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Creative Pumpkin Crafts For Fall

September 25, 2021

This post may contain affiliate links.

Oh fall!

While you may not technically be my favorite season, when it comes to decorating, you're number one.

DIY Pumpkin Decor on a fireplace mantel
This post is sponsored by Ryobi Tools. 

Yes, even more than Christmas.

I know, I know, how could that be?

Well, I'll tell you.

It's all about the color.

Fall hues are so glorious, so earthy, diverse and rich.

And for a girl who adores those jewel tones, what could possibly be better than the opportunity to dress my cottage in them?

Add to that, the view of changing colors outside my windows, complementing the stage I've set inside, and boom. Perfection. 

Plus, from a crafting perspective, the creative possibilities in fall are absolutely endless. Especially when it comes to pumpkins.

They can be dolled up in all sorts of fun ways with very little effort and peppered around the house.

Over the years, I've painted them, glittered them, used them in banners, added them to pillows, stuffed them full of flowers, knitted minis, lit them up and created unique shaped place cards.

Even better, when I'm thrifting, just about everything I see turns into a pumpkin.

Vintage Amber Glass Lampshades On Deck Railing

Remember these glass hurricane lamp toppers I shared a few weeks ago? I mentioned then that I saw pumpkins. 

Such an easy transformation and just in time for today's Do It Over Designer's Hop. Talk about timing.

So how'd I do it?

First, I stained a couple of wooden candle cups with my brown antiquing gel to create a stem. I just painted it on with a foam brush.

Staining Wooden Pumpkin Stems

Than I wiped off the excess with a paper towel and set them aside for a few minutes to dry.

Wiping Stain with a paper towel

Next, I added a bead of hot glue to the base of the cup, with my brand new cordless Ryobi hot glue gun.

Crafting For Fall With Ryobi Glue Gun adding glue to a wooden cup

I did this to increase the size of the cup so it'd fit snugly in the hole at the top of the glass and not slip through.

Lastly, I added another drop of hot glue to a piece of wired leaves and added it to the neck of  the glass. 

Instant pumpkins. And all that dreamy color I mentioned before...and with two battery operated votives tucked underneath, they're just as pretty at night.

Hurricane Junk Pumpkins with orange and red roses

Don't have an amber glass hurricane?

No worries, glass shades are plentiful at thrift shops. Grab one, give it a light coat of spray paint in a similar color and you're good to go.

Quick and easy.

Just like my next fall magic trick.

Turning a wooden plaque into rustic pumpkin with a little paint, twine, ribbon and that handy glue gun.

Thrift Store Wooden Plaque On Table

This one was on sale for $1.50 at that adorable shop I found a few weeks ago. 

If you can't find a wall hanger like mine, an old cutting board with a handle will do. And don't worry about the shape, square and rectangles work well, too.

You can also find lots of pumpkin shapes at the dollar store and transform them

I started by removing the sticker, wiping down the board and giving it a few coats of white and gray craft paint with a foam brush. 

I like foam brushes best for these kinds of crafts since they don't leave brush marks.

Painting A Pumpkin Plaque with a foam brush

Next up, I wrapped the handle in twine and secured the ends around the back with two drops of hot glue.

Hot Gluing Twine To Pumpkin Stem

Then I added a few orange silk leaves for color.

Gluing Fall Leaves to wooden pumpkin

A big, beautiful bow and a metal thankful sign, since gratitude is fashionable in any season, finished it off. All secured with a few more drops of hot glue.

And voilà.

An elegant white pumpkin that pops against the orange and red rose bouquet in my cookie jar planter.

Thrift Store Pumpkin Makeover with roses

Creative pumpkins.

Thrifty makeovers.

And tons of delicious fall color.

What's your favorite decorating season?

Hey, before you go, make sure to visit the rest of the Do It Over Designers today to see what kind of DIYs they have up their sleeves. 

Special thanks to Ann from The Apple Street Cottage for hosting, she truly is the hostess with the most-est! 

Do It Over Designers Logo


Little Vintage Cottage

Modern on Monticello

Pandora’s Box

Purple Hues & Me

Unique Creations by Anita

The Apple Street Cottage

Birdz of a Feather

Exquisitely Unremarkable



This post is sponsored by Ryobi Tools. All opinions are my own, see my full disclosure for details.
Kim Signature


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  1. These are brilliant Kim. My grandmother had an amber glass light fixture; after seeing this, I wish I had saved it. But like you said, there's always thrift!

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    1. Haha! Yes, Sara, those thrift stores are full of treasure. That sounds like a cool light though...a giant pumpkin perhaps!

