Sparkle Craft: Halloween Special - Four No-Carve Pumpkin Ideas
In the Junkyard Tales story “Halloween Magic,” Lil Mamma and Spiro have a bit of an ongoing competition during the Halloween season — whose costume is the best?
But the contest is surpassed by a mystery when Ben Thompson, clever cat, tries to discover who is carving the beautiful jack-o-lanterns that keep showing up at his friends' homes in the junkyard.
I will not spoil the story by revealing who Ben eventually discovers is responsible for the pumpkins. I will only say that I am a bit jealous of their skills. I love walking by houses that have pumpkins carved into portraits or intricate autumn scenes, but my hands just aren't steady enough to create one myself.
At our house, we do one simple jack-o-lantern and leave the rest of our pumpkins uncarved. If you, like us, don't have the skills or inclination for carved pumpkins but still would like to make your pumpkins a bit more special, then this article is for you.
Below are four ideas for no-carve pumpkins that are fully beautiful in their own right. While I have given directions below for certain colors of pumpkin to go with certain techniques, feel free to mix-and-match them. A teal pumpkin would be lovely with washi tape confetti, for example, or you could try a black pumpkin with melted crayon.
I don't guarantee that these ideas are less messy than carving a pumpkin, but they are both fun to look at and make.
Four No-Carve Pumpkin Ideas
Rainbow Crayon Melt Pumpkin
Materials
- old crayons
- glue
- hair dryer
Directions
This pumpkin is beautiful, but it's extra-messy. I highly recommend making it outside, with old clothes on, and on a work surface that you don't mind getting some crayon droplets stuck to.
Begin by peeling any paper wrapper that may be present off of the crayons, then glue the crayons in a ring around the stem of the pumpkin.
Once the glue is dry, pull out the hair dryer and use it to melt the crayon in dribbles down the sides of the pumpkin.
Spooky Glow-in-the-Dark Pumpkin
Materials
- black paint
- paint brush
- glow-in-the-dark puff paint
- Mod Podge
Directions
On a covered work surface, paint the pumpkin black and allow the paint to dry.
Once the black paint is dry, use the puff paint to draw a face. Allow the whole pumpkin to dry for at least 24 hours before putting it outside, and consider sealing it with a layer of Mod Podge if you want it to last longer.
To get your pumpkin's face to really glow on Halloween night, shine a flashlight at the paint for a few minutes to “charge” it before your trick-or-treaters arrive.
Confetti Washi Tape Pumpkin
Materials
- white paint
- paint brush
- several colors of washi tape.
- Mod Podge
Directions
On a covered work surface, paint the pumpkin white and allow the paint to dry.
Next, break off short pieces of washi tape and stick them all over the pumpkin to look like confetti. This is a great pumpkin decorating idea for smaller kids.
Once the pumpkin is covered in “confetti” to your satisfaction, seal the tape on with a layer of Mod Podge.
Teal Pumpkin to Support Kids With Food Allergies
Materials
- teal paint
- paint brush
- Mod Podge
Directions
A teal pumpkin on the porch advertises that you have non-food treat options available for kids with food allergies. If you're planning to offer non-food treats, this is also a great no-carve pumpkin decorating idea.
On a covered work surface, paint the pumpkin teal and allow the paint to dry for at least 24 hours before putting it outside. Consider sealing it with a layer of Mod Podge if you want it to last longer.
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About the Authors
Meryl Carver-Allmond
The Sparkle Kitchen Series is created by Meryl Carver-Allmond.
Meryl lives in a hundred-year-old house near the prairie with her sweet husband, two preschoolers, one puppy, one gecko, and about ten chickens. While she's been writing since she could pick up a pen, in recent years she's discovered the joy of photography, too. She feels lucky to be able to combine those skills, along with a third passion — showing people that cooking for themselves can be healthy and fun — in her Sparkle Kitchen posts.
Erin Fonner
A native Texan, Erin lives in Austin with her college-sweetheart husband and three kids. She loves to travel, and her time spent living abroad in Spain and Chile ignited her passion for cultural exchange and foreign language. She homeschools her children in collaboration with a sweet little classical, university-model school. She has a revolving front door (not literally, but you get the idea) and will always say yes to a day on the lake.
