Pumpkins and gourds are essential for the fall season and make perfect decorations for any table or outdoor setting. Traditional carving and “degutting” of a pumpkin can sometimes be time consuming and messy. This step-by-step instructional video will show you how to create a new look with an old concept. For this etching pumpkin project you will need a nice sized pumpkin of your choice either orange or white, painter’s tape, black flat spray paint, regular white chalk and wood carving tools.
Instructions:
1. Take your pumpkin and cover the stem up with your painter’s tape.
2. Next, take your pumpkin outside and cover the entire pumpkin with a light layer of the black flat spray paint.
3. With your regular white chalk draw any design you wish on your now black painted pumpkin.
4. After you have drawn your design on your pumpkin, take your wood carving tools and start etching away! You can etch with your wood carving tools just on the surface to get the orange to show or you could etch deeper to get a paler yellow look. Instead of drawing a design on your pumpkin you could also etch using your wood carving tools just along the natural ridges of the pumpkin, creating a stripe design.
5. You can leave your now etched pumpkin as is or you can cut off the top of the pumpkin and hollow out the inside like you would for a traditional pumpkin. But this is no traditional pumpkin, instead, you place a vase that is the right size for that pumpkin and you now you have a pumpkin vase. You can also use this idea for silk florals if you don’t want to mess with real flowers. Instead of a vase you could use a green floral foam block and arrange your silk florals as you wish. Try playing with different colors of spray paint for a whole new look!

This video and any provided information are purely instructional. We are not liable from any events during the completion of the project, nor make any guarantees on the final state of the said project. This video is copyright of Meredith Corporation.