Decoupage Pumpkins!

Happy Fall! The Mississippi Gulf Coast has experienced a touch of cooler weather the last few days. It is so nice to sit out on the porch, rocking and enjoying God's creation. Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that "God makes everything beautiful in its time". My favorite time is fall...the crisp air, the smell of cinnamon and cloves, football, the beautiful hues of changing leaves, and on and on. Not to mention my hair always looks better in cool weather!

Since fall is in the air, I thought I would share with you one of my favorite fall decorating projects. This is an easy project and may bring back memories from childhood. Do you remember decoupaging? I did a few class projects involving "gluing" strips of torn paper onto objects. It was always messy, but fun.

How about a little decoupage history? I didn't know this, but there is documentation of the decoupage technique prior to the 12th century. Artisans were known to apply up to 40 layers of varnish creating a smooth, inlayed look. Even though this technique has been around for ages, my inspiration for this project originally came from the October 2011 issue of Country Living...and didn't take 40 layers of varnish!

Items needed for this project include:
1- Craft store pumpkin, medium size
1- Bottle of Mod Podge ( aka modern day decoupage in a jar)
1- sponge brush
3- sheets of scrapbook paper
1- Pair of disposable gloves (optional)

For my first pumpkin, I selected an orange patterned scrapbook paper that was more expensive than some of the others, so it was fairly thick. I began cutting wavy strips between 1 inch to 2 inches in width. After laying everything out, I applied Mod Podge with a foam brush to the back of a paper strip as well as on the pumpkin. Next, position the paper strip and then repeat the steps until the entire pumpkin is covered. Use your fingers to press the paper onto the pumpkin, sealing edges with the pressure of your fingertips.

Lastly, I applied a couple of layers of Mod Podge to the entire pumpkin and let it dry overnight. After topping it with a raffia bow, it is ready to add a cheerful bit of color to our home.

I also used a smaller pumpkin and made this black and white beauty. The scrapbook paper used for this project was thinner and I found that it was much easier to apply to the pumpkin.

I have a large walk in closet dedicated to storing bins of holiday decorations. These pumpkins continue to look as good as when I first did them 3 years ago. I hope you try this easy project. It would be a wonderful family project as well. Anytime spent with your family is time well spent!

Blessings from Still Woods Farmhouse

I will be linking to these terrific blogs!

Metamorphosis Monday at http://betweennapsontheporch.net/
Masterpiece Monday at http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com

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Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble ChristmasOctober 8, 2014 at 7:17 AM
LOVE these pumpkins!! I will have to try my hand at this!!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I bought my Autumn Village at JoAnn Fabrics about 10 years ago and found a few more houses several years ago at The Christmas Tree Shop but I have not seen any for a few years now. Maybe on Ebay????

Hugs,
Deb

Still Woods Farmhouse

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