Searching for the perfect pumpkin is the first step. Last week when I roamed the rows of a pumpkin patch farm searching well, mostly low for the right shape and colored pumpkin, I thought painting real pumpkins would be cake. Alright so this pumpkin is a bit slick nothing a couple of coats of paint cannot handle… wrong. This pumpkin experience was a nightmare.
I’m painting this thing turned it a bit with the stem and it broke off! So picture this, I’m now gorilla gluing the stem ha! The pumpkin was begging me to surrender. After attempting to revive it with spray paint to keep the paint from peeling off I was ready to throw in the towel.
If you can tell what I was aiming for the pumpkin to look like at this point hats off to you. I had set up a camera, back drop and everything to film the painting but it was all for not this time.
Alright, so after some research I realized I was supposed to seal the pumpkin with glue prior to painting, however, I found an even better solution. There is this amazing store called Target. Heard of it? ha. Originally I went to target to browse before heading to Michaels to pick up a faux pumpkin but that is when my sister said “how about this?”. It was a paper mache pumpkin. I did not even know that was a thing!
The paper mache pumpkins are a brown color resembling a paper bag so I would recommend painting a white base color depending on your design. For this lil guy I used acrylic paint and it turned out pretty good, if I say so myself. I would have painted a lil bee but unfortunately my paint pen ran out of ink halfway… the struggle guys. If you want to see the lil bee I will be sure to put him on an insta story once I get my butt down to the store.
Bonus tip if you are going to mix paint, make enough for the entire project. This is the reason my blue pot is patchy. Yes I know it is a rookie mistake. I prefer to say it is on purpose to add a touch of character though. Hope you all have a more positive experience with your pumpkins.
Paper Mache Pumpkins: Unicorn, Ghoulish, Honey Pot, & the Queen of Hearts
Real Pumpkins: Minnie Mouse & the two mini’s in the Queen of Hearts
Are you painting or carving a pumpkin this year?
Check back next week for halloween costumes!!!
MaddieAutumn 