Painted Pumpkin Container

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• One Medium-Sized Craft Pumpkin
• Ultra-Matte Acrylic Chalk Paint, Milk Jug or Similar
• Acrylic Paint, Burnt Sienna, Coral, Beige, Light Green Used Here
• Paint Brushes, Variety of Flats & Rounds
• Covered Workspace/Drop Cloth
• Pencil
• Serrated Kitchen Knife
• Fine Sandpaper
• Flat Crystal-Clear Acrylic Coating
• Plastic Plant Saucer/Drip Tray
• Artificial Arrangement or Real Plant

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mark where you want to cut—we cut about 2 1/2" from the top of our pumpkin. Securely hold the pumpkin horizontally and cut using a serrated kitchen knife perpendicular to the pumpkin. A sawing motion works best.
2. Use fine sandpaper to lightly sand the interior and the lip of the pumpkin. Next, paint the inside and outside of the pumpkin with a base coat of ultra-matte acrylic chalk paint (we used the color "milk jug"). Three light coats on the outside and two on the inside should do it. Allow drying thoroughly between coats.
3. Faintly draw your design on the Pumpkin base and paint the design with acrylic paint. Use a thin brush to outline shapes and fill in large areas of color with a slightly larger flat paintbrush.
4. When you are finished painting, add several layers of a spray matte acrylic coating to the entire pumpkin. Use a plastic plant saucer/drip tray to keep the interior of the planter clean and free of standing water which may damage the painted surface. Recommended for indoor use.

JOANN HACKS:

• Sketch design ideas on paper before painting.
• We used a spray matte acrylic coating to add durability to the paint. A gloss coating would work great too.
• Circle stencils help trace curved designs.