This Halloween is different that the Halloweens of years past. It marks the first time in six years we’re actually consciously decorating for the holiday, and I say consciously because the great spider infestation of 2010 took care of a lot of that for us with little to know effort on our part.
The thing is, we have a parenting strategy that basically has us running around putting out fires all day, leaving only small amounts of down time in which we can phone in all the other crap. Like baking non refrigerated cubes of cookies and making the house appear festive on the holidays.
But the thing is, our kids are starting to make memories and the cognitive ability to call us out on our shit. We had a good run, Andy and I, but the vacation is over, and we’re going to have to take this family shit to the next level.
Decorating for Halloween has actually been a really fun experience for me, as it’s my favorite Holiday. I blame the cool weather, candy corn and my desire to be Sandra Bullock in Practical Magic.
The kids have been really excited to decorate pumpkins, but you and I both know that carving a pumpkin this early means a fruit fly infested rotting corpse on your front porch in two weeks time.
So, I decided to take another approach…glitter. Even though I would rather spend an afternoon listening to Avril Lavigne read me Eat, Pray, Love than fish a piece of glitter out of my contact lens, it was worth it….for the kids.
Glitter Pumpkins Two Ways
Here’s what you’ll need:
Pumpkins (We used real ones.)
Spray Adhesive
Craft Glue
Glitter
Small Paint Brushes
The first pumpkin we made was an all over glitter fest. Take the pumpkin outside, coat with a layer of spray adhesive, and then begin the glitter assault. Gigi used a mix of purple and then pink glitter, because it adds more dimension.
TIP: Another reason to save those stupid clothing boxes from Christmas. Use half of them as a tray for crafts. Glitter, play dough, paint… they catch it all and prevent a mess. Gigi is glittering in the bottom half of an Ikea lamp box. We’re basically saving the planet with our art.
I decided to take a different approach with my pumpkin, and paint on glue to create a swirly design.
I used the bottle of craft glue to outline my design with a thin line of glue.
Then I used a paint brush to begin filling in the shape with extra glue and commenced glitter time.
The end result are some really cool pumpkins that cost way less to make than buying those already decorated fake ones, plus it keeps your kids occupied for at least two glasses of wine, depending on how fast you drink.
These are so bloody cute!!!
Have you read the Practical Magic book?? It’s amazing and perfect for this time of year. Alice Hoffman is the author, beautiful and much better than the movie!
You took that family shit to an awesome-looking new level!
Glitter decorations are WAY more my style than anything that requires touching the icky insides of a pumpkin. I also want to try the Pinterest idea of putting pumpkins in black, fishnet stockings of different designs. Who knew pumpkins could be so sexy
I’m sure via my Newsfeed, you’re familiar with my son’s friend Mickey Shunick who was abducted & murdered, but took down a serial killer during the process. Anyway, Mickey LOVED glitter and it was a big part of the community celebration of her life last Saturday. I am going to send this entry to all of her friends, her Mama & Sister as well as make my pumpkins all glitter pumpkins this year in honor of Mighty Mick! Mercy Beaucoup for this!
The pics are great, the pumpkins rock, as do you!
Great idea Meredith!
Those look great! Got to love anything that sparkles!
” I would rather spend an afternoon listening to Avril Lavigne read me Eat, Pray, Love”
That is hilarious.
I’m an art teacher, and we call glitter the STD of the art classroom. Once it’s there, you can never get rid of it.
OMG! I call it the herpes of the craft world. LOL!!
I wanted to be SB in PM, too! The really sad thing was that I ACTUALLY practiced Druidry at the time and lived in a little cottage-style house, alone, when that movie came out. So, it was a little ultra-creepy when I would listen to the soundtrack all day and bake pumpkin pies from scratch.;/
I still love that movie, though. Not the greatest made movie in the world, but it’s one of my vices. I have to pull it out every now and then.
Nice pumpkins, btw!
Love GiGi’s!
Sweet Tea has all kinds of scary decorations for the yard and I totally don’t do scary. This I could do. That way the inside is festive, but I’m not wetting myself over the scary!
I’m picturing you trying to focus your magical energy to make your coffee spoon stir by itself. Love the pumpkins!
Love the idea!! They turned out Great!
I love that you measure time in the number of alcoholic beverages you can drink during the activity – WAY more useful than a bunch of numbers arranged in a circle
Gigi’s hair is ADORBS!
I was going to say glitter is the devil’s sawdust. Clean up always seems twice as long as whatever the project you used it on took. But I like the art STD better!
Your pumpkins are very cute. We did glitter pumpkins this year too. I just watered down some school glue and gave my girl a paintbrush and she went to town. I might have to try your swirly technique though. Very cute.
Boo! I live with boys. Boys who don’t see glitter for the fabulousness that it is and instead associate it with Ke$ha.
I’m glitter my own pumpkin. Take that you stinky boys…
I saw glitter pumpkins on pinterest last week and sent my mother this text:
“Just saw glitter pumpkins on pinterest… I need pumpkins, glitter & modpodge STAT!”
She showed up for my spinning class that night with supplies. I was so excited, I was pretty sure that before the night was over anything in my house that didn’t move was going to sparkle.
We hot-glued googly eyes all over a pumpkin this weekend. I also got some cool tape with monsters all over it, and we’re going to cover another pumpkin with it. Because the only fruit flies allowed in my home are from not eating the fruit I buy, not from rotting pumpkins. It’s just a personal rule of mine.
Just when I thought I couldn’t love you more, you tapped into my (not so) secret hidden desire to be witchy and wonderful a la Ms. Bullock. I pay homage to this love by drinking margaritas at midnight… and noon, and 6 pm or 10 am; you get the idea. AND you glittered pumpkins? (Happy sigh.) Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I loved this idea so much that I did it this weekend with my boys (4 and 7). Now, I have the desire to be crafty, but rarely the motivation…so this was a big deal for me (busted out the camera and everything). It was really fun; but holy hell the glitter mess! I have to call shenanigans on how neat your project looked. :-) My kids, me and my entire patio was (and still are) coated in sparkles.. I think the worst part was when I had to take my 4 year old’s glitter-covered shirt off, which only made the mess worse (all over his face, in his hair and ears). It is also all over my camera and phone. Note to self – next time do it w/o the kids. And with more wine!