Autumn Leaf Geronimo Balloons

Oh Autumn, you’re so pretty!

I am seriously not loving the cold weather coming in. Everyday has been cloudy and rainy and Thursday we saw our first snow in Utah :'( BUT. I cannot deny that the trees here are really in their prime right now and it literally takes my breath away!

While I love each gorgeous colored leaf that falls from their branches, a bunch of leaves all grouped together is even more beautiful. Have you ever noticed how a tree can look so crazy, vibrant, pretty red and only when you get closer do you start to see that a lot of the leaves are not red, but a combination of colors and there may even be plenty of green left? It’s this nice little mirage of color that draws you in and makes you appreciate the colder weather (a little).

Well it’s no secret here that Malissa and I are big BIG fans of crafting with autumn leaves, who can deny that gorgeousness?! And, possibly the best part? It’s totally free! Crafting and party decorating can get expensive! So we love anything that includes a nice walk and no dollars. Last year we did this autumn leaf backdrop and these fabulous leaf and flower mobiles so this year we decided to incorporate leaves into one of our favorite party supplies, balloons!

You know the typical (and amazing) tassel garlands always attached to geronimo balloons?! Well this is our warm-colored, autumn spin on those and I couldn’t be happier with how they turned out. They were free (except the balloons and helium) and SO easy to make. Click through to see the pictures and steps, can’t you just image this by your Thanksgiving table this year?! I’d die.

Materials
• Large round balloons (or any balloons!) //
• Collection of leaves //
• Needle //
• Thread //

1. Gather leaves! I like to pick from the ground but pulling a few about-to-fall leaves from the trees is ok too! Get a nice variety. I used about 1 grocery sack very full for this project and got about 5 ft garlands for each balloon.
2. Thread a needle. It’s easiest to keep the thread attached to it’s spool while you make these so pull a small amount through and tie it in a little knot around the eye of the needle. I used a basic, beigey-rose color that blended right in.
3. Push the needle up through your leaves. You can even do a whole handful at once! Have them facing both ways (up and down) and push the needle through different parts of each for a more wild look, even try threading through the stems of some so they hang way out.
4. I kept my thread organized and from coming out of my leaves by attaching a piece of tape to the ends. When I was ready to use, I filled my balloons and tied the thread around the ties! Depending on how much helium you have, and how heavy each leaf garland is, your balloons may rest at different heights. If you have a problem keeping them up, use a dowel rod to prop the balloon up.

You can even try to aim for all reds or yellows to keep it more uniform. I’d recommend using leaves that are more freshly gathered as they will be less brittle but I used leaves from several days before, as well as ones I just got that morning, at they all worked fine! After they’ve been strung, they keep up really well! My garlands are a week old and still look gorgeous. They are more brittle but I think they’ll look pretty all the way til Thanksgiving honestly.