Upcycled Ceramic Pumpkins

I enjoy making fall and Halloween crafts.  As an eco-conscious consumer, I love to rescue, repurpose and upcycle secondhand finds. This collection of sweet DIY Halloween pumpkins started out as a lowly thrift store find desperately in need of some T-L-C.  

Whenever I’m thrifting, I keep an eye out for anything that can be repurposed as seasonal decor. Last fall, I scooped up two sets of ceramic pumpkins for less than $3. Because one of the sets had such deep ridges and grooves, I thought it would look really good with dark, moody paint. Halfway through the project, I decided to make them whimsical and fun by adding plastic googly eyes.

Supplies needed:

• Chalkboard paint
• Fine grit sanding block
• Glue that adheres to glass
• Pack of googly eyes
• Foam paint brush
• Green craft paint
• Painter’s tape
• Newspaper/tissue paper

This was an easy craft since I already had most of the supplies I needed on hand. I started by lightly sanding some of the chipped areas of the pumpkins.  Next, I stuffed the centers and the top of the lid with tissue paper and lightly applied several coats of chalkboard paint. 

To avoid paint drips, applying light coats is key. If you do get a few drips use your sanding block to gently remove them then repaint. Once the pumpkins were fully coated and dried, I applied painter’s tape near the top of the pumpkins.  Then I coated the stems using a foam paint brush and some dark green craft paint.  

Once the stems were dried, I removed the painter’s tape.  Next, I added some large plastic eyes from a local craft store.  The eyes come in a large pack with different sizes – so be creative.  That’s it.

I love how these upcycled ceramic pumpkins turned out! Hopefully, they provide some inspiration for your next thrift store visit.