October is here, and pumpkins are the name of the decorating
game this month. Want to get creative
with your design this year? Here are 20
ways to decorate a pumpkin!
It might be hard to knock paint off the top of my
pretty-pumpkin list. Annually, I do love
to wrap a pumpkin in strips of painters’ tape and spray paint the exposed areas for countless print and pattern
options. Cover a pumpkin in chalkboard paint for a design that can
be changed with a swipe of a damp cloth.
These real pumpkins make great front door or table centerpiece
displays. For a more whole-family
friendly version, cover the kitchen table in newsprint and let the kids paint
with finger paints to create unique
little works of art.
Want less mess? Opt
for strips of ribbon. Stripes, a chevron pattern, and a
herringbone pattern can all be neatly achieved with sections of ribbon cut and
held in place with thumb tacks. For a
designer accent look, just use the thumb
tacks to create a design or outline the curves the way nailhead trim
accentuates furniture pieces. Use craft
glue and a stash of buttons, beads,
sequins, or gems to spell out a
pumpkin message or create a festive design.
Use of mix of school glue and water to create a glue wash, coat a
pumpkin while over the sink, and cover it with glitter or confetti
while it is wet. Your end result will
be a sparkly finished product.
Pumpkin carving is given a modern twist when a pumpkin
center is cored out, and the carving gets crafty. Drill uniform holes to resemble a Broadway light bulb message, and light
the inside with a battery operated candle illuminate your lettering. Remove the insides of a few mini pumpkins and
use them as small succulent planters.
Other no-carve options include affixing house numbers to a pumpkin with their hardware for a front porch
display. Wrap a message or a series of
words or names around using scrapbooking or mailbox-style letter stickers. I’ve seen
pumpkins playing dress-up, with felt shapes creating the look of masks, wings, or spider legs. Make faces using stick-on googly eyes. Have a run in a pair of textured tights? Squeeze a
pumpkin in a foot, pull it tight around, and cut and tie off at the top for a
sheer patterned look.
This is just the stem of the pumpkin when it comes to all
the ways you can get creative and crafty to decorate the seasonal staple that
is pumpkin décor! What will you design?
DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star October 5th.
