diy painted pumpkins + gourds
I love decorating for the holidays! Carving pumpkins can be fun but pretty messy and time consuming. Last year I bedazzled my pumpkins with gems I found at Michaels. Those turned out great but got a bit monotonous after a while. This year I decided to paint little gourds with sparkles, acrylics, and spray paint. I have to say this was much more fun than carving or bedazzling. They turned out a little funky because the gourds were not smooth surfaces (would have been easier with pumpkins) but that just adds to their charm I think.
I really did three completely different techniques here. You can pick one of the three to try or do them all, or a combination of a couple, completely up to you!
{gold sparkly gourd}
Materials:
- gourd or pumpkin, any size or shape
- Mod Podge (it is a sealer, glue and finish. Can be purchased here)
- glitter
- black paint, or any other color for the stem
- tape
- paint brush
Instructions:
Section off the gourd with masking tape, about halfway down (this step is optional, but can make the glitter line a bit neater). Paint on the Mod Podge over the entire section you want to have the glitter. Then, sprinkle the glitter on top. Once dried, shake the gourd to get rid of excess glitter and apply a thin layer of Mod Podge over the top. This will keep the sparkles from getting everywhere. Now if you want you can paint the stem black or any other color of your choosing. Once everything is dry, carefully peel off the tape and you are done!
* the Mod Podge does dry clear. I just got antsy and took the pictures before it had dried completely.
{gold gourd)
Materials:
- gourd or pumpkin
- gold paint (or color of your choosing), I used BASICS acrylic paint
- black paint or any other color for the stem
- masking tape
- white acrylic paint
Instructions:
Section off the gourd with masking tape, about halfway down (this step is optional, but can make the paint line a bit neater). Prime the area you want painted with the white paint. Once that dries paint the gold on top (or any color of your choosing!). You may want to add a second or third coat depending on how vibrant you want the color to be. Now if you want you can paint the stem black or any other color of your choosing. Once the paint has dried, carefully peel off the tape and you are done!
{multi colored gourd}
Materials:
- gourd or pumpkin
- spray paint in any clors you would like, I used pink, orange, and yellow
- gold paint (or color of your choosing), I used BASICS acrylic paint
Instructions:
In a well ventilated area, spray paint the gourd with as many or as few colors as you would like, in any pattern. I sprayed orange at the top, pink in the middle, and yellow at the bottom. Wait for this to dry and then apply a very thin coat of gold over the top (my orange section). Wait for it all to dry and you are done! I think this one was my favorite even though it made the most mess with the spray paint.