The Playful Parent

Supplies

~ Card stock or heavy scrapbook paper

~ Hole punch

~ Scissors

~ Pipe cleaner

~ Ruler

~ Pencil

~ Watercolor paints and brushes (optional)

~ Glue (optional)

Craft

For the watercolor pumpkin, use white cardstock and paint with desired colors. I found a wider brush than what comes with the palate made it go faster. I also found that brushing plain water over a section of the paper before painting helped the colors spread more evenly and gave me more time to work with the paint. Once the paper is completely dry you can proceed with the other steps.

1. Use a ruler to mark your paper into strips, preferably on the back. Our watercolor pumpkin was one inch strips going the long way of the paper and used two sheets. The orange pumpkin was ¾ inch strips going the short way of the paper. (If making the larger pumpkin, I would recommend slightly wider stripes.)

2. Cut the strips apart with the scissors. This is a good step for little ones who need practice working with scissors.

3. Make a hole in each end of the strips with the hole punch about ¼ inch from the edge.

4. Make a loop at the end of the pipe cleaner by twisting it around the pencil. Next, thread the pipe cleaner through one side of the strips of paper, making sure the correct side is facing out. You can make another loop to help hold the strips down but it’s not necessary.

5. Determine the height of your pumpkin and make another loop in the pipe cleaner. Our larger pumpkin is short and stout and the other is rounder.

6. Thread the top of the strips onto the pipe cleaner and then make another loop to secure in place.

7. Fan out the paper strips to form your pumpkin.

8. Use the remainder of the pipe cleaner as the stem by twisting it. You may also attach other pipe cleaners for vines or use paper curls or make leaves and attach to the stem. You can also make a Jack o’ Lantern with a few shapes cut out of scrap paper glued to your pumpkin as well.

9. Enjoy these adorable fall decorations!

Bonus: You can save the hole punches for confetti for your fall cards!

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