Celebrations: Copper & Glitter Pumpkins {& Halloween Blog Hop}

I’m so glad you joined me today for a special Halloween Project Parade. I’ve teamed up with some amazing bloggers to share Halloween ideas and celebrate the season with a special link party.

Here's what I'm sharing for the parade. Transforming cheap pumpkins has become standard on blogs and craft websites. I love coming up with new ideas and ways to pretty up those funky looking fake pumpkins you can pick up at dollar stores and discount stores.

Etceteras: pumpkin stems–planning for next year

Thanksgiving was only a week ago but I feel like I’m so behind on Christmas and holiday decorating. I did take down my fall table décor {above} but the pumpkins have been sitting on the counter for a week. The reason I didn’t throw them away is because I save the stems. Real pumpkin stems can be used to make beautiful fabric pumpkins.

Upcycling: pumpkin bottle birdfeeder

Happy Halloween everyone! Today’s project is a recycled soda bottle birdfeeder. And since today is Halloween, once you’re done with your pumpkins you can save the stems, dry them out and make a fun pumpkin birdfeeder to enjoy through fall.

Celebrations: spring garden pumpkin

This little pumpkin has it’s seasons mixed up. Pretty paper flowers, twigs, berries and a feathered friend are perched on this pumpkin and will add a little spring color to my fall décor.

Celebrations: cornhusk & white pumpkins

It’s October! I’m officially bringing out the pumpkins. This year, I wanted to do something different with my pumpkin décor and keep things natural. So where do you start to get that true natural pumpkin look? At the dollar store, of course.

Celebrations: gold pumpkins

I had several names in mind for this post; “accidental gold pumpkins”, “craft fail gold pumpkins”, “jumping on the painted pumpkin band wagon” and more. I decided to keep it simple and go with Gold Pumpkins.

Originally, these pumpkins were going to be blue with gold stencil. I think I’ve mentioned that I’m “stencil challenged” and I wanted to stencil with gold paint using a doily onto the blue pumpkins.

I stenciled away but the result was blah. The gold didn’t stand out enough and it was all smudgey. I stared at them for awhile and went with Plan B. For awhile I’ve been toying with the idea of using spices to add color to a project. 

I grabbed a bottle of cinnamon, paprika and turmeric. Perfect fall colors. I covered the pumpkin in Mod Podge and started sprinkling cinnamon. I had imagined a perfectly flocked pumpkin coated in cinnamon. Instead I had a big mess. 

Plan C – wash off the Mod Podge and cinnamon and salvage my dollar store pumpkins. As I washed the pumpkins, they started getting mottled so I stopped washing, stood back and thought, I could live with this pumpkin. You can still see the texture of the spice in the above photo.

I painted a few dollar store gourds and nuts in metallic paint to coordinate with the pumpkins.

I pulled out my skeleton gilded leaves that I made a while back to really gild the lily.

Phew – I’m so glad I saved my dollar store pumpkins. 

Thank you for visiting.

I hope you can join me tomorrow for the Inspiration Board Link Party.

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This project is linked at the parties listed here and 

     

Celebrations: black velvet pumpkins

Making velvet pumpkins has been popular for a few years now and they've been on my list of projects to make since I first saw them.

I’ve seen some absolutely gorgeous velvet pumpkins on several sites in deep rich colors like, copper, burgundy, auburn, gold and even blue. I especially love the ones that use real pumpkin stems.

When I spied a roll of black velvet in the remnant bin of the fabric store I knew I could put it to good use. However, I couldn’t find any real pumpkin stems. 

These pumpkins are fairly easy to make.

1. Cut a circle out of your fabric.
2. With a needle and thread, gather the outer edge of the circle with a running stitch. Pull your thread so that your pumpkin is partially closed. Do not cut your thread yet.
3. Fill your pumpkin about 1/3 full with beans, rice or some other weighted filler.
4. Fill the rest of your pumpkin with fiber fill or other soft stuffing.
5. Insert a stem into your pumpkin. You can use a real pumpkin stem or a branch like I did. I also added a few stems of autumn floral that I had spray painted gold.
6. Pull your thread tightly around the stem so that the raw edges are tucked inside. Add a few more stitches to secure and tie off.

The black velvet was difficult to photograph and it’s hard to see the gathers in the pumpkins so here’s the same photo as above brightened and with the contrast increased so you get an idea of how the gathered fabric looks. 

Even without the real pumpkin stems, I’m happy with how these turned out. 

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This project is linked at the parties listed here and 

     

The Inspiration Board: my fall décor

I love decorating for fall. I won’t say it’s my favorite because I would have to amend that statement at the start of every season or holiday. Each change becomes my favorite. I think it’s because it’s so visually refreshing to change out your knick knacks, tableware and centerpieces.

Here are some of my fall decorations. Adding touches here and there doesn’t have to be expensive. A few stalks of wheat tied with string. Fabric scrap pumpkins. Jars filled with whatever you have in your cupboard; beans, popcorn kernels, peppercorns or nuts. 

And, of course pumpkins. Here’s a tip. When you’re done with your real pumpkins this year, save the stems to make craft pumpkins next year.

Happy Friday! I hope your house if filled with the feeling of fall.

Sew and Tell: a plate of pumpkins

Pumpkin tutorials are all over the blogs these days. There are so many cute ones. Fabric. Paper. Wood. And the colors are so seasonal. I decided to go against the grain and created a plate of white pumpkins.

I don’t have photos of the pumpkin making process but you can find a similar tutorial here.

Materials needed:

• Fabric
• Beans, rice or kernels
• Fiber fill
• Needle and thread
• Twigs
• Twine

The fabric I used for my white pumpkins were things I had on hand. White chenille leftover from a baby pillow I made, muslin from various projects, white canvas from I don’t know what -  and honestly…an old towel from the rag bin.

Here are my basic instructions.

1. Cut a circle out of your fabric. My pumpkins range from 6” – 9” circles.
2. With a needle and strong thread or embroidery thread run a gathering stitch around the edge of the circle. Don’t remove your threaded needle or tie off. Gently pull the thread and slightly gather your circle.
3. Add beans, rice or popcorn kernels to the bottom of your pumpkin. You only need a little to add some weight to the bottom.
4. Fill the remaining pumpkin with fiberfill. There are different schools of thought on this. Some like floppy pumpkins and some like tightly filled pumpkins. It’s a personal choice. Mine are filled somewhere in between floppy and stuffed.
5. Now pull your needle and thread to close off the top of the pumpkin. Don’t tie the thread yet.
6. Insert a twig into the center of the gathered top. This should push down your raw edge. Take a couple more stitches to secure and tie off your thread.
7. Wrap sisal twine around your pumpkin and tie off around the twig. Fray the sisal twine or tie it in a bow.

 

Keep making pumpkins til you have a plate-o-pumpkins.