Fun Fall Projects...Découpage Pumpkins

That late summer/early fall feeling is beginning at my house! The cicadas are singing and my ginger lilies are beginning to bloom...always a sign that fall is on the way! And I have also noticed that interest in fall is beginning to pick up around blogland and on Pinterest, too.  Hey...you need a little lead time to create your fall decor! Sooo...I decided I would do a little series of posts on my most popular fall projects for those who may have missed them or who are new to my blog. And first on my list are these...…my Country Living inspired découpage pumpkins! I knew this would be my next project when I spied...

...this on the cover of their October 2011 issue! Isn’t this simply gorgeous?  I love the way the pumpkins look as though they have been covered with fabric even though it is actually paper!  Sooo...the magazine hopped in my cart and went straight home with me! Next, I went right to work assembling what I needed. And, as luck would have it, just about everything was half price at Michael’s…including the cream faux pumpkins!

I decided that a few things about my pumpkins would be different from those in Country Living. First, I chose a damask pattern rather than toile for one of them. There’s already so much toile in my house and I wanted these pumpkins to stand out. And then, I also decided that I would use the cream pumpkins just as they are rather than paint them white. That just fits better with my decor. Other than that, for the most part, I followed their instructions, found online here.

For the damask pumpkin:  
1. I chose a fabric with a simple damask pattern that would be easy to work with…Premier Prints Avery in Greenage…and bought just enough to have one repeat of the design. I scanned and printed it, making several copies. Remember…you are working with paper copies of fabric…not fabric!
2. Next, I cut them out and spaced them according to the design, taping them to the pumpkin.
3. I removed the tape and attached each piece of the design to the pumpkin one by one, using matte finish Mod Podge…my new BFF. (Mine was a 25 cent yard sale find.) The process requires some finesse and patience and, quite honestly, it helps if you have some experience with découpaging  spheres.
4. Give the pumpkin a thin all-over coat, let dry and you are done!
This was the easiest one, so if you only want one, I suggest this one!

The calico print pumpkin was a little harder:
1. I couldn’t find any fabric that would do, so I bought scrap booking paper and scanned and printed it since scrap booking paper is too thick and hard to work with.
2. I cut lengthwise pieces about  1 1/2 inches wide, working within the pattern. I attached them with Mod Podge as before. It helps to cut alternating notches about 1/3 of the way in to allow for the curves of the pumpkin.
3. Eventually, the strips got off a little and I had to straighten them back up by piecing in a few odd shapes. Here, you can see an empty spot I am about to cover.
4. Once again, I finished with another final all-over coat of Mod Podge and…taa daa! It’s not perfect, but all of the pumpkins seemed to have at least one really good side…thank goodness!

The vintage-y pumpkin quilt design was downloaded from Country Living’s web site. I followed their instructions and measured and calculated the size and number of designs I would need and adjusted. A program such as Photoscape…free to download…was really helpful here, since I had to adjust the color a little also.  I found it helpful to make small pencil marks on the pumpkin for the top and bottom of the design.  The little yellow lines are perfect places to cut in some notches to allow for the curve of the pumpkin. If it’s not perfect, it’s OK since you can’t see all sides of the pumpkin at once!  A final coat of Mod Podge to the whole pumpkin and you are through!

I didn't have a suitable stand for the pumpkins, so I made my own by painting a small flower pot and a larger saucer and hot-gluing them together. They were also half-price at Michael’s! I used an ivory spray paint since my pumpkins are cream.

Baby Kitty says his favorite pumpkin is the one with orange patches…I wonder why!

Here are my pumpkins in their copy-cat magazine pose…work it, girls!…not exactly alike, but just what I wanted for my house! What do you think?

And...as a footnote...I am excited to say that I was contacted by Country Living and invited to show off my pumpkins in a letter to the editor in the December 2011 issue! Woo hoo! Hey...it was about as big as a postage stamp, but I am still excited!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my project! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday
Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday
Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
A Stroll thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Cedar Hill Ranch for Cowgirl Up! on Tuesdays
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures
Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
DIY by Design for Sizzle into Summer
The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Sand and Sisal for the Countdown to Fall Party
Thrifty Decor Chick for the Easy Fall Decor Party  
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday   
French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
2805 for Potpourri Friday
At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!