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Give Thanks Hot Glue Painted Pumpkin DIY

November 15, 2021

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Turn those leftover fall or Halloween pumpkins into an enchanting centerpiece for your Thanksgiving holiday table.

With a little bit of paint and your favorite glue gun, you can create something extraordinary to decorate your home this season.

Large Pumpkin on a table
This post is sponsored by The Dixie Belle Paint Company

After Halloween, I always have a ton of large pumpkins left over.

Some, I just pile outside by the front door, next to the mums.

Others, are scattered around the kitchen.

Peppered among the faux versions I fill with flowers.

However, this year, inspired by some new crafting supplies, I decided to take it up a notch and turn one of those leftovers into a statement piece for Thanksgiving.

Unlike the pumpkins I carve up in the garden,  they have staying power and last for months.

And I have to say, I'm in love the result.

It all started a few weeks ago, when I stained my mantel.

I was so taken with the results, I began dreaming up ways I could use the supplies on other items.

Like pumpkins.

I'd always seen those pretty painted holiday pumpkins with either menus or words of gratitude displayed and I thought, I bet I could do the same with my new paints. 

So I got to work.

Hot Glue Painted Pumpkin 

*Keep in mind that this technique could be used on a faux pumpkin, as well. Then you'd have it ready to decorate every year.

Here's what I used:

Daisy Belle Silk Mineral Paint and Clear Coat on a table with a pumpkin

Foam brush
Glue Gun
Pencil

I began by washing and drying my pumpkin so it was clear of any debris or dust.

Then, rather than stencil my words on, since that's not my strong suit, I thought they'd be more interesting if they were raised.

To achieve that look, I grabbed a pencil and drew the words GIVE THANKS on to the smoothest face of the pumpkin.

Drawing On A Pumpkin with pencil

Then, very carefully and very slowly, I went over them with my new glue gun and let them dry thoroughly.

That took just a few minutes.

I have to say the glue gun is my all time favorite crafting tool. I've used it on everything from snowflake wreaths to upholstery

Ryobi Glue Gun Adding Words To Pumpkin

Next up, I grabbed my paint and brush covered the entire pumpkin.

The mineral paint was wonderful and covered the pumpkin and the glue in one coat, but I gave it two for good measure.

Just an aside...if you still have pumpkins after Thanksgiving, you could use this technique to make a stacked snowman for your front porch. 

Painting A Pumpkin with white paint

I let the first coat dry before applying the second.

Give Thanks Glue and Painted Pumpkin

Then to give it all a little bit of shine, I went over it with my new favorite clear coat in satin.
 
Adding Dixie Belle Clear Coat To Pumpkin

I have to say, I was thrilled with my monochrome masterpiece.

I knew its simple elegance would look stunning surrounded by my mother's gold and cream Lenox china and my grandmother's gold rimmed champagne flutes.

Give Thanks Painted Pumpkin on table with bow and roses

But then I had another idea.

What if I used the mantel stain to highlight the letters?

Add a little bit of rustic elegance to the table instead?

So I grabbed a paintbrush and went over the letters with the gel stain and then quickly wiped off any excess.

Adding Stain To Glued Letters On A Pumpkin

Honestly, I think this way my Give Thanks centerpiece will be even more at home on my holiday table.

Perched between all that gilt and my red buffalo check curtains and farmhouse bench.

Give Thanks Crafty Thanksgiving Pumpkin On Table

My Halloween pumpkin reimagined for Thanksgiving.

With a few new crafty supplies.

And a little imagination. 

How fabulous.


Give thanks white painted pumpkin

What did you do with your Halloween pumpkins? 

Glue gun pumpkin, thanksgiving pumpkin decor, letter pumpkin
Yield: 1 centerpiece
Author: Kim @ Exquisitely Unremarkable

Hot Glue Gun Painted Pumpkin

prep time: 5 Mperform time: 30 Mtotal time: 35 M
Use a glue gun and some paint to decorate your leftover Halloween pumpkins for your Thanksgiving table centerpiece.

materials:

  • Pumpkin
  • Paint
  • Stain
  • Clear Coat
  • Ribbon - optional

tools:

  • Glue Gun
  • Glue Sticks
  • Brushes

steps:

  1. Wash pumpkin 
  2. Write words on pumpkin with pencil
  3. Trace over pencil lines with hot glue and let it dry
  4. Paint pumpkin
  5. Once dry, clear coat it or add stain over the letters for a little more dimension and then clear coat it.
  6. Optional: Hot glue a ribbon on top

NOTES:

Go slow with the glue gun to get clean lines and straight letters, and use caution since the glue gets very, very hot.
Created using Craft Card Maker
Kim Signature


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  1. This is beyond awesome Kim. You are so creative. Love this. Happy New Week. xoxo Kris

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    Replies
    1. Thanks SO much, Kris! I had fun making this one and love the way it turned out. xo

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  2. Good job. I do something similar for Christmas with leftover pumpkins. I spray the bodies red, paint the stems gold, and voila! giant Christmas ornaments.