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  2. Cute ideas - Love the amber glass idea. And I agree about decorating for fall, the colors are so warm and cozy - a great feeling!

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    1. Thanks Patti! It’s a small consolation for saying goodbye to summer. PS- LOVE your furniture piece. I don’t know if I would’ve been able to sell it. So pretty!!

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    1. Thanks Liberty! I've used them before a few times and they always add something special to the projects.

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  4. I remember when you found those glass globes, Kim. Great makeover and that plaque? The perfect pumpkin! I guess it's time to embrace Fall.....

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    1. Thanks Ann and I guess so...it's chilly here today so we're going to the pumpkin patch! No denying it now...

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  5. Adorable! Now I want to find some pretty glass globes and make me some cute pumpkins :)
    And, yes, fall décor and decorating is the best.

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    1. It's so funny, I see them everywhere...except when I'm looking for them! I hope you have some luck and whip up a few for fall in your own home. Thanks so much!

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  6. You are after my own heart, Kim! I recently did a post stating that there are over one hundred and one ways to decorate a pumpkin - I even did one in glass, too! Lol! Your glass globe pumpkin turned out quite lovely! And I love your wood plaque makeover, too! I can see why you love Fall the best!

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    1. Thanks so much, Gail!! I need to check out that post immediately. I'm always looking for pumpkin inspiration!!

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  7. Clever and creative, my friend. I'm so ready to put aside summer's pastels and enjoy the richer colors of the season.
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. I take that as a high compliment coming from you, Amalia, the queen of both clever and creative. Thanks!! xo

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  8. Along with our love for all things red and our love of summer, we also share a love of decorating for fall. These are two very clever, creative, and adorable pumpkin craft ideas, Kim!

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    1. Thank you so much, Marie! I do love the change of seasons, just not those long, long winters. Summer, fall, Christmas, summer would be my ideal! Haha!

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  9. These are great projects and ones I feel I could duplicate! The glass hurricane lamp covers are fabulous!

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    1. Thanks Deanna! As soon as I saw them at the yard sale, I thought, pumpkins!! They came out better than I expected though!

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  10. Such a creative way to use these! The glue gun looks heavy duty!

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    1. Thanks so much! I love getting a bargain and upcycling thrift items. And yes, the glue gun is awesome!! I'm used to teeny ones, this one is cordless and dual temp. So fancy!

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  11. Cute project Kim. Love the amber glass .The wooden plaque is perfect for fall. Happy Fall.

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    1. Thanks so much, Linda. I enjoyed putting these together, it put me in the fall mood for sure. Happy weekend!

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  12. You are so creative to turn that amber lamp shade into a pumpkin! I love the end result.

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    1. Thanks Paula! There were three of them at the yard sale, but someone else grabbed that last one before I could get my hands on it.

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  13. Kim these lampshade pumpkins are the cutes thing I have every seen. Of course you are the craft queen. I Pinned both. Enjoy those jeweled pumpkins!

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    1. Thank you, Cindy!! I have to say making these was a lot of fun. I’m thrilled with the way they turned out, makes me want to run right out and thrift some more.

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  14. I love your amber glass pumpkin candle holders, Kim. xo Laura

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    1. Thanks so much, Laura. I'm loving them in the daylight and even more at dusk with the tea lights.

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  15. This is what I love about you Kim. You can look at something like the amber glass shades and see a pumpkin and make it pretty. Awesome! Wishing you a great weekend. xoxo Kris

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    1. Thank you, Kris! I guess it’s just the way my crazy brain works. I know you get it with all your amazing vision and creative transformations. I hope you’re having a great weekend, too.

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  16. You are so creative! I love them both, but especially like the white one with the thankful. So Cute!

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    1. Thanks Mari! I love that one, too. I knew as soon as I saw it at the thrift store what I was going to do with it.

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  17. Oh gosh, those little glass pumpkins are so adorable!!

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    1. Thanks so much! They seem to be the favorite.

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  18. I totally have a Ryobi glue gun on my wishlist! Do you have the small craft one or the bigger one? I think the littler one is better for me but I like the dual temp of the new bigger one. Beautiful craft!!

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    1. Oh, you have to get one, Christin! I love it. I have the 18v, dual temp. I think it's a perfect size, easy to maneuver and grip. I've never had a cordless version before and wow, what a difference. Plus the bright yellow color makes it super easy to find among my craft supplies. I'm a messy girl i n process!! Haha. You'll have to let me know which you choose.

