Today, I went to the Orange Poppy Art Studio, located on Baseline Road, across the street from St. Stephen Roman Catholic Church, on Grand Island, for a pumpkin workshop. This workshop was all about decorating a paper mache pumpkin. There were two choices for decorating the pumpkin: paint or decoupage. I already had a pumpkin that I had painted in the past. In fact, it was a Day of the Dead pumpkin. The goal behind creating the Day of the Dead (Dia de los muertes) is to make the skull colorful and vibrant, a joyous memory of those who have passed away. I wanted to create an image full of love, and I hope that I managed to do that.
I think that I did this project two years ago. One thing that I learned about myself in the process of decorating this pumpkin is that I am not hard wired to create a fright, even if I do like the scary nature of Halloween. Which is okay because the goal of this pumpkin is to creating a reminder of loving memories. Plus, the pumpkin has really good teeth. Anyway, it was really fun to create this image, which is happily on display today.
So, today, I decided not to paint another Day of the Dead pumpkin. The two might not get along. Or they might compete for my attention. So, instead, I did decoupage, which involved lots and lots of mod podge and a big mess. I had so much fun creating the mess. And this was the result!
All of those flowers are from napkins that people might bring to an event to share the autumnal colors that they enjoy at this time of year. This was so much fun to make. I got to use scissors and then loads of mod podge. I think that this one will be good friends with the Day of the Dead pumpkin. Here are the pumpkins together, with a few others for an autumnal display. I will probably tweak it a bit tomorrow.
Here we go. One ghost, wearing glasses, with a bunch of pumpkin friends. The only pumpkin that I didn’t create was the purple pumpkin that looks like it was knitted. That one was a gift. The others are the result of happy days at either the Grand Island Memorial Library or at Orange Poppy Art Studio.
Enjoy the spooky season and remember to make something fun!
Both your pumpkins are super but I LOVE your decoupaged pumpkin Alice! Something about the colors, it’s so cheerful with the autumn colors. Even for Day of the Dead, it is awakening especially with the white pumpkin.
Thank you so much! The entire process made me happy, from start to finish!!!
Alice, I think you’re on to something here. Add a new pumpkin every fall, and one day your house is going to host a crafty pumpkin exhibition! You did a great job applying the decoupage technique. I tried it once, and I ran out of patience..!
I’m kind of nerdy so I was a happy camper doing more and more decoupage!
I’m so I impressed. I usually don’t care for decorations for the Day of the Dead. Somehow I find yours more “lighthearted” perhaps. But I love your decoupage one.
thank you, Cheryl.
Both pumpkins are so fun, and I love your little display!
For a couple of years adecade ago, our Spanish PTA hosted a Dios de los Muertos party fundraiser for the teens’ ‘Safe Grad Night.’ Several of my daughter’s Chicana school district co-workers were organizing it, and she invite me to come to a decoration making party!
We painted little ceramic pumpkins, and my grandaughters learned how to decorate real sugar skulls one of the women made!
I did a Calavera painting for the silent auction (I’ll share a post about that!) And one year I painted faces of kids as they came.
There was a beautiful altar, the local Azteca group danced, the HS culinary class prepared the food. It was such a lovely offering and celebration for the whole community!
Thanks for nudging those memories!
Nadya
OH WOW!!! I have never seen pumpkins done this way. I grew about 6 small white pumpkins this year and could totally see myself trying some of these techniques! Thanks for sharing.
Love the pumpkins, Alice. I did some decoupage way back but never thought of doing a pumpkin. Hope the pumpkin holds up when it gets ripen. Do you prep it first?
The pumpkin is made of paper mache so it will be fine!!! No need for prepping! I am looking for a pie pumpkin, but I intend on turning that into pumpkin soup!