Happy Halloween! It's definitely not Halloween without pumpkins… and with an annual pumpkin crop of 1.1 billion pounds in the US, I don't think I'm alone in this belief! In celebration of the ghoulish holiday, I thought I'd share a few decorating ideas for your pumpkins, most of which are carve-free.
I love the simplicity and charm of these homemade fabric pumpkins that can be stuffed and then tied with raffia of twine to create a cute stem. You could even use old sweaters! And the best part is that they can be used again next year!
I absolutely love this carve-free idea for a festive, yet elegant pumpkin display. Simply put your pumpkins inside some old fishnet stockings and voila!
These pumpkins studded with upholstery tacks are certainly on trend! I think white pumpkins work especially well for this treatment.
You can even take it a step further by adding keys and other metal decals.
Love this! Coating the pumpkin in chalkboard paint offers so much flexibility. You (or your kids) can change the face or design quickly and easily without having to carve another pumpkin! (Source: C.R.A.F.T.)
Good Housekeeping had this great idea for a fall centerpiece. Just attach some black, orange, white or themed ribbon to sugar pumpkins with double-stick tape and place in a pretty bowl or scatter around the home.
Martha Stewart Living offered this suggestion, turning a pumpkin into an ice bucket. Cut the top third of a large, wide pumpkin with a serrated knife and scrape out all the pulp and seeds (keep the seeds for pepitas!). Then, to keep the pumpkin from becoming water-logged, you need to place a plastic or glass bowl inside. I think this is such a fun way to serve drinks!
These Pumpkin Rice Krispies from Kate at the Grin and Bake It blog are so festive!
Pumpkin Rice Krispies Recipe
3 tbsp. butter
5 cups Rice Krispies
1 bag (8 0z.) Kraft Pumpkin Marshmallows
tootsie rolls
green icing (tan if you are making the pie shapes)
orange food coloring (optional)
Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add marshmallows and stir until melted. Remove from heat. Add a few drops of orange food coloring and stir to combine. Add rice krispies and stir until thoroughly coated. Let sit for 3-5 minutes.*
To make pumpkins: form rice krispie mixture into balls. If your hands are super sticky, you can spray them with a little non-stick spray. Insert half of a tootsie roll for the stem. Once firm, pipe green icing for the vine.
Store in an air-tight container.
*It’s important to let the mixture sit in the pan for a few minute so that it’s firm enough to form into pumpkins.
If you prefer an elegant, fall tablescape, I love this centerpiece - a mix of small pumpkins (real or fake) in hurricane glasses, candles, and flowers. Gorgeous!
Yum! I can't wait to try these Mini Pumpkin Pie Croissants!
2 tubes crescent rolls - open and split lengthwise to make more crescents. Beat until fluffy: 4 oz cream cheese, 1 can pumpkin (not pie filling), 2 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice, and 3-4 Tbsp. sugar. Place one large spoonful on each crescent and spread with a knife. Roll crescents up and then roll each one in a mixture of 4 Tbsp. sugar and 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes (or until browned). Enjoy!
This "boo" button pumpkin is adorable! Find out how to recreate the look from Better Homes and Gardens.
Following the monogram trend, these pumpkins are so sophisticated! If you'd rather avoid the difficulty of carving, you could use a sharpie for a similar effect.
To add to a spooky theme, I like the idea of these webbed pumpkins that I saw on Woman's Day. Click here for the full how-to.
Or for a more elegant take on the spider web motif, I absolutely love this glitzy pumpkin! Simply glue rhinestones onto a white pumpkin in a web pattern and attach a silver spider.
This is a fun, no-carve idea that kids would love! As darkness falls, this gauzy pumpkin will eerily light up. The secret? The cheesecloth was brushed with glow-in-the-dark paint, making this mummified decoration great for day or night. To learn more, click here.
In Houston, there's never enough snowfall to build a snow man, so why not a pumpkin man?! This decoration could even last until Thanksgiving!
To get this look, use an apple corer to punch through the pumpkin's rind for perfect polka dots. You can mix and match the plugs if you buy a few different colored gourds or just leave the holes open for a glowing effect.
Using the above method, you could also create these pretty pumpkins that will last longer than conventional carved pumpkins that require the pulp to be removed. The easiest way to create the floral design is with a clay-loop tool. You can sketch it beforehand with a washable marker.
These are so beautiful!!! Artist Alisa Burke used Tulip dimensional paint to create these intricate henna designs. For instructions, go to her blog here.
I also love Alisa's sketchbook pumpkin tutorial with an autumn, fall leaves designs. Visit her blog to find out how she did it.
Alisa also came up with these white and black decorations. All you need is a sharpie to write out some text and personalize your pumpkin! This blog post also has ideas for other black and white gourds.
This is simple, but very charming! Just paint the pumpkin in a creamy white and top with a tiara - what a wonderful idea for a fall princess birthday!
And of course my favorite part of Halloween is seeing the little ones trick-or-treat all dressed up. I found this cutie on Pinterest - never too young for Chanel!!!
Hope everyone has a fun, and safe, Halloween! Be sure to share any creative techniques you've used to decorate your pumpkins… I'm going to be at Patina Green in Mckinney Texas this Thursday for a fab event--see below--If you are in the area you wont want to miss it!!! 'til next week. xo Leslie
November 1st : Book Signing at Patina Green in McKinney, Tx Time: 4:00-8:00 pm
Enjoy wine and hor’d oeuvres, shop for one-of-a-kind vintage pieces for the home, and talk to author Leslie Sinclair who will be signing her new book, Segreto: Secrets to Finishing Beautiful Interiors. Oushak Rugs will also be there with hundreds of beautiful, handmade rugs from Turkey, so you don’t want to miss this trunk show! Located at 116 N. Tennessee, Suite 102, McKinney, Tx 75069
To purchase “Segreto: Secrets to Finishing Beautiful Interiors” on our website, click here or to purchase through Amazon, click here. To Subscribe to Segreto Blog, click here. To follow Segreto Finishes on Facebook, click here.
