I have been trying to find some of those gorgeous grey/blue varieties of heirloom pumpkins for years (like Jarrahdale), to no avail, so until I find some these cute DIY chalk painted pumpkins will have to do! This is a super easy DIY project – perfect for last minute decorators. Anyone else lose track of time and find themselves surprised by fall? I struggle with seasonal denial.
I’m thinking about getting seeds and trying to just grow my own blue pumpkins for next fall. I think pumpkins are fairly easy to grow (right?). And the chickens loooooove pumpkins – actually they love all kinds of pricey produce, so I think it would be a good idea to start my own little garden. Otherwise, buying my spoiled little chooks fresh produce will defeat the purpose of getting egg layers. I am currently not saving any money at all, because the chickens still aren’t laying, the coop cost a million dollars, and the chickens don’t love kitchen scraps but they do enjoy a bowl of cottage cheese topped with chia seeds, or a fresh watermelon, lol.
At least these faux pumpkins have been a real money saver! You can also buy resin pumpkins already this color and use them year after year. The little faux white pumpkins I bought are pretty inexpensive and have been really durable – even weathering outside as an outdoor wreath last fall. I couldn’t find the exact ones online anymore, but these faux pumpkins are even more realistic – and these seem like a good deal too! My local Dollarama also had cute packs of faux pumpkins for $2/3 pumpkins – they’re a bit smaller, but look to be similar quality. They’d be perfect for a wreath!
When I first bought these faux pumpkins, I did a marbled finish using nail polish on some of them and then last year I gave some of them a turquoise and copper gradient finish – and now I painted the rest this dusty blue hue, thanks to a blast of Rust-Oleum’s Serenity Now chalk paint. I had some leftover from the little cabinet I painted for the Fish Room and this is the perfect project for using up spray can leftovers.
The finishing touch on these DIY chalk painted pumpkins was using some coppery-rose acrylic paint to paint the stems. They looked a little too painted when the stems were the same pale blue/grey:
I clipped some branches from the yard and used an old serving tray to create a simple little centerpiece for fall. I don’t really decorate much for full – the view outside our windows right now is beautiful, with the leaves having changed across the bay and in our own yard. I figure that’s enough decor! Although I might still do a wreath or a spooky craft or two for Halloween, which is really creeping up on me!
I appreciate the beauty of the season, but I do spend most of my fall pining for summer (come back!) and dejectedly preparing our rural house and property for winter (ugh). But these cute little DIY chalk painted pumpkins brought a smile to my face – now if only I could find the real thing!
Looking for more pumpkin decorating ideas or fall DIYs?
- 15 Modern Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin
- DIY Rhinestone Pumpkins
- DIY Vintage Pyrex Pumpkins
- DIY Marbled Pumpkins
- DIY Gradient Pumpkin Wreath
- DIY Pumpkin Spice Smoothie Bowl
- DIY Pumpkin Spice S’Mores
- DIY Layered Teal & Orange Smoothie Bowl