No-Carve Owl Pumpkins!

My  harvest of pumpkins around the Potting Shed still have several weeks of life left and I’m squeezing out all the enjoyment from them that I can through Thanksgiving since fall is my favorite season! These owl pumpkins are a hoot to make, giving your pumpkin a life beyond the jack–o’–lantern.

I foraged for natural materials using pine cones, hickory nut hulls, acorn caps, maiden grass, magnolia pods, and even pistachio shells. Use a hot glue gun to attach your materials or the craft glue of your choice that dries clear. The benefit of using hot glue is that it dries quickly, just make sure you keep a glass of ice water handy to prevent burns on your fingers.

I used a hack saw to cut magnolia pods for a set of ears. What a challenge. . .Whooooo knew magnolia pods were so hard?!

The rest of the features were easy and fun to assemble. . . I used wire cutters to snip off the pine cone scales for the eyes and feather details. Acorn caps were used for owl eye centers, surrounded by more pine cone scales.

Pistachio shells and hickory nut hulls were glued on twigs and placed beneath the pumpkins for owl talons.

Our maiden grass is blooming so I cut some plumes to glue on the pumpkin owls for feathery details.

The grass plumes open up after it’s cut making fuzzy feathers and brows. You can give the grass a quick mist or spritz of hairspray to keep the fuzz from flying away.

This wise old pumpkin owl bears a resemblance to Ben Franklin, doesn't he :)

I used white pumpkins but you can use orange or faux pumpkins to make a “parliament” of owls. You can see them at a whimsical fall table, here.