If you’re like me, scraping pumpkin guts out of a Halloween gourd ranks pretty low on your list of fun things to do. But that shouldn’t keep you from setting out a porch full of posh pumpkins. You can stash the carving knife and still put on a pumpkin show.
With a few lines of black marker, a white pumpkin becomes a web crawling with spiders. Wash and dry the pumpkin first. Using a permanent marker draw a line down each rib. Going around and down the pumpkin in a series of concentric circles, join the ribs with slightly arched lines. Glue plastic spiders in place.
Give a pumpkin a wardrobe update with wrap of twisted yarn. This is a bit time-consuming but incredibly easy to do. Starting at the stem, secure your yarn with a dot of hot glue. Turn the pumpkin and glue the yarn in place as you go. To give your wrap some texture, twist the yarn continuously as you work your way around and down the pumpkin. Try a chunky yarn for the best effect.
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This mummified pumpkin makes me laugh every time I look at it. I think it’s the rather surprised look in the googly eyes. Banded with cheesecloth soaked in fabric stiffener (very appropriate it seems to me), this guy also glows in the dark. Get the how-to here:
http://www.bhg.com/halloween/pumpkin-decorating/gauzy-glow-pumpkin-for-halloween/
Bring a touch of glamour to plain pumpkins with a dressing of lace. To cover it entirely, drape an enveloping piece of lace over the pumpkin and center it over the stem. Cut a small hole there and pull the lace down. Smooth the fabric over and around the pumpkin. Secure the edges with silk pins on the bottom of the pumpkin.
To make a band of lace, cut a piece long enough to encircle your pumpkin. Figure out the placement of the band and trim the edges as needed. Lay the fabric face down on a protected surface and coat the reverse with spray adhesive. Smooth the lace band around your pumpkin. Secure the ends with pins until the adhesive has set.
Layers of vintage-style maps or illustrations add old world elegance to a small pumpkin. Use photocopies or book pages from damaged books, keeping in mind that thinner paper works best for this decoupage technique. Tear the paper into strips and coat the reverse with an adhesive medium like Mod Podge. Lay the paper over the pumpkin and smooth into place. Continue until the entire pumpkin is covered. Allow to dry thoroughly. Then, coat the entire surface with the medium and dry again to a hard finish.
Give your pumpkin personality with an easy disguise. Stretch a black and white eye mask around the center. We poked a metal handlebar moustache into our pumpkin but if you can’t find something similar, apply a curled moustache with a black paint pen or marker. Et voila! Ready for a masked ball.
Send a different message each day with a chalkboard painted pumpkin. Brush or spray chalkboard paint onto a clean faux or real pumpkin. Let dry completely and add a second coat. When it dries thoroughly, season the surface by rubbing chalk over the paint. Erase the chalk and write your message.
photo courtesy of Darby Smart
You’ve heard of gilding the lily but how about giving the golden treatment to a white pumpkin? Check out the step-by-step video:
http://www.darbysmart.com/projects/gold-leaf-glam-pumpkin
photo courtesy of Darby Smart
Marbelize a grouping of pumpkins and gourds for a unique look. Get the how-to at
http://www.darbysmart.com/projects/diy-marbleize-pumpkins
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Ribs of ribbon jazz up pumpkins in a jiffy. Check out many more no-carve pumpkin ideas here:
http://www.bhg.com/halloween/pumpkin-decorating/easy-no-carve-halloween-pumpkins
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