Chalk Pastel Pumpkins DIY

The idea of creating pastel pumpkins as part of my fall / autumn decorating was 100% inspired by the light and bright look my home has developed over the last year. There’s definitely sections I’m decorating more traditionally but I loved the idea of a pumpkin display that fit in with the look I already have.

I’ve been hugely inspired recently by Geneva Vanderzeil and her #trashtoterracotta diys but unable to do too much charity shop bargain hunting recently I’ve been seriously lacking ceramics to upcycle! Then, just as I was starting to plan my autumn diys it hit me that I could really use the technique on anything so my idea for my chalk pastel pumpkins diy was born!

What’s great about this technique is you can use any leftover paint you have and instantly transform it into a chalky-like ceramic texture when it dries. This gave the pumpkins a really beautiful texture and finish I wouldn’t have got with just normal paint.

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup of Water Based Paint

• 1 tablespoon of Baking Powder

• Plastic Pumpkins

• Paintbrush

• Gold Spray Paint

• Plastic Container

• Stick for mixing

Method:

1. Remove the stalks of your pumpkins.

2. Spray paint them gold and leave to dry.

3. Pour your paint into your plastic container and add the baking powder.

4. Mix well until it becomes a mousse-like texture.

5. Apply your paint to your pumpkin (work quickly as it dries fairly fast!)

6. Allow paint to touch dry before applying another coat.

7. Once dry, reattach your stalks!

As the paint goes on, I found the first coat looked a little scary, but once you apply coat two it really comes to life. I love the chalky texture that the baking powder gives, without having to splurge on lots of different chalk paints, particularly for a small project like this. It was great being able to use up old tester pots we had lying around and it meant the colours for the chalk pastel pumpkins matched in with my home.

Even though I was using a mix of pastels and white, I still wanted an autumnal vibe, so I made sure I picked lots of warm tones with a bit of a 70s vibe. This really helps tie them into the season, so it’s still autumnal even when using the lighter colours.

All that’s left is to display your diy chalk pastel pumpkins and there are so many options for this! I like to create a bit of a collection of them on a sideboard or cabinet as this can really make a statement! I also feel they look particularly awesome when there’s a big variety of them arranged together! When choosing our pumpkins we painted most of the small ones in the pastels, and a few larger ones white to help create a good visual mix when displayed together. I think the gold stalks really finish these off as well as it just adds that little touch of glam without being over the top!

These chalk pastel pumpkins would also make a really great centrepiece for an autumn tablescape or displayed along a mantlepiece with some beautiful foliage or florals - the possibilities are endless!

I’d love to know if you decide to create your own chalk pastel pumpkins! They really are the perfect fall / autumn addition, especially if you want something more soft than spooky! A super classy way to update your home for the season whilst sticking with your current home colour palette by using paints you already have!

Eliza x

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