Pumpkin Craft Roundup!

With all the pumpkin crafts to be found this time of year in blogland, I thought I'd link and show the projects that I've done with a few quick how-tos. They are quick and easy projects that are great to have your kids help out with, and can mostly be done with household items.  Make your own to decorate your house with for the rest of the fall season!

Wood Scrap Pumpkins
With all the wood projects we worked on over the summer, we have a nice scrap pile going in the garage.  These pumpkins (I found them first at It's a Daisy Day!) are made of leftover 2x4s painted orange with some fallen sticks for stems hot glued on, then a little wire, raffia and fabric bow to finish them off.  These would be cute with jack-o-lantern faces painted on as well! 

Toilet Paper Pumpkins
I found this super quick and cute project over at The Sweet Life, although they seem to be found everywhere!  My boys helped me make a few of these, I love them because I already had everything needed to make them, and when the season is over, there is no need to store them. 

You will need a roll of toilet paper, sheet of newspaper, about a 2' square of fall fabric (I used orange burlap), a stick, and some raffia or twine.

First, wrap the toilet paper in the newspaper, tucking the paper into one end of the roll.  Push it down in there really good to make sure there is still some room in the roll.

Next, repeat the last step with your fabric, fold the fabric under itself if it wants to poke out. Just mess with it until it looks the way you want to.  If you're not happy with it, just unwrap and start over.  :)  Once you are happy with the fabric covering, push the stick into the fabric to make a stem.  You could glue it in if you like, but mine fit down in the fabric tightly so I didn't think it was necessary.  I tied green twine around my stem so it would look leafy, but you can use whatever you like to embellish.

Dryer Duct Pumpkins
This was the only project I had to purchase anything for, and these are so cute, I thought it was worth it!  I found this project over at House of Hepworths, which is one of my favorite blogs.  Looking at the finished product, you would never think they were made of dryer ducting!  I paid $10 for 8 feet of ducting at Lowes, which should make 3-4 pumpkins, so not too spendy really.  Other than the ducting, you will also need spray paint, scissors, wire cutters, hot glue gun and glue, cinnamon sticks, and any other embellishments you like to add.

Cut a length of about 24" of flexible type dryer ducting, cutting through the wire with a wire cutter.  Tuck in the messy edges.  Have your toddler make sure there is nothing inside the tube for you.  :)  Curl the ducting into a circle and secure with hot glue. See where this is going? :)

Spray the ducting orange (red or green would also be really cute for apples!) and let dry. Hot glue cinnamon sticks or a piece of a branch for a stem then add raffia or twine if you like.  So easy and looks just like a pumpkin!