Painting a Proper Pumpkin

I don’t really go nuts over Halloween. I know that saying I don’t like Halloween is like saying I don’t like puppies. Remember the Friends’ episode where Chandler doesn’t like puppies? That’s insane. I love puppies, but Halloween-eh. I don’t have children, so I guess I have no reason to get into it.

Well, we moved into our new neighborhood where everyone has dangling skeletons, inflatable characters and pumpkins galore adorning their yards and houses. Um. Feeling a little left out. So I got a pumpkin. Yeah, just one. It’s kind of sparse, but at least we are not anti-Halloween.

I also bought some candy in case we get some trick-or-treaters. Yeah, it’s Dum Dums and Smarties (the cheap, lame candy), but at least I’m not handing out canned goods or something.

Ok, so back to the pumpkin. I have seen a few monogrammed pumpkins around the web and thought I’d make one, too. That way I don’t have to use sharp objects or touch pulp. And our pumpkin can sit out until Thanksgiving. It’s a win win, really.

Here’s how I did it.

First, I washed my pumpkin. It was filthy. Then I gathered my supplies:



A monogrammed letter of your last name (I found a celtic L on a Google Image search)
Contact paper
A marker
X-acto knife
Something to cut your stencil on (like a cutting mat or cardboard)
Paint (not pictured)—I used black spray paint. You could also hand paint with acrylic if you want.

Trace your letter on the contact paper then cut out. I meant to cut the outline out (so the letter would be painted, not the surrounding area), but I cut the letter out so I went with it and made a circle to go around it.



Ok, at this point I realized that you have to do the letter backwards if you are tracing it with the side of the contact paper with the writing on it. Head slap! Ok, I cut the letter out again. Whatever. Backwards this time.



Then carefully peel off the paper and adhere the contact paper stencil to your pumpkin.



Can you see that? No? Well, it is clear contact paper, so you know…



I spray painted this outside in a box because I am really bad about spray painting other surfaces (ask me about my aqua carport!).

Try to let it dry for like an hour.

I can’t wait!

Let’s see it together:



Oh, well, it got a little drippy.

If you are heavy handed with the spray paint like I apparently am, some nail polish remover and q-tips will do the trick.

There.
All better.



Oh, I just love it. I can feel myself getting in the Halloween spirit ;)