Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Pumpkins!  These are my latest and greatest creation made from scrap wood, wine corks, paint and a variety of ribbon, burlap, twine, fabric and moss.  This is such a fun project but takes a few days to make them because you need to go in stages.  I made similar ones a few years ago when we were station in Germany and used them as centerpieces.  I added more greenery this time and tried out some different paint techniques so they might fit in with a variety of decor.

A few things I learned along the way.

  1. Make sure the wood is cut evenly or your pumpkin won’t lay flat and they will wobble.
  2. Glue the wine cork on before painting with a glue gun.  It sticks to the wood better.
  3. Use a variety of paint colors so it looks more rustic.  Orange out of the bottle looks too bright so you can add some other colors to make it a bit more muted.  You can also add a stained wax overlay.
  4. Look for a variety of materials to make leaves, vines and to add to your cork.  I had a bin of different items to choose from so I could make sets that looked similar.  They don’t all have to match but try to coordinate the colors so they “go” together.
  5. Use a lot of glue for the moss or it will fall off.  Once dry, turn your pumpkin over and shake off any excess moss.
  6. Sets of 2 or 3 pumpkins look perfect together and can really add a fun and quirky touch to your home decor.

Enjoy creating some fun pumpkins for your home or as a gift.  You won’t be disappointed in this fun Fall project.