PINKY’S PUMPKIN PATCH
Don’t let anyone squash your creativity by telling you, “Pumpkins aren’t pink.” Simply reply, “Well, that’s just what you think!” There are no rules for being creative, and that’s why it’s so much fun! Make up your own patch of pumpkins and let your guests pick and paint their own.
Materials:
- 3-inch-diameter
- Styrofoam ball
- 1/8-inch kitchen skewer
- Paperclay
- Acrylic paints
- White glue
- Regular chenille stem
- Small chenille stem
- Glitter
Tools:
- Felt-tip marker
- Fine-grade sandpaper (220 grit)
- Paintbrushes
- Pencil
- Colored pencils
- Wire cutters
- Toothpick
Step 1
Use your thumbs to make indentations for the eyes and a nose on the Styrofoam ball. Drawing the face on with a felt-tip marker first will give you an idea of just where to make the indentations, or do it freehand and surprise yourself.
Next, create the mouth by pressing the Styrofoam with your thumb.
Insert a kitchen skewer into the top of the Styrofoam ball to make it easier to hold the ball while you sculpt and paint. Dip the ball in water to moisten it slightly.
Step 2
Make several medium-size flat pieces of paper clay and begin to cover the ball. Smooth and blend the paperclay until the ball is evenly covered. Allow the paper clay to harden.
Sand the ball lightly with fine grade sandpaper. Paint the ball with a pink base coat and allow to dry.
Step 3
Use a pencil to lightly sketch the features of the face. Color block the eyes, nose, and mouth with white paint. Add orange shading around the eyes, nose, and mouth, as well as around the sides, to define the segments of the pumpkin. Allow to dry.
Paint the details of the eyes. Finish the painted details of the nose and mouth. You can add even more details with colored pencils and a #2 pencil.
Step 4
Remove the skewer (if it’s already tight just leave it), brush the end with white glue, and insert it back into the pumpkin to make the stem. Dip the end of a regular chenille stem in white glue, stick it to the base of the skewer and wrap it up and around two to three times. Leave the tail for now.
Use wire cutters to cut the skewer where the chenille wrapping ends.
Create a hanger for the pumpkin by making a loop and wrapping the tail back around the pumpkin stem. Cut off any excess with wire cutters. Wrap a piece of small chenille stem (approximately 3 inches long) around a toothpick to form a corkscrew shape and attach it to the pumpkin stem by bending it around.
Apply a little white glue to the eyes, nose, and mouth and add glitter to make your pumpkin sparkle.
Step 5
Adapted from Glitterville’s Handmade Halloween: A Glittered Guide for Whimsical Crafting!
by Stephen Brown and published by Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC.
