Is it too soon for pumpkins?

I think so.  However, sometimes I feel like I have to jump on the bandwagon simply because I plan to take some painted pumpkins to the shop, and many shops (ie. Hobby Lobby, Target, Marshall’s, Home Goods, etc) were already decked out for fall several weeks ago.  I actually feel like I’m behind on fall décor!

In addition, we have a big trip coming up!  Have I mentioned that yet?  Remember way, way back in 2019 before Covid?  We had booked a European Capitals cruise.  When the Covid thing started in early 2020, I remember thinking ‘oh, this will be over long before our fall trip‘.  Little did I know that it would be four years before we managed to get back to Europe!

But we’re finally going!  This time my sister, niece and nnK’s brother are all joining us.  We’re spending six days in Amsterdam, followed by a 7 day cruise around Norway.

Anyway, that means I need to get a jump on seasonal fall stuff because by the time we get back from that trip I’ll need to get started on Christmas décor!  LOL.  Good gracious … that’s actually true though, I definitely have to get a jump on that.

So let’s take a look at some painted pumpkins.

Last year I picked up a variety of faux pumpkins at after-holiday bargain prices.

Most of them are white, but three of them are paper mache.

My original plan was to paint the paper mache pumpkins, and the medium-sized bright white pumpkins (those bright white ones were particular plastic looking).  I left that large creamy white pumpkin alone, that one is going to go outside in the garden later in the fall.  I was also planning to leave the smallest creamy white pumpkins ‘as is’ and use them to fill a bowl or other container at my own house.

But then I was thinking about some re.design with prima Middy label transfers that I ordered a while back, and they were the perfect size for the smallest of the pumpkins, and before I knew it, I’d added them to almost all of the little pumpkins.

I know, they aren’t exactly fall colors.  Nor are they really fall-ish looking designs.

But if you’re not into the traditional orange, these might be a good alternative.  The blue transfers are from the Vintage Labels I set, and those in the next photos are from Vintage Labels II.

The prima website calls the color a soft, warm grey.  Hmmmm.  They definitely read as a lavender to me.

I painted the three larger paper mache pumpkins, and the three creamy white mid-sized pumpkins in three different Dixie Belle colors, Dried Sage, Sawmill Gravy and Sea Glass.  I didn’t do any sort of prep before painting, and you don’t really have to when using the Dixie Belle chalk style paint over a non-smooth, non-glossy surface, and the pumpkins qualified.

I love the two that I painted in Sea Glass.

Totally not a traditional fall color, I know.  I turned the stems on them gold using some of Dixie Belle’s Gold Gilding Wax.  The combination of Sea Glass and gold always feels very ‘Louis XIV’ French’ to me.

I also added DB Gilding Wax to the stems on the other two medium sized pumpkins, only in the Bronze color.  I felt like the original stems looked really plastic in their original speckled green color.

The bronze worked beautifully with the Dried Sage …

Applying the transfers to an uneven, rounded surface can be a little bit tricky.  But, I don’t think they have to be perfect either.  If you look closely, some of them may be a bit on the wonky side.  But I think that just adds to their charm.

I added another of the blue transfers to the medium pumpkin that was painted in Sawmill Gravy.

The paper mache pumpkins both ended up with French labels.

The transfer on the left is an old I.O.D. French Pots transfer (back when they were still grey rather than black), and the one one the right is from the Classic Vintage Labels from re.design with prima.  By the way, that photo does a better job of showing the paint colors with Sawmill Gravy on the left, and Dried Sage on the right.

I tied some velvet ribbon around the stems on these two rather than gilding them.

I finished off all of the painted pumpkins with some clear wax to add a little bit of protection, but still, these are only suitable for indoor use.

This was a fun little project for a rainy afternoon, and you can find these sorts of faux pumpkins at any craft store.  But if any of you locals don’t have time to create your own, I took these in to Reclaiming Beautiful in Stillwater this week.  You can always swing by and pick one up!

Thank you to Dixie Belle Paint Co for providing the paint used on these pumpkins!