Transforming Faux Pumpkins
Hi all! Samantha here.... So... I'm curious. Is it just me, or do you all have some friends that just flabbergast you...? Like the friend that ALWAYS looks 'put together' no matter the situation or the one that NEVER lets a bad carb touch her mouth and is always ready for a run...or the one that has the CLEANEST bathroom you've ever seen despite 7 kids and 3 puppies... The rest of us just sit back and stare in AWE (in our paint splattered sweat pants, crying on the floor of our messy bathrooms with a consolatory muffin in hand)... (not really - YES REALLY!) I count myself lucky to have many such friends - especially in the decor community - awe inspiring, talented, gifted, amazing women that I am blessed to know. One such talented person is Kristy. Kristy has a gorgeous home in South Florida, a beautiful kind spirit , a creative eye, and has inspired me on more occasions that I can count with her beautiful pictures and decor displays. Be sure to follow her on Instagram at @creepingfigcottage so you can be inspired too!
I am a true believer in the sharing of talents and gifts (don't hide that light under a bushel - No) So I have invited Kristy to share with us here. I hope you enjoy. :)
Hello there! Kristy from Creeping Fig Cottage here!
Samantha and I have been talking about our love for Fall decorating and how exciting this time of year is. Living here in Florida means it isn't always easy to find real pumpkins, especially the Heirloom variety, and sometimes those faux ones can get pretty spendy. I wanted to show you all an easy way to update your craft store or even dollar store pumpkins to fit in with your Fall decor.
Ready? Here we go!
These are the before of some faux pumpkins I had from Hobby Lobby. I thought they all had cute shapes but the color scheme didn't really fit in with my home. I started out by laying down some craft paper and deciding what colors I was going to use. It"s really helpful to look at actual pumpkins for inspiration. Pull some images up on your computer (find tons HERE) and take a look at the color variations and imperfections they naturally have. I used paints in white, cream, ivy green, black, and sea blue. Give yourself space to mix the paints and really experiment until you find the colors you like! I used a paper plate so I could wrap up the whole mess when I was done and throw it away.
I start with the lightest colors and just keep adding and mixing paints as I go progressing to the darkest. I think the key to realistic looking pumpkins is to layer variations in color and use dry brushing at the end. Dry brushing is when you take a very small amount of paint on your brush and then wipe most of it off. Just drag your brush over the pumpkin. Dab some here and there in spots. There is no right or wrong way to do this. Remember, imperfections are key! If you don"t like what you have done you can always go over it again with your base color. Highlight areas of the pumpkin like the ribs that would normally be a slightly different color, have fun with it! The more layers and texture you add with paint, the better!
You can see here the layers and texture of paint I have added. Thick paint and brush strokes all add to the the realistic look! I chose to leave my pumpkins as they were when I finished but if you like you can add a coat of clear wax at the end.
Also, many of the store bought pumpkins already have cute stems but in the case of these dollar store pumpkins...they needed a little help! lol! I simply removed the stem that was there, cut a piece of rope and unraveled part of it. They look pretty great just like that but I didn't stop there and decided to brush them with a little paste I made of dark brown paint and glue. Play with them a bit to get them shaped just how you like and then simply hot glue them to your pumpkin. Voila!
Now its time for the really fun part! Decorating! You cant go wrong piling them into a tray or crate and filling with seasonal greens! The oversized Tracey Tray or Wooden Breakfast Tray are perfect for this and make your seasonal displays come together in an instant!
I hope you have enjoyed my tutorial and please feel free to ask any questions you may have! Don't forget to follow us on Instagram (Kristy - @creepingfigcottage) (Samantha - @middletonmercantile) and Share your painted pumpkins with us. We can't wait to see!
#fauxpumpkins #chalkpaintedpumpkins #DIYPumpkins #FallDecor #MiddletonMercantile #CreepingFigCottage #MyFarmStyledLife #blog
