Halloween Craft Ideas: Denim Star Pumpkins

If you are looking for a bit of country charm to add to your Halloween or Fall decor this year, consider these fun denim star pumpkins. Inexpensive faux pumpkins can usually be purchased at a dollar store.

For this project, you will need:

- One faux pumpkin of any size or shape (available at craft supply shops and Halloween decor shops)
- Soapy water
- Small dish cloth
- Paper towels
- Painter's tape
- Krylon Indoor Outdoor Primer in All-Purpose White
- Krylon Indoor Outdoor Paint in Cherry Red or any color of your choice
- Denim fabric
- Fabric marking pen
- Large star shaped stencil (size is up to how big of a faux pumpkin you are using)
- Fabric scissors
- Two sponge brushes
- Mod Podge or other decoupage medium
- Brown acrylic paint
- Paper plate
- Old newspaper and/or a large drop cloth

Use a few sheets of old newspaper and/or a rather large drop cloth to cover the space in which you will be working. Very gently wash the faux pumpkin with soapy water. Rinse well and dry using a few paper towels. Cover the stem of the faux pumpkin with painter's tape for protection.

Prime the entire outside of the faux pumpkin using Krylon Indoor Outdoor Primer in All-Purpose White. Let the primed piece dry for about an hour before continuing on. Paint the outside of the pumpkin using Krylon Indoor Outdoor Paint in Cherry Red or another color of your choice. (The red paint lends an Americana or patriotic feel. Choose any color you wish to pair with the denim.) Wait thirty minutes to an hour before adding a second coat. Dry overnight.

Lay out the piece of denim face down onto the work area. (This can be a dissembled pair of jeans or simply a yard of fabric from a local craft shop.) With a fabric marking pen and a star shaped stencil, transfer the star image onto the denim fabric. Carefully cut out the star shape using fabric scissors.

Apply a generous amount of Mod Podge or other decoupage medium onto the back of the denim star shape. Adhere the star to the side of the painted faux pumpkin. Smooth the fabric piece with your fingers to prevent any wrinkling and to help adherence. Dry for four to five hours.

Pour a bit of brown acrylic paint onto a small paper plate. Remove the painter's tape from the stem of the faux pumpkin. Paint the stem using brown acrylic paint and a sponge brush. Let the pumpkin dry overnight before displaying.

TIP: By using a faux pumpkin, this creation can be displayed year after year!