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  19. I love both projects they are great kim. I must say the pumpkins are my favorite, they are so unique and look amazing.

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    1. Thanks Anita! I knew what I was going for when I grabbed them, but they came out so much better than expected.

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  20. I love fall decorating, too and those repurposed crafts are the best! I haven't put a ton of stuff out, but I should dig around and see what I have. Thanks for the inspiration!

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    1. Glad you found something here to inspire you today, Gina! I haven't put a lot out either...it's happening slower each year. However, it's a more deliberate process. I think that's a good thing!

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  21. I decorated for autumn yesterday. I agree, I love the colors. I found a amber colored candle holder at the thrift shop. It is perfect for my autumn decorating.
    I LOVE your amber pumpkin idea.. well done my dear friend.
    Carla

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    1. Lucky find, Carla! That color has become a fall favorite lately. Happy weekend!!

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  22. You are so lucky to have those nice thrift stores to makeover the items into fall decorations Kim. I love that thankful sign and the pumpkins look so cute.

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    1. Thanks Julie. I have to say, more than traveling, I really missed thrift store shopping! Crazy right? Haha. Hope you’re enjoying this sunny weekend.

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  23. I've always loved amber light fixture covers, had a large one at our old house and it gives such a pretty glow at night. It does look like a pumpkin! Well done!

    I'm an autumn girl but must admit that I do love decorating for Christmas. Not rushing it though, want to enjoy fall as long as possible.

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    1. I'd never seen amber glass shades like this before, Dewena, so they were a fun find. Now that I have, I'd love to find a large one. The more "pumpkins" the better, right? And don't get me wrong, I do love Christmas decor, too. Fall just has such a warm feel.

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  24. Those amber glass pumpkins are simply beautiful. Such a creative way to make them over. Enjoy them.

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    1. Thanks so much, Donna! They were stand outs on the yard sale table. I just knew they'd be sweet in my home.

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  25. Both are so creative! Not sure I'd have looked at either and thought "Pumpkins" but, wow! I like how your creative mind works! I don't do much indoor seasonal decorating, but I do go all out for fall on my front porch. With so much time spent at home again, I think I'll try to add more fall then usual to the back deck this year, too.

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    1. I just added something fun to my backyard, too, Amy!! I thought I'd need a little fall eye candy to blunt the vision of the closed pool and it boring cover! Not my favorite view!! 😆

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  26. Oh I love these, Kim. When they're all lit up they do look like rare jewels from Aladin's Cave. I'm no fan of Autumn either and we don't even have the pretty fall colored leaves here in South Africa to keep the almost Winter blues away. Our trees go straight form blooming green to dull bleh.

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    1. Ah...what a lovely vision...Aladdin's Cave. They really are sweet, all lit up in the living room. It forces me go in there and sit, which I don't do enough. Thanks for the sweet words friend. Enjoy your springtime and summer while it lasts!

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  27. Very clever. I do okay if I use other's ideas for inspiration but I do not really have the vision to come up with my own ideas. I would not have pictured either of those treasures as pumpkins but you did and they ended up very cute.

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    1. Thanks Lorri! I guess we all have our strengths. I, for one, could never grow anything edible, and you run a farm and sell your fabulous food at farmer's markets. That sounds very inspiring to me.

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  28. What a creative idea! You have an eye for seeing what others don't! And that glue gun - I've been wanting one of those!! Pinning!

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    1. I say run out and grab one, Cindy!! It's a game changer! And thanks!!

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  29. Those little lamp pumpkins are adorable, Kim! So clever!

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    1. Thanks Cecilia! I knew when I saw them that they’d make great pumpkins for my home decor patch!

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  30. Really love the paint color scheme for fall, nice and soft. Very Elegant!

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    1. Thanks so much! I do love soft and elegant...

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  31. Kim,
    Both great projects!! LOVE the amber glass pumpkins!! what an imaginative idea!! They came out great...I could kick myself for getting rid of amber glass I had in the early 80's as it is now back in style!! thanks for sharing such great ideas!! Stay safe, healthy and happy!!
    Hugs,
    Debbie

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    1. The amber glass pumpkins are my favorite, too, Debbie. They grow on my a little more each day. I'm glad I can keep them up through November. Maybe I can even decorate my Thanksgiving table with them!

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  32. Love all these ideas. Two super cute projects. Also - need that Ryobi. :)

    Regina @ Saved From Salvage

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    1. Thanks Regina! It's been a really run new tool to have...

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  33. Cute ideas Kim! I'd love to get to the thrift stores again and see what I could come up with! You are always so thrifty and full of ideas! Love it!

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