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    1. Love that, Pat!! I was just thinking I could turn those little white boo pumpkins into tiny snowmen.

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  3. That’s a cute idea for using up the pumpkins Kim. The pumpkin looks so pretty with the bow and next to the little pumpkins.

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    1. Thanks Julie! I just couldn't toss and now it's my centerpiece for the Thanksgiving feast!

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  4. How clever! Sadly, my Halloween pumpkins usually rot...but I DO save the stems! That counts for something, right? lol

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    Replies
    1. It certainly does, Ann! They come in super handy, don't they? And thanks!!

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  5. Aren't you a clever girl? What a great idea. I love all the projects you come up with. xo Diana

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    1. Thank you, Diana! You just made my day. ❤️

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  6. What a wonderful idea to transform a pumpkin into a beautiful a Thanksgiving one.

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    1. Thanks so much, Paula! And thank you sharing my reel yesterday on Instagram. What a sweet surprise as I was scrolling!! ♥️

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  7. Replies
    1. Thanks Cindy!! This one was a fun experiment.

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  8. Such a fun idea!!! Love it and thank you for sending out your email. :)
    Enjoy your pumpkins,
    Hugs,
    Barb :)

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    Replies
    1. Oh thanks so much for the sweet comment and for reading the email!! That just made my day.

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  9. Oh, she has done it again!!!! Kim, you never cease to amaze. I love it and it looks wonderful on your table. What a great idea. I didn't buy one real pumpkin this year and I'm not bragging!..Happy Week to you my friend..xxoJudy

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Judy!! What a nice comment. Big smiles over here and I shouldn't have purchased so many pumpkins! I have a hard time picking just one. Haha. Enjoy the week!!

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  10. You are so stinkin' creative! I would have never thought of this. The glue letters are genius and that little bit of stain on them, just makes them pop.

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    1. Thanks Mari! I like playing around with craft and art supplies, thinking outside the box. I'm glad you see it as creative instead of crazy!! ☺️

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  11. LOVE IT!!! You are amazing my dear friend.
    Pinning!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Carla. You’re making me blush over here…xxoo

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  12. What a fun way to upcycle your pumpkins from Halloween. This turned out so great!!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Stacey! I felt bad he didn't get a face during the carving days! Hahaa. Poor little guy just staring at me all season. He needed something special. Hoping you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

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  13. Oh my gosh, I love this. Using hot glue to write the words was genius. It looks wonderful.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much! I wasn't sure about this one when I started, but I'm so happy with the way it turned out and that everyone else loves it, too!

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  14. It is fabulous! I don't know how you think of these things, but I love seeing them!

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    1. Thanks Amy! I think it's a little bit of design OCD mixed with creative insanity. That and I'm not good at sitting still and this is more fun than housework! Haha!

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  15. Awesome idea Kim! Such a great way to repurpose those pumpkins (or seek out new ones for those that don't already have them for Halloween)!

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    Replies
    1. Sounds great, Sara! I know a lot of people that don't have pumpkins for Halloween, but display them for fall.

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  16. Who would have though that a glue gun and some pretty paint could transform a pumpkin into something so lovely. It's gorgeous, Kim. I wonder if the paint will make the pumpkin last even lomger?

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    Replies
    1. Perhaps! I'll keep you posted. If it does, maybe I'll write Merry Christmas on the other side. Hahaha!

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  17. I didn't buy a real pumpkin for the front door this year, but seeing this idea, maybe I will next year! Very creative and fun. This is my favorite time of year!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Gina! I usually just toss them to the animals to snack on when the winter sets in. I guess this year they'll just have one less. 😉

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  18. love the lettering gives it a vintage vibe. very pretty for a centerpiece.

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    1. Thanks Maria! The stain made all the difference I think.

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  19. Very clever idea to keep those real pumpkins on display right through to Thanksgiving. I love it!

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    1. Thanks Marie!! I can't stand to toss them when they're in such good condition.

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  20. I love this! I love finding fun ways to use up supplies.

    i usually give my pumpkins to friends who have chickens for chicken feed.

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    Replies
    1. Now I want chickens, Jenny!! How fun…and thanks!!

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  21. We only had one real one, and we ate it!!!!
    They make wonderful pies and pumpkin bread!
    Yours is beautiful though.....
    Blessings, J

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    Replies
    1. J, that’s the best upcycle of all!! Yum!! xxoo

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  22. What an adorable craft! I like the ribbon on top, too. :D

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! It was Dollar Tree special…two for a buck!

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  23. I just love it, pumpkin looks awesome and you amazed me with your creativity, really beautiful, thanks for sharing.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the visit and the kind compliment!

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  24. Love this and I may try it. I still have a couple pumpkins setting out. Usually they get thrown out in the woods for the animals.

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    Replies
    1. We do the same thing, Rosemary. This year, however, the squirrels will be feasting on one less!

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  25. What a great project! Now I am debating on trying this or setting them out for the deer like I usually do.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much! I love feeding the animals, too. Around here, it gets very, very cold after Thanksgiving, so it's nice to put out something for them. They get one less this year!

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