If you can’t find heirloom pumpkins in your neck of the woods, you could always paint some foam ones.

Let me show you in this tutorial how I made faux heirloom pumpkins.

It all started when I was needing pumpkins at the end of August for the fall home tours.  My family was driving back from camping.  I was calling every pumpkin farm in a 20 mile radius trying to find something on the way home.

“No pumpkins yet, Ma’am. Not till the end of October, Ma’am.”

What???!

That’s Ok, I will just order some off of Amazon.

WHat???!

They are approximately $30 each? I need at least seven!

And then my thrift store habits kicked in.  I hit Goodwill and filled my trunk with faux pumpkins.

And the price-

$25.00 for seven pumpkins!

Now let’s look at how to turn these into something more like this. . .

*This post contains some affiliate links to products I know &/or love.*

I think it’s easiest to look at the four “heirloom varieties” separately.

 

Look #1

Dark Green with Light Green Details

• First off, check your local produce section! I found the smaller, dark green ones at our produce stand and didn’t need to paint any.
  • These ones are actually a squash, Kabocha.
• You can peruse my Farmhouse Fall Pinterest board for more ideas.

 

 

 

Look #2

Plain White

• Start by masking ask off the stems.

• Spray with my all-time favorite paint/ primer in Heirloom White.
  • Seriously, this stuff is a staple at our house!
• I  L.O.V.E my new spray can grip, it feels like I am using a sprayer instead of a spray can.
• Use two coats and let dry. All done!

Look #3

Sage Green

• Start by following the directions for Look #2.
• Then, cover in two coats of Army Green spray paint by Rustoleum
• Finish with a coat of Miss Mustard Seed Antiquing Wax

 

 

 

Look #4

Muted Orange

• Again, start by following the directions for Look #2.
• Cover in two coats with orange paint mixture, using a foam brush.
  • Apple Barrel acrylic craft paint from Walmart is the cheapest craft paint I have found.
  • Mix 4 parts Pumpkin Orange with 1 part Nutmeg Brown and 1 part Antique White.
• While still wet, go back and swipe in the tiniest touch of Purple Iris paint to the crevices.
• Once everything is dry, finish by applying a coat of Miss Mustard Seed Finishing Wax, following the directions on the jar.

To display your new faux heirloom pumpkins, consider piling them up a little and turning some of them on an angle.

So, now I have some heirloom pumpkins,

for a fraction of the cost,

that will be around for many years to come!

Win, win, win!

 Shop this look

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For those of you ambitious ones, who want to grow your own heirloom pumpkins, I have a special treat for you today.  My dear friend, Kelly Wilkniss, has a beautiful new book out this year!

Her book, My Soulful Home: A Year in Flowers, offers twelve tutorials, one for every month of the year.

She shows everything you need to know to have gorgeous flowers year round to add to your own decorating.

In addition to writing this book, Kelly authors the blog My Soulful Home, is co-creator of the app bHome and is producer/co-host of the popular podcast Decorating Tips & Tricks. She is currently renovating an 1886 Victorian farmhouse. She shares this historic work in progress with her husband, two girls & dog Emmett.

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