Saturday, October 15, 2016

Four Grimacing Little Pumpkins

I have 4 grimacing little pumpkin/gourds to share today!  I saw these in Martha Stewart Magazine several years ago - and every year I just have to make a few!
They are SO easy to make and really just crack me up!  
First you draw a rectangle by holding up a pair of Dracula teeth (readily available during the Halloween season at places like CVS or Rite Aid - or the Halloween shops that show up for the season), close the teeth and trace around the edges.  Usually I buy white teeth but I found clear/glow in the dark ones this year.  The eyes are Map Tacks.  I just happened to have two boxes from my father - red and black.  Once the mouth space is cut out - scrape out the seeds with a spoon.
When you cut the rectangle, it's better to have it a little smaller than you need - then you can try the teeth in the space and cut it bigger if you need to.  I found I needed to shave the back of the opening at an angle so the pumpkin didn't 'spit' his teeth right out (!)  You can see that happening with the spook on the left below - and sometimes you just need to push them in a little further.  
 If they pop right into the pumpkin - they are easily retrieved as they are very flexible!
If you turn the teeth one way they have an under bite - like mine with red eyes - turning the teeth the other way give an over bite - like mine with the black eyes.  The under bite makes them look a little meaner don't you think??!
My little guys wanted to play with the big pumpkins I have on my steps - so I let them - but then they had to come inside!
They do eventually rot just like a regular cut out pumpkin -  they can last a week to two weeks or more, depending on the temperature around them.  You can make them out of little orange pumpkin gourds but I think they are spookier in the white!  
Using the Map Tacks for the eyes - you need to keep them away from little hands!

We had a beautiful sunny day today here in MA - I was out doing errands without a coat - but the nights are cooling down to the 30's - 40's lovely fall weather.  
I got some cleaning up done in the garden - getting ready for the winter! 

Now that it's dark - I have to go see if my pumpkin's teeth do glow in the dark!!

I'm linking my grimacing pumpkins to the A Vintage Journey challenge - Make it Spooky!


12 comments:

~amy~ said...

Julia, love those little guys! Awesome pumpkins!!

LeAnne said...

Oh my gosh, these are so cute! Thanks for posting this...pinning for future!

Sharli Schaitberger said...

Very fun, Julia!!

Loll said...

These are so cool!! Cute, but a little scary. :) xx

LesleyG said...

These are just so much fun! Xxx

Samra said...

What a gorgeous set of ghostly spooky pumpkins! I love them in white, they sure do look spookier than orange.
Thanks for stopping by my little blog and leaving me sweet comments.
To answer your question about storing the statues: They will probably end up on my front porch for now as suggested by my next door neighbor. :) These are set in my front yard currently ande people do slow down to see them :)
Hugs
Samra
Paper Talk with Samra

Redanne said...

I do wish we celebrated Halloween more over here, I love your carved pumpkins, that big orange one is fabulous and your little white ones are such fun with those teeth Julia. I think this is the first time I have seen white pumpkins, they are lovely and spooky! Hugs, Anne xx

Lisa H said...

oh my gosh, these are hilarious! I love them. If you spray the inside of the pumpkin with a bleach solution, I've heard they last longer.

Juliz Design Post said...

Oh Julia, how cute are these little pumpkins and I love their little menacing grins. White pumpkins are a new one for me....maybe we will see them in the UK at some point.
Julie x

Annie said...

How cute are these little spooky pumpkins Julia xx Love the way they look and I bet the glow in the dark teeth look fun xx

Sounds like a good tip to try too from Lisa H

TFS and best wishes
Annie xx

Deb said...

Those are hilarious Julia, love them! Deb xo

Laurie said...

So did they glow? I'm very curious! :)
I will have to do this for my classroom! Love it!