Sister Inspirations: Five Non-Traditional Painted Pumpkins

Welcome to the second installment of Sister Inspirations. This month we felt compelled to take a nod from the season and decorate pumpkins. We realize that there aren’t many new ideas that haven’t been done before, so we put our own flair on a few “non-traditional” pumpkin designs.

We went with painted pumpkins because they last longer and they are not Halloween specific, so you can use them through Thanksgiving. Also, they tend to be more kid-friendly than wielding sharp tools to carve a pumpkin.

I ended up designing a polka-dot glitter pumpkin, a bold crosshatch pumpkin and a white and plum ombre pumpkin.

Glitter Polka Dot Pumpkin

I loved how glamourous this little pumpkin turned out. It makes me happy and smile every time I look at it. It’s such a perfect little pumpkin.

I just bought those little glue dots and stuck them on the pumpkin randomly. After I sprinkled a little glitter over each dot, I patted them down to make sure they stick. You can get glue dots in almost every craft store or places like Target and Walmart. This polka-dot glitter pumpkin was super easy to make. This design in particular would be a great project for kids.

Crosshatch Patterned Pumpkin

My sister, Amy, and I were getting supplies at Target when I saw this crosshatch pattern on a white flower pot. I instantly thought it would translate gorgeously to a pumpkin.

First, I painted the pumpkin white then I used the end of a small sponge brush to create the pattern.

Ombre Pumpkin

I just love ombre. It’s a trend that I never tire of seeing. Plus it was a good way to inject some bold color into my fall tablescape.

For this ombre pumpkin, I started with a white base coat, then painted to bottom part plum. I put a second coat of white on the top and while the paint was still slightly wet, I used a damp cotton ball to blend the colors.

Amy also decorated two awesome pumpkins on her blog, The Happy Tulip. Her studded pumpkin is such an edgy little pumpkin. I’m in love with it. Check out her irregular chevron patterned one, as well. They both have pretty dramatic results.