The fall season has arrived and even though the weather has not cooled down yet, you may want to get into the autumn spirit to boost your mood during these uncertain times or just to take a break from studying. 

Here’s a simple craft that can get you ready for the new season, even if you’re not ready to start decorating for Halloween just yet.

This autumn wreath is something you can put on display on your door or in your home to get you into the fall mood. 

For this craft you will need: one 12-inch foam wreath (you can find this online), about seven to eight cups of dried putka pods, a hot glue gun, glue sticks, scissors and a piece of ribbon. 

Putka pods are fruit that grow on a specific type of tree in Australia. They look like miniature pumpkins, which make them perfect for this project. 

First, you will need to preheat the hot glue gun. Once it’s ready, apply a small dab of hot glue to the foam wreath. Immediately press a dried putka pod into hot glue and hold into place until glue cools. Keep placing them around the front and sides of the foam wreath until they are both covered. 

Try to arrange pods as close together as possible so that the wreath has a more full look. 

Since the wreath will most likely be hung either on a wall or on a door, the back side of the wreath can remain uncovered. However, if the wreath is going to be hung in front of a mirror,  you want to cover the back with the putka pods as well. At this point, you may still be able to see some of the foam wreath in between the pods. This is okay, it will be fixed later on. 

Next, you want to fill in all the gaps that you missed the first time. Place a small drop of hot glue on the underside of a pod and press it into a place on the wreath where foam is showing through. Continue to apply pods to fill gaps until the green of the foam wreath is no longer visible.  

Step back from the wreath and look at it from a distance a few times during this step to make sure the second layer of pods is evenly applied.

Once all pods are glued in place, use your fingers to gently remove any strings left by the hot glue to make it look neater. Lastly, loop a wide ribbon around the completed wreath to hang indoors or outside. Let it dry for about an hour before you hang it though.

 This simple, fall wreath can also be used as a candle ring for a centerpiece or you could make miniature wreaths to hold small tea lights. 

Decorating for autumn may make you feel happier and more optimistic about the future and the months to come, even amidst the current world situation.