Every year we spend a fortune on pumpkins. then after Halloween throw them in the bin and it is so wasteful so this year we decided to economise and make cheaper but just as good ones. We did this by following these easy instructions I found on google:
You will need:
- Balloons (the rounder the better)
- Paper mache mix OR newspapers, flour and water
- Something to stand them in to dry
- Paint – lots of orange! some green and brown
Instructions:
Blow up the balloons to pumpkin size. Cover them with paper mache (either following the manufacturer’s instructions, or by mixing flour and water to a gloopy liquid and stripping newspaper to layer on the balloon with the flour paste) to make a roundish shape.
Let them dry. (Some products let you bake the object at 150 degrees to get it dry the same day). Pop the balloon trough the paper machie with a pin or large knitting needle.
Add more paper mache to reshape until you are satisfied with the size and shape of your pumpkin.
We found it a good idea before the paper mache gets too thick, cut out a jack o ‘lantern face.
When the pumpkin is well and truly dry, paint!
I’ve bought orange spray paint, and then several shades of orange craft paint. I sprayed the pumpkin orange, and then used the other shades to make it more realistic. It was less expensive, and less time consuming, than painting the whole thing orange and didn’t risk getting the pumpkin soggy.
If you’ve made a stem, use the brown and green to paint it.
Use small penlight torches to light up your pumpkins
Now you can either keep these pumpkins for next year of as they are so much cheaper to make than using real pumpkins make them again next year
These can also be used as trick or treat bowls by cutting of the top and tying some string to the sides and putting sweets in the middle.
Filed under: Childminders Diary, kids crafts | Tagged: Halloween, Jack O Lanterns, Pumpkins
