10 beautiful ways to decorate pumpkins and squash
Harvest gold
Perfect posey
Make a cute vase by placing a drinking glass filled with flowers inside a hollowed-out pumpkin.
Decorative place cards
Give tiny pumpkins and gourds the royal treatment by painting them with liquid gilding. Cut a leaf shape out of card stock, punch a hole and attach with twine to create pretty name cards. Tip: You can find liquid gold leaf in most major craft stores.
Vegetable vases
A butternut squash makes a perfect centrepiece when hollowed out and filled with flowers (place a glass of water inside). Use painted twigs to add height to the arrangement. For best results, hollow out your squash and let it dry completely before painting.
Instant centrepiece
Set a modern harvest table with a simple kraft paper runner. Add decorative objects like gilded pumpkins or bright autumn leaves from your backyard to help set the mood. Keep dinnerware and linens simple for a contemporary look, or make things more formal with glamorous gold chargers and patterned plates.
Lots of dots
Get creative with your carving! Go for graphic patterns that are easy to do. Draw your design with a pen first, making sure to leave at least half-an-inch of space between cut-outs, then use a drill to make your design.
Colour blocking
Use a hardware-store paint chip as your palette, and for contrast, pick colours a few shades apart. Experiment with texture, too: A matte finish has a contemporary feel, while glossy is more showy. Get this look: Paints, Cloud White, Blushing Bride, Rosy Blush, Benjamin Moore. Candlesticks, Ikea. Cake plate, Cynthia Findlay.
Double-dipped
Spray-paint small gourds and pumpkins white. Once dry, dip the bottoms in gold paint. Make sure your container is wide enough to fit the base of the pumpkin, and dip deeper on one side for an asymmetrical look. (We placed ours on empty egg cartons to let them dry, then flipped them upside down to let the bottoms fully cure.)
Striking accents
Look for pumpkin-carving tools at major retailers and hardware stores, or use a linoleum cutter to write initials or messages in calligraphy-style lettering. Display them as decorative objects on a mantel, or create a unique vignette. Inspiration can come from anywhere!
Precious metal
Use a tall candlestick as a pedestal and apply gold leaf and spray adhesive. You will need: One pumpkin, spray adhesive, gold leaf, a clean paintbrush. 1. Wash and dry pumpkin and spray with adhesive. 2. Lay foil over top, one piece at a time, smoothing down into creases with the paintbrush as you go. 3. Work your way around the pumpkin, and don't worry about crinkles — they add to the effect. Get this look: Gold leaf, spray adhesive, Michaels. Background paint, Normandy, Benjamin Moore.
Mad about plaid
Paint the pumpkin with the lightest colour first, then create your vertical stripes by following its natural indents. For your horizontal lines, slowly spin on a Lazy Susan. (And Don't use masking tape as a guide; it will remove your base coat.) Get this look: Paint, Cloud White, Blushing Bride, Rosy Blush, Pine Cone Brown, Benjamin Moore.
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