Create a Handcrafted Pumpkin With Items From the Dollar Store
4 Materials
$4
8 Hours
Easy
It's amazing what can be created with items from the dollar store! On a recent visit, I didn't realize the dollar store carried punch balloons until I saw them near the regular balloons - 3 for $1! Wow! They're so much larger and stronger than the regular 12 inch balloons and are very easy to blow up! But did you know they make great faux pumpkins, too! With a few items that includes a punch balloon, faux fall leaves, brown craft paper, newspaper and even mod podge, anyone can make a lovely handcrafted pumpkin! Here's how:
After blowing up a punch balloon to around 12 inches, knot and push the blow up end into the balloon to grab the opposite end, pulling it up and tying both ends together with twine into a . . .
pumpkin shape.
Then take four strips of twine - more than enough to cover the entire balloon and wrap each one evenly spaced around the balloon, tying and knotting as tightly as you can to make grooves similar to a pumpkin. Knot all the twine ends together at the top and cut off excess.
Next, paper mache the balloon by tearing small strips of newspapers and applying mod podge using a sponge brush over the entire balloon. Apply four or more layers of newspapers for strength, allowing each layer to dry before adding the next. Be sure to paper mache over the twine, and to rub the grooves, too!
Once completely dry, paint the pumpkin in a color to match the leaves and let dry.
Next, turn the pumpkin upside down - it's so much easier to glue on the leaves this way - and begin hot gluing the leaves on, one row around, at a time. Just add a dab of glue to the center back of the leaves for a fluffy look. Start each new row by overlapping above and between the previous row leaves until the pumpkin is completely covered.
To make the pumpkin stem, crumple small pieces of brown craft paper or a brown paper bag and then smooth them out. Lay a shorten stem wire on top and roll up the paper, adding more to thicken the stem. Twist and bend the stem into shape with one end wider as the base. Add mod podge to the twisted paper and any open areas to seal in place and allow to dry.
Place the wider stem base on top of a piece of brown paper and draw around it for a cover pattern. Cut out and glue on cover to the stem base. Paint stem and let dry.
And finally, hot glue the twisted paper stem to the center top of the leafy pumpkin and Ta Da!
What a beauty!
This is such a great and inexpensive way to make your own decorative pumpkins for just a few dollars!!!
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Comments
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4 of 51 comments
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I can't wait to try this! VERY clever & lovely!
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Thanks so much, Ms. Mack! Have fun!
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Just buy a dollar store faux pumpkin and glue leaves to it— it’s quicker.
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Thanks, but I love making my own - and nothing beats that!
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Doesn’t the air gradually leak out of the balloon causing your “pumpkin” to collapse after a while?
How many packages of leaves did you use & for what size pumpkin?