How to Mix & Match Fall Napkins for One Coordinated DIY
One of my favorite things about napkin decoupage is that you don’t have to use just one napkin design on a project!
For this week’s Friday LIVE, I pulled together several different fall patterns, a few wood pieces, a cutting board from Walmart, and some ribbon I already had on hand. None of it was originally designed to go together, but by repeating colors and patterns throughout the project, it all came together into one coordinated fall piece!
And I love how it turned out.
Start with a Simple Base
For the base of this project, I used a cutting board from Walmart. I use these often because they’re fairly inexpensive, great quality, a great size for crafting, and give you plenty of room to add layers.
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I painted mine a bright white, then started building the design from there.
Mix Your Fall Napkins
This is where the project really started to come together.
I used designs from both my Orange Autumn and Feel Like Fall napkin bundles. Instead of choosing one pattern for the entire project, I pulled colors and elements from several napkins that worked well together.
I decoupaged three of our Mini Pennant Blanks using coordinating fall patterns and strung them across the top of the cutting board with twine.
The little pumpkin in the center became the focal point, while the orange checks on either side helped tie everything together.
A little tip when mixing napkins...
They don't have to match!
Look for a common thread between them. In this project, I kept coming back to orange, white, yellow and those warm fall tones. That was enough to make several completely different designs feel like they belonged together.
Don't Overlook the Little Details
One of my favorite details on this project might be the word PUMPKIN.
Rather than using another wood cutout or stencil, I cut the word directly from one of the napkins in our Dual Print Fall Delights bundle and decoupaged it onto the cutting board.
Such a simple way to use a napkin a little differently!
I paired it with our wood hello cutout to create the “hello PUMPKIN” wording.
Then I added some floral details from the napkins along the bottom edge to bring more of those same colors down through the project.
Shop the Supplies
Want to create your own version? You don't have to copy mine exactly. That's part of the fun!
Use the project as inspiration and mix and match the fall patterns you love.
The Finishing Touches
To finish everything off, I made a messy bow using ribbons I already had in my stash and added a tiny sunflower to the center.
That's another thing I love about projects like this. You don't necessarily need to buy every single element. Look through what you already have and pull out ribbon, twine, flowers or other little embellishments that coordinate with your napkins.
Those finishing touches are what make the project your own.
Watch Me Make It!
If you'd like to see how this project came together, you can watch the full Friday LIVE below.
What Would Yours Look Like?
That's what I hope you take away from this project.
Start with a simple base. Pick a few napkins with colors that work together. Add some wood pieces. Dig through your ribbon stash. And don't be afraid to cut out individual images, borders, or even words from your napkins.
You never know what you can create by mixing things you already have in a whole new way! In fact, if you'd like some inspiration, check out this post with lots more ideas!
Happy creating!
#CreateInspireBeWell
