I love this time of the year - don't you?! It is still light outside at night but the cooler temps make it great sleeping weather. I've filled the flower boxes with mums and am ready to put on a jacket and sit out on the deck for an evening of candle-lite conversation.

Being a crafter, I also love making home decor crafts for the seasons. (And crafts I can make for my girlfriends that they'll use each Autumn.) This piece is a classic and I love watching the reflections of a dancing flame from the candle inside.

If you've never tried working with copper, you should! It is beautiful and incredibly rewarding. I drew designs on three panels of copper foil. On each I cut out a Fall icon - a leaf, pinecone and this harvest sun flower. I then gently embossed the images from the back to make them dimensional. The last step (before assembling) is the most scary but rewarding! With my trusty heat gun, I warmed the copper up until it changed colors. (Practice on a spare piece of copper, this can go really fast once it warms up!) This heat treatment it a beautiful amber glow, making it a awesome Fall decor craft.

Barbara Mattheissen wrote a book on New Metal Foil Crafts: Simple and Inspiring Crafts to Make at Home and this project was put on the cover. Check it out for more instruction and ideas.

How does Fall inspire your crafting? What craft projects do you make or bring out each Autumn? Please share. Won't you?