Saturday, September 27, 2008

DIY Pumpkin Patch Tutorial

Super easy home-made jack-o-lanterns using "Spooky Silhouettes"!!

1. Create oval cut-outs(or circles, but I like using the oval shape both vertically and horizontally) from orange CS (Pumpkin Pie here) with your Nestabilities in different sizes. I was able to run all three dies through at once on the same sheet (odd numbers make the most "pleasing" groupings) No Nesties? Free-hand cut some wonky pumpkins on your own, lumpy pumpkins are fun, too!

2.Stamp your silhouettes on the pumpkins in black ink.

3. Draw some arced "ridges" (parallel to the oval's edge) with a marker or colored pencil (orange Koh-i-Noor) Optional: Lightly go over the whole pumpkin with just the side of your pencil's tip to give it a bit more texture (click on pic).

4. Sponge the edges, concentrating mostly at the bottom, with a deeper orange (Really Rust) or brown ink to create depth and shadows.

5. Free hand trim some chunky stems and punch out some Large Flourishes from green DP or CS (Basic Grey Ambrosia, one of the solid distressed colors) for the pumpkin tops and tendrils and adhere.

6. Pop your pumpkins onto card with dimensionals!

I used the D'Vine Swirls CB folder for my black background and ran my card front through my paper crimper to mimic the pumpkin ridges, swiping my Pumpkin Pie pad over the ridges. I also could have made some scores with my Scor-Pal, but I don't use my crimper often enough!! SU! Hodgepodge frames the "Boo!" greeting.


These pumpkins can be attached to a multitude of Halloween projects, candles, candies, treat bags, etc! If you make some of you own pumpkin projects with this, please let me know here so I can come check them out! :)


TRIVIA: I won third place ($25 GC) one year for a pumpkin carving contest at my husband's office Halloween party after we were first married. I spent 6 hours creating an "Austin Powers" pumpkin with Mike Meyers and his funky teeth carved on one side and "Yeah, baby!" with a bunch of groovy flowers on the back. Trust me, it was shagadelic. (I'm told I didn't get first because they thought I must have used a store-bought pattern... but I didn't!!) Wish I could find the pic...


Here's fun link , appropriately titled Wack-O-Lanterns to get you in the mood before you start "carving"!

16 comments:

  1. What a great card! I love your ideas.... I could case them ALL! ;)

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  2. I really like the pumpkins. Thanks for sharing your directions. The link to the carved pumpkins was cool too. Some were a little freaky, but cool.

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  3. Luv, luv, luv it! Thanks for sharing! Thanks for coming by my blog & commenting Mel!

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  4. Oh the punch is sooooooo perfect for the vines!!!!! I'd love to see that Austin Powers punkin'!!!!!

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  5. Cute pumpkins! They look like they took a long time, but I know they didn't ;). Your shading is awesome and I know that probably took a little longer. I think I'll try this.

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  6. Oh my...this is so cute, Melanie!! I love your huge pumpkins and spooky images!!

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  7. This is the card I was waiting for!!
    I've been looking for a halloween card that wasn't too cutesy or boring but just right to send to my brother in Iraq. It's a doable project and I can also share this with several other guy friends this year. Thanks for sharing your idea. MarilynY

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  8. This card is stunning! It jumps off the screen. Wow! Oh my, you are SO creative. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. Love, love, love the bright and yummy colors on your card. It's just an adorable pumpkin card!

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  10. GREAT idea! I love these pumpkins!

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  11. Great ideas on those pumpkins! Love the card.

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  12. This is absolutely the most brilliant thing ever!! Those pumpkins are wonderful!!! I am going to work up the guts to try this and see if it even compares to yours!

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