As you might know from previous posts I'am totally riding the diy wave this year and I've been meaning to make a great big pumpkin for my Halloween display because my son absolutely loves them.... So here goes it goes :

MATERIALS:

A mold of sorts ( cauldron, pumpkin )
Elmer's glue
Wood glue ( gorilla glue)
Water
Flour
Spray paint
Salt
Newspaper or magazines( you can also use tissue paper it gives it wicked texture)
Acrylic paint ( green) for stem
Saran Wrap
Hot glue/ glue sticks
Light

NOTE: this project cost me a total of $0 , I had everything I needed in my Halloween stash, lying around in my junk drawer or in my garage!

Step 1: Covering Your Mold

Cover your mold with Saran Wrap , tape it down. Mix 1cup of flour 1/2 of water 1 or two teaspoons of salt a lot of Elmer's glue, soak pieces of newspaper in the mixture and start gluing it on , side to side or top to bottom, the more wrinkly , the more texture it'll have, for every one or 2 layers let it fully dry, (TIP: keep a hair dryer nearby and on, otherwise it'll take you forever to finish this project) I let it sit over in a windowsill under direct sunlight and then let it rest over night.

Step 2: Separate and Conquer

After it dries out completely, use your blade , and carefully cut around the mold to separate your paper maché from the actual mold, duct tape it and add one more layer of paper maché , all around to seal it all up , including the top to form a whole pumpkin like look to it

Step 3: Make Up That Face ;)

Use your a marker a draw a face , use your blade to trace it all the way eyes, nose, mouth.
This part sounds a little tricky but reach in the mouth and take the Saran paper out, it should just come right out , u can make an opening on the back to put your light in , or like me just leave it all closed and throw a light in through eyes , nose or mouth :)

Now take yourself and your pumpkin outside and spray paint the outside , any color of your choosing.

NOTE: the inside of your pumpkin a light color, it shows off the color so much better!!

Step 4: Make a Stem and Finishing Touches

Start by finding a wire for your stem, this will secure the stem to the pumpkin from the inside, make sure to ur e the wire inside so it can stay put.
now roll some newspaper together and tape it, be creative , the best pumpkins have the gnarliest stems!!! Now slide it on to the wire and hot glue the base of the stem to the pumpkin. It should be ready to paint now , I chose a bright green and a little brown to give it some age.
I went ahead and used pumpkin orange ( literally ) to give it a little edge , outline the eyes and mouth in black ( the messier the better!!)

Step 5: Light It Up!!!!!!! or Don't !

I made a hole on the bottom of the pumpkin to slide an old light I had from a previous project, the only thing I did do was change the light bulb to a reddish orange-ish light I got from a flea market years ago ( you can do any color you wish or have)

Now plug it in and ENJOY!!!!!

Also remember you can always wear this baby that's right this project doubles and you can wear it out as part of you Halloween costume just put it on and don't worry about the light!

HAPPY HAUNTINGS!!!