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Tired of the same old toothy smile on your jack o' lantern this year? Have you scooped the "guts" out of one too many pumpkins in your day? I'm happy to report that DIY stencil pumpkin ideas are having a moment this fall season. This is great news for those of us whose knife-wielding skills leave a bit to be desired, and who have never managed to toast pumpkin seeds correctly (raises hand).
From constellation map stencils to inspirational quotes and Disney characters, there's no end to the designs you can create using stencils on a pumpkin. And because you're painting within a designated pattern, it's virtually dummy-proof (famous last words, I know). I must say, this video was helpful in figuring out how to tape down your stencil so Martha Stewart will love your pumpkin as much as you do. Hint: rubbing alcohol works as a great eraser just in case there's a mistake!
Leave the knife alone and pull out your paints and paintbrush with these elegant designs that will really raise your Halloween decor up a notch. It's just the inspiration I need to grab a pumpkin at the farmer's market this weekend! Which is your favorite?
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Chalk Paint Stencil Design from Homemade Charlotte
Handmade Charlotte is known for her creative art projects, and this painted mini pumpkin patch is no exception. This project uses FolkArt Home Decor chalk paint (which adheres well to pumpkins) and Homemade Charlotte's own stencil designs. So vibrant and fun!
2
Colorful Harlequin Painted Pumpkins from DIY Candy
I love these bold colors! DIY Candy, which offers "the best of creative eye candy", came up with this harlequin painted pumpkin design by basically creating her own stencil using rubber bands and FolkArt craft paint. These particular pumpkins are actually fakes, or "funkins" as they're otherwise named, but you can use a real pumpkin, too. The possibilities really are endless when it comes to stenciling.
3
Fall leaves and Intricate Details from A Beautiful Mess
A Beautiful Mess gets artistic with this intricate no-carve fall leaves stencil design. This project was completed with a set of Martha Stewart craft stencils, which the ladies from A Beautiful Mess love to use because, "they are already sticky, and can even stretch to conform to the curve of the pumpkin." Sounds perfect, especially when you have a pumpkin that might be slightly misshapen.
4
Day of the Dead Stencil Design from Modge Podge Rocks
Wow! Celebrate the Day of the Dead with this skull stencil design perfect for pumpkins from Mod Podge Rocks. Crafter extraordinaire Amy also recommends FolkArt Home Decor Chalk as one of the best adhesive paints, although this particular pumpkin is also a "funkin" (shhh... don't tell). A supply list can be found here.
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Chevron, Plaid and Argyle designs from Home Stories A to Z
The wonders of painter's tape are demonstrated in the crafting blog, Home Stories A to Z. I love how she essentially made a homemade stencil and created these chevron, plaid and argyle painted designs on pumpkins. Check out the tutorial on her site to learn how to do it yourself!
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Pastel pumpkin faces from The House That Lars Built
The House That Lars Built collaborated with the talented Michelle Christensen of My Little Belleville to create this pretty pastel faces pumpkin design for your fall decorating. While not a stencil per say, they do offer a printable PDF for purchase so you can create one of your own using their easy instructions.
7
Spider Web stencil design from Etsy
Now, here's the thing. If you're not quite ready to give up carving a pumpkin, you can actually make the whole process a lot easier with the help of a stencil. I found this cool spider web stencil design on Etsy. In fact, there are many printable PDF stencil designs out there on the homemade goods website, just waiting to make your carving experience easier (though I'm still opting for paint this year)!
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