The V Spot

Rants, observations, and home decorating... from a woman with no time for a blog.


Black & White Pumpkin Topiaries: another DIY Halloween craft.

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Topiaries are always kind of fun and so I decided to make some fun pumpkin topiaries for Halloween.  I love how these turned out!

I have had the two urns for years, but everything else was either from the Dollar Store, or I already had them on hand.  (Or they were trash or yard clippings…)

Supplies needed:

  • 3 different sizes of pumpkins x 2  (I got these at the Dollar Store)
  • 2 fake ravens (I had these sparkly guys, but the Dollar Store has ravens too)
  • white spray paint
  • glitter paint (or glue and glitter)
  • hot glue gun
  • wood skewers
  • black spray paint
  • newspaper or kraft paper
  • sticks or dried florals
  • card-stock and ribbon

First, you’ll want to cut the stems off of your pumpkins.  It was pretty easy to do with just a bread knife.

I painted all of the pumpkins with white spray paint and then embellished them with ribbons, glitter and glitter puff paint.  You can use whatever you have around and put any design you’d like.

When the pumpkins were dry, it was time to start stacking them in the urns.

Because it’ll be top-heavy, you want to be sure it is stable at the bottom.  As luck would have it, I happened to have a couple of empty Patron Tequila bottles sitting around.  (Don’t you judge me!)  These bottles are beautiful and are a heavy, blown glass.  I wedged them into the urns, upside down.  These provide weight for the bottom of the topiary and also an elevated platform for the base pumpkin to sit on.

To help hide the bottle, I ripped up strips of kraft paper, spray painted them black and tucked them around the edges of the urn.  Next, I fired up my glue gun and glued the first pumpkin to the bottle.

I glued a few doo-dads in between the pumpkins here and there.  One thing I highly recommend doing is running a skewer through the 3 pumpkins and glue them as you stack them.  Again, for stability.  Base pumpkin, middle pumpkin, top pumpkin and top it off with a raven.  They have little wires on their feet and I just poked the wires down into the pumpkin.  I added some glue to the bottom of the feet as well…

Making the banner is easy.  I cut out the tags and the letters on my Cricut, but you could use any shape (or fabric) or store bought letters.  Whatever you want.  I tied them onto a length of ribbon….

Then I glued the ends of the ribbon to the back side of the birds’ beaks, so it looks like they’re they’re holding it.

I think it’s pretty simple because of the color palette, but is intricate because of all of the texture.

I like how the orange pumpkins and the candy pop against all of that white and silver.

I am so, so happy with how these turned out!  I wish Halloween would last a bit longer each year!

Happy October!!!

***UPDATE: I knew I had been inspired by ravens holding a garland somewhere last year and just couldn’t remember where, what or who.  I just stumbled across it… I should have known it was from the fabulous Carolyn at Homework, with her crow garland last October.***

about Vivienne Wagner

Comments

  1. I love it! The crows holding the banner are my favorite element. It’s awesome!!

    PS-I won’t judge, I have a Patron bottle hanging out waiting for it’s turn at bat 😉

    Reply

  12. This is beautiful Vivienne! I love the sparkly ravens holding the tag banner! You are so clever to use the empty patron bottle (no judgement here…I have a few of those lying around :))

    Amy*

    Reply

  15. it’s amazing how a few bucks and a bit of coherent effort create something so ridiculously beautiful!
    If I could have something like this in my house, I swear I’d keep it all year round because I’d be so, so proud of it.
    It’s elegant, quirky, unique, and I think it really has my name written all over it yet again. Get out of my head, lass. You’re causing a creative itch!
    Why, oh why do our pound shops not sell ravens and pumpkins? What the heck???

    Reply

  21. Hi! First time visiting your cute blog. Love your Halloween decor. You have 4 boys??? Oh, MY! I have twin boys – that’s it! I can’t imaging double….xo

    Reply

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