Cute Pumpkin Vase

            Pumpkin Spice, Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Soup...  Everyone loves pumpkins!  They are a symbol of Fall and are there for simple and organic decor pieces that are perfect for said season.  Want to step up your pumpkin game further? The perfect time would be for Halloween, the time for that age-old tradition: CARVING JACK-O-LANTERNS!  A little bit of history on these spooky lanterns:  They were first used during the late 1600's to represent the Will 'o the Wisps that were seen floating around peat bogs at night.  Cool, huh?   Today, I'll show you how to make your very own Jack-o-Lantern! But, this one's going to be one that won't spoil and attract gnats and flies after two week...
                 

        

 + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Supplies Needed 

- Bubble Vase

-Tint spray paint in Mango

- Burlap sheet

- Fine Tip Montana Marker in Black

- Moss & Leaf pieces from a Fall Floral Spray

-Green Raffia

- Hot glue

-Scissors

-Firefly Lights

-Scrap piece of Cardboard

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Let's get started!

            Step 1:  First thing's first:  Spray a few coats of the Mango tint onto your bubble vase.  I had already done that before I took the picture above.  This took about 3 to 4 coats.   Be sure to let each layer dry for a minute or two before spraying on the next one.

            Step 2: Use the Montana marker to draw a cute (or scary) Jack-o-Lantern face onto your vase.

Tip:  When coloring in a large area, use short strokes and be sure to lift your pen up between each stroke.  No back & forth strokes!  This is because the tint spray paint creates really thin layers that tend to peel off or scratch off.  You don't want a lumpy face!

           Step 3: Measure the top of your vase and cut a circle just a little bigger out of your scrap of cardboard.   I cut out a piece of burlap about an inch or so bigger than the cardboard piece.

          

          Step 4:  Hot glue the ends of your burlap onto the cardboard.  It doesn't have to be perfect!

Just make sure that there are no stray pieces sticking up.  If it's wrinkled and bumpy, it's totally fine.  It will actually help to add more texture and make it look more natural!

 

          Step 5: Next, roll up a piece of burlap and hot glue.  This will be the stem of your pumpkin.  You can cut the top to make it more even, or leave it as.  For my stem, it was a little too long, so I cut about an inch.  Hot glue your stem onto your burlap disc.

 

          Step 6: Start gluing some moss onto your pumpkin top.  this is where the uneven surface helps you out.  It will start looking amazing once you start doing this.  The moss is KEY to this project, because it adds the organic element.  

          Step 7: roll three pieces of raffia together until it starts to curl naturally.  Hot glue both ends to the base of of your burlap stem.  This will be the wilted vine. After this, you can glue a leaf or two onto it. 

 Add your firefly lights inside, top it off with it's cute little stem top and your new Halloween Jack-o-Lantern is done!  What's great about this Jack-o-Lantern is that it lasts for years!  All you have to do is replace the lights' batteries every once in a while.  It can also be a cute centerpiece for a Halloween party or even a great piece of decor for your mantel or coffee table.

Have fun and see you next week!

Erika @ PC