Welcome to October! It is Pumpkin Time! It makes me chuckle the moment it becomes “pumpkin spice” time. I love pumpkins, but roasted and as soup, not as a pie or having its “spice” in everything. It is also the time to explore the pumpkin patches, painting and carving pumpkins and all things Autumn. These paper pumpkins are easy to make and a sweet decorations. You can make them different sizes, from large to small. Why not make them into a garland?

We are spontaneous crafters in our house. One minute we might be playing (or doing school work) and the next minute the question “Can we make something?” is asked and I am rummaging around the stuff I have to see what we can make. (This is actually my go to for crafting – even for church. I always look to see what I have first to see what we can make and, if needs be, we hit up the dollar store for the rest of the stuff. Call me cheap, or frugal, or whatever you like.)

These pumpkins are easy for young children to be involved in making and it is great for some fine motor development. Crafty and something educational? Yes, that’s the way I roll.

Looking for something quick, easy and cute to do with your children? Well, look no further!

TO MAKE THEM YOU WILL NEED:

• Orange construction paper or scrapbooking paper (patterns can be cute)
• Or white paper and orange paint
• Paint brush (if painting white paper)
• Brown card
• Green card
• Green pipe cleaner (chenille stem)
• Scissors
• Glue
• Stapler and staples
• Optional – piece of string to hang the pumpkin

HOW TO MAKE THE PAPER PUMPKINS:

1. If you do not have orange paper then paint white paper. You can use paint brushes or wadded pieces of paper towel to dab and make a sponge effect.
2. Cut squares of orange paper. You can do whatever size you want – 5×5, 6×6, 7×7, 8×8, 9×9, etc.  You will want 2 or 3 squares per pumpkin. I went with 3 squares for a fuller looking pumpkin but 2 works just as well. (I did 6×6 because I was using construction paper and wanted to get 2 squares per piece).
3. Concertina/Fan the paper using the fold and flip method. 

4. Fold the concertina strips in half and staple or glue where the ends meet.
5. Connect the 2 or 3 strips in the same way (glue or staple where the ends meet) and stretch so it makes a full circle.
6. Cut out a leaf from some green card.

7. Curl a green pipe clean around your finger to make the ends curly like a piece of vine.
8. Attach the leaf and the pipe cleaner to what is going to be the top of the pumpkin.
9. Cut out a brown stem and glue it over the top of the leaf and vine.
10. If you like, attach a piece of looped sting to the top of the pumpkin to hang it with.

PUMPKIN ORIGAMI

I hope that you have some fun with this. My girls are already asking to make some more. So, after a quick trip to the dollar store for some more pipe cleaners, you know what we will be doing! We might even go out and pick some leaves to attach, rather than making some card ones. That’s the great thing about crafting – you can always tweak it and make it your own!

HAPPY CRAFTING!!

Here are some other DIY vlogs and blogs I have:
Fluffy Sidewalk Chalk Paint
Homemade Musical Instruments
Heart Shape Dream Catchers
Cardboard Doll Houses