Leaf Stamped Pillow Cover | DIY Fall Decor

So Fall isn’t really in the air in our neck of the woods yet. However, our family is all eagerly awaiting it’s arrival. The kids are getting bored with summer break, I’m antsy for some pumpkin pie and cozy sweaters, and the hubs, well I think he wouldn’t mind some pumpkin pie too. We’re putting all this anticipation to good use by DIY-ing some easy Fall decor. Keep reading to find out how we use chalk paint to make our own Fall leaf stamped pillow covers.

This project is kid friendly with adult supervision.

Collect Some Leaves

The most important step of this project is collecting some really nice leaves. Unbelievable, I know, for leaf stamped pillows. (Sarcasm). I took the fam out to one of our favorite parks with an abundance of happy, healthy, leafy trees.

We do have a lot of trees in our yard, but they all have very similarly structured leaves, and for this project, variety is key. Collect some of the biggest leaves you can find, along with some cute littles as well. The kids enjoyed collecting and comparing some huge Maple leaves.

The more definition a leaf has, the more impressive it will be when stamped onto your pillowcase. If you have little helpers, remind them not to scrunch up the leaves they are collecting. To be usable for stamping, the leaves need to be nice and flat.

Sort Your Leaves and Prep Your Pillowcase

Before you start your stamping project, you’re going to want to make sure you have some nice, ironed pillowcases. I found my throw pillow covers on Amazon. I went with white covers for a stand out black and white contrast. You can get as creative as you want with your color combos.

Another helpful, pre-project prep tip, is to sort out all of your leaves into their kinds. Having organized piles makes it easier to find exactly what you need when you start stamping.

Also, you wont want to hold on to you leaves for long before using them to stamp your pillow cover. As the leaves begin to dry out they will become more brittle and then you can’t use them to do this fall decor project. Basically, wait to start collecting your leaves until the day you want to make your leaf stamped pillows.

Paint and Stamp

You will need to grab some chalk paint in the color of your choice, a paper plate, paintbrush, and some paper when you’re ready to start leaf stamping.

Pour a bit of chalk paint onto your plate. Lay out your pillowcase nearby, but at a safe distance where it won’t be in danger of paint splatter. Paint the BACK of your leaf with the chalk paint (the back of the leaf has more texture). It’s a good idea to do a practice stamp onto an extra piece of paper to make sure you like the look, and to practice the technique.

Once the back of your leaf is completely but lightly painted, gently place the leaf paint side down on your pillow cover. Then, set a piece of paper over the leave, and smooth over it with your hands.

After you have pressed over the whole leaf, lift the paper and leaf to reveal your stamp. You will go through several pieces of paper.

Continue stamping with different sized leaves until you are happy with the coverage. When your pillow cover is lookin’ fresh as Fall, set it aside to dry. Once, the paint is completely dry, give your pillowcase a light spray with some Scotch Guard. This amazing stuff will make for easy cleanup and protect against stains.

DIY Fall Decor Throw Pillows

We had some extra throw pillow covers, so we experimented leaf stamping them with a pretty Fall color. I’d like to add a stenciled word to this pillow case eventually. I haven’t yet decided, but I like it’s simplicity.

The best part about these leaf stamped pillow covers, is that they are washable. After making a couple of these throw pillows a few years ago, they are still going strong. I’ve washed them a couple times in a gentle cool wash load, and let them hang dry. I didn’t have any trouble with the paint fading or running.

So if you’re as excited about fall as we are, get out there and gather some leaves and make your own leaf stamped pillows to sprinkle happy fall moments around your home.

Enjoy!

Find more DIY Fall Decor idea Here!