Fall has always been my favorite season. I love the crisp, cool weather, apple cider, pumpkins, and most of all, colored leaves! When I was growing up, we used to always make leaf collages. This is a wonderful, family-friendly activity that’s easy and frugal.

To make a Colored Leaf Collage, you will need:

• An iron
• Waxed paper
• Leaves (make sure they’re completely dry for optimal results!)

1. Start by gathering the leaves. I love to use a mix of colors—red, orange, and yellow—but if you can only find a single color, that’s fine. If leaves are dry, you can proceed immediately. If not, dry overnight by spreading on newspaper.
2. Set up iron/board and heat to a moderate setting. Obviously, don’t leave unattended with children underfoot.
3. Cut wax paper into 2 equal size pieces. Lay out one piece, arrange leaves, then top with remaining paper piece.
4. Iron quickly, pressing firmly.

Leaf collages keep for quite a while and are fun to display on a wall or the fridge. They also make a terrific gift for friends or relatives that live in warm climates who don’t experience the change of seasons. I make one annually for my sister in Florida. She loves it and says it always makes her feel less homesick!