FALL is coming! Not only is cooler weather on the way, but so are the decorations. We put together a few DIY projects to add that Autumn feel to your home.

Project One: Decorative Acorns

Before the cold white stuff falls, we get a lot of leaves and acorns falling. With this first DIY project, you can go nuts over getting out in your yard and collecting lots of acorns to create these colorful Fall-colored acorns. They are easy to make, and with Mohawk you can add whatever colors fit into your décor.

 Step One:

Place the acorns on a foil-lined cookie sheet and bake them at 170 degrees for two hours. (This is to make sure you don't bring in any unexpected hitchhikers in the acorns.) Let the acorns cool completely.

Step Two:

Use Mohawk's Ultra® Mark Markers to color the acorns. For that extra flair, you could also use the Ultra® Penetrating NGR Dye Stain. Make sure you brush with the grain of the nut.

If some of the tops come off the acorns, you can glue them back on using Mohawk's Instant Adhesive CA Glue.

Project Two: Leaf Coasters

For this next DIY project, find a tree limb that is about 3" in diameter. You want to make sure a glass or cup will fit on it nicely. Cut the limb into ¾" thick slices. Lightly sand each disk. Find a leaf, or leaves (they should be showing up on the ground soon) that you like. An alternative would be visiting a local craft or DIY store and purchasing some artificial leaves.

Spray one side of the leaf with Mohawk's Wiping Wood Stain (you may want to wear gloves for this) and quickly place the side you sprayed on a wood disk. Press the leaf onto the wood disk for a minute or two so the Stain is transferred to the wood.  Gently, remove the leaf and let the Wiping Wood Stain dry. This should take about 5-10 minutes. Finally, spray Mohawk's Tone Finish Clear Sanding Sealer Aerosol on each side of the wood disk starting with the side you stained. Give each side 15 minutes drying time before turning the disk over.

Project Three: Pumpkin Checkerboard

Our final DIY project gives a Fall spin to a classic game. Find a piece of wood roughly 30" x 30". Depending on its condition, you may want to spray a little Wax Wash™ Remover to prepare and clean the surface. Take a pencil and ruler and sketch out 32 squares in a checker board pattern. Tip: Make a small mark on the squares you intend to paint. Using a nice contrasting Ultra® Penetrating NGR DYE Stain such as Oxblood or Black, and skillfully paint the marked squares. If you have trouble paining in lines you may also want to use painter's tape to tape off the squares first. Let it dry about an hour.

All you need now are some small pumpkins from a grocery store (12 white and 12 orange) to use as the game pieces and you are finished! Tip:  You may want to help your opponent out (because you are really good at checkers) by buying some extra pumpkins to use as Kings. Make some designs on them using Ultra® Mark Markers.