DIY Lantern from Dollar Store SuppliesHalloween Wood SignMarbling with Acrylic Paint on CandlesSkull Mason Jars for HalloweenHow to Paint Pumpkins

Step 1

First, you will want to mix your paint. Put about 1 tablespoon of the Testors paint in a mixing cup.

Step 2

Then add about 2 teaspoons of baking soda to the paint. I added one teaspoon at a time and mixed well just so I wouldn’t spill as much. You can actually add as much or as little baking soda as you would like. The more you add the more texture your final product will have. However, the paint can get really thick so be careful not to add too much.

Step 3

Now that your paint is mixed, it is time to coat the pumpkins. I do have a few tips and tricks for painting fake pumpkins that may help you. I like to remove the stem from my pumpkins before painting. For me, an unpainted stem looks better so I just add this back later. Just pull to remove the stem from the foam pumpkin.

Step 4

I then add a dowel rod or even a toothpick into the stem area. This will give you something to hold while painting so you can paint the entire pumpkin at once.

Step 5

You will also want to have a foam block handy for when you are done painting the pumpkin. This will be used to add the other end of the dowel rod to hold the pumpkin while the paint dries. Then just give your pumpkins one good coat of paint all over the entire surface.

Step 6

Add the dowel to the foam so that the pumpkin is held upright while it dries. You will need several coats of paint to get good coverage. Depending on the color of your pumpkin and the color of your paint, you could need 3 coats of paint to cover the surface. Be sure to allow the paint to dry completely in between coats.

Step 7

Once the paint is dry, you can add cut vinyl if you would like. This step is optional but can add some fun to your project. After all, once you learn how to paint pumpkins, you will want all of the fun in your fall decor! I cut some vinyl with my Cricut machine. You can cut the vinyl into any shape that you like.

Step 8

Then just peel and stick the vinyl onto your surface. Here I added random dots all over these small navy blue pumpkins.

Step 9

I would caution you that vinyl can lift from textured surfaces. I would use permanent vinyl and go over the top of your surface with a few coats of decoupage to make sure everything stays in place. If you are going to use these outdoors, make sure you use decoupage that is intended for outdoor use.