It's a Devil! Halloween Pumpkin Decorating

The fall season is approaching; meaning it's time to start raking leaves, pull out jackets and sweaters, and get ready for Halloween. You may already be thinking about how to carve your pumpkin this year for a spooky jack-o-lantern, but there are many other craft projects for all ages that can be done with pumpkins. Are you feeling a little devilish this year?

You will need the following materials to make your devil pumpkin:

A medium to large size pumpkin, about 12 to 15 inches, either wide or tall

Old newspapers or paper towels

Poster paint in red and black

Paintbrushes

Glitter in red and black

1 or 2 sheets of red foam

Scissors

Hot glue gun and glue sticks or craft glue

Optional - white paint

Optional - 1 or 2 sheets of black foam

Cover your workspace with the newspapers or paper towels. Remove the stalk from the top and clean any dirt off of the pumpkin. Apply the red poster paint all over the pumpkin, and then sprinkle the red glitter all over. You may also choose to sprinkle a little black glitter as well. Set the pumpkin aside to dry completely.

While you are waiting, take the red foam and cut out horns to glue to the top of the pumpkin. Depending on how large you want to make them, you may need two sheets. If you like, you can apply some red and black glitter to the front and back of the horns.

For the eyes, nose, and mouth you can either cut the shapes out of the black foam, or apply them directly onto the pumpkin with the black paint. If you use the foam, adding an outline of red glitter around the eyes and using the white paint on the mouth to give your devil fangs before gluing them to the pumpkin are a couple of extra spooky touches. You can do the same things for a painted face; you will just need to be careful about making mistakes. Get creative and sprinkle black glitter over the devil's features, then go back over them with a little of the red glitter as well if you like.

Finally, glue the horns to the top and your devil pumpkin is ready to take the spotlight in your eerie Halloween display. Set him up with a group of pumpkin spiders or dangle a colony of pumpkin bats around him. Have a fun Halloween!