PUMPKIN
F
without Carving
all is just around the corner and as you may have recently noticed during your most recent grocery shopping trip, pumpkins have returned once more. Soon it’ll be time to decorate your home with jack-o-lanterns and autumn decor however you may encounter an issue. You have no skills at carving a pumpkin. What makes it worse is that all the pumpkin carving kits have horribly flimsy tools that bend easily and barely make a dent in even the softest pumpkins. What’s worse is having to reach in and scoop out all the slimy seeds and try your best not to get it everywhere. After all that. . . the pumpkin lasts maybe a few days before turning green in the warm humid weather. Luckily we have several alternatives that are not only easy but also free of pumpkin guts. Since they do not require damaging the pumpkin, it’ll ensure that they last much longer than your standard jack-o-lantern. There are several options to choose from to suit your skill level and talent so you won’t be stuck with a failed pumpkin (we’re lookin at you Pinterest). So take a look then head over to your local craft store.
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
2 pumpkins & 1 can of gold spray paint
1 pumpkin & 1 - 50 yard stool of straw ribbon (raffia)
1 pumpkin, paint brushes, black paint & pencil.
Wipe the pumpkin down with soap and
Start by choosing a pumpkin with a stem.
water to get off any oil and dirt. Once it’s
Tie the end of the ribbon around the
dry set it outside on paper or anything you
stem to anchor it. Use the grooves of the
don’t mind turning gold. Shake the can for
pumpkin to guide you, they will also help
a minute to ensure you get even coverage
keep the ribbon from slipping. Use the
before spraying a thin even coat around
stem to wrap the ribbon around it before
the pumpkin. Wait 20 minutes then apply
moving on to a different groove (hot glue
another coat then repeat 2 more times. Let
also does the trick). Once done secure it with a
dry for a day and viola! One can should be
knot and make a bow from the ribbon to
enough for 2 pumpkins.
place on top.
Draw small jack-o-lanterns around the pumpkin with the pencil. With a smaller paint brush paint the edges of the pumpkins first along with the face. Once all of them have been completed, finish painting the rest of the pumpkin black. You may need 2-3 coats to ensure the pumpkin is fully covered. The end result will be a black pumpkin with cute mini pumpkins revealing the natural orange underneath.
30 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | OCTOBER 2020
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