Pumpkins are a great symbol of the fall holidays. They’re spooky for Halloween and tasty for Thanksgiving and make great decorations all through the harvest season. Here’s a way to make a beautiful pumpkin pendant that you can wear to just about any fall gathering.

Note: I was originally planning to make one instructable for both skull and pumpkin clay pendants, but I wanted to include instructions for both ceramic and polymer clay. This was getting way too complicated, so I decided to separate them. Here is the ceramic and polymer clay instructable for a stamped pumpkin pendant. Please see my other instructables to make a really cool skull pendant.

Step 1: What You Need:

For Porcelain Pendants:
Porcelain Clay
High Temperature Wire (16 – 20 guage)
Orange & Green Glaze
Kiln

For Polymer Clay:
Polymer Clay
Acrylic Paint
Wire (16 – 20 guage)
Oven Tray

In addition, for either type of clay:
Rubber Pumpkin Stamps
¼ inch wooden slats
Rolling Pin
Xacto Knife
Copper Jump Rings

Step 2: Stamp the Clay

On a surface the clay won’t stick to (I like to use canvas), set your wooden slats parallel to each other about 3-6 inches apart. Then roll out a ball of clay between the wooden slats with the rolling pin. This will give you a nice clay slab 1/4 inch thick.

Make impressions in the slab with your rubber stamps. Leave room between the stampings so you can cut around them. If the stamps stick, you can dust them lightly with baby powder.

Cut out a pendant

After you stamp, use your knife to cut around the stamped clay and into pumpkin shapes. Smooth the edges if you want.

Add a Wire

Put wires in the clay (by the stem) to attach a jump ring to later. For polymer clay any 16 -20 gauge should be fine. For ceramic clays use wire rated for high temperatures. Either way, cut a piece of wire about ¾”. Bend it over a round object like a thin pen – round nose pliers are ideal. Push the ends into the top edge of your clay pendant. See the finished pictures for placement if you’re not sure.

Bake or Fire Clay

Oven bake or kiln fire according to directions for the type of clay you’re using.

Step 3: Glaze or Paint

When the clay is hardened and cooled, it's time to add paint. If you are glazing, paint all your pieces at once. Paint a a solid layer of green glaze on the stem and leaves and solid orange on the rest. Use the number of coats directed on the glaze bottle. When all the glaze is dry, take a damp sponge and start wiping away the top layer of color. Stop when you like the effect. Leave as much glaze as you like. If you’re using under glaze, add a coat of clear before firing. Fire according to directions.

If you're using polymer clay, paint with acrylic. Paint only one pendant and one color at a time. Paint the green, and wipe off the topmost surface before it dries, then repeat with the orange. Do this for each pendant. Use water if you need to for wiping off paint. Leave as much color behind as you like. When the acrylic is completely dry you can add a clear gloss. Several coats of Future floor polish works great!

With either technique, you can add more color or take more off. You can always wash your pendant clean or even sand off unwanted paint.