Guest Pin - Mini Vampire Pumpkins

Hello Pinterest/Craft-aholics!  This is Shirley over at Golden Dreemz guest posting for my great friend, Penelope.  As she mentioned a couple of posts back, we are both addicted to Pinterest and plan to get together for a nerdy pin-aholics meetup one of these days.  She also mentioned that my house is currently in the throws of a serious remodel, but that hasn't stopped me from getting my pin-on!

I just love the holidays and there are so many great ideas on Pinterest for Halloween and X-mas.  So what does someone who can't really support decorating her house in the middle of a remodel decide to do?  Decorate miniature pumpkins instead!  They are much more manageable and I can just give them away after if my toddler would only let me.

This pin was originally the bright idea of Martha Stewart.  I had no idea she had a funny bone.  I mean look at those pumpkin faces!  I combined that idea with this Pin and voila!  Larry, Curly, and Moe were born.  It was super easy.  Let's get started:

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

Mini pumpkins

Plastic vampire fangs ($1 at Party City)

Red/Black map tacks or pins (available at fabric stores)

Pumpkin carver or knife

Regular Spoon (to scoop out the pumpkin guts, the spoons that come in the kits tend to be to big to fit in the mouth opening)

A bag to toss the pumpkin guts

*Optional:  black construction paper and scissors

I probably spent less than $10 to make Larry, Curly, and Moe.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO DO:

1. Clean off your pumpkin, place the fangs at the spot you'd like the mouth and mark each of the four corners where the cut will be made.  *Hint, it's better to start smaller and then make the hole bigger depending if you want the fangs clenched or more open.  Martha Stewart provides a template, but really it's just a rectangular oval.

Clenched Fangs

2.  Cutout the shape of the rectangular oval to your desired size.  You may have to place the fangs in the hole several times to gauge how big you'd like the mouth opening.  If you have a dog, he may enjoy the loose pumpkin bits as a tasty Halloween snack.

Qori gets his snack-on!

3.  Add the map tack eyes.  They seem to look funnier if they align with the width of the mouth.


4.  Take your spoon and scoop out the pumpkin guts and place them in your plastic bag.

Diego the little helper

5.  Insert the fangs and adjust.

6.  Optional:  Free-hand draw a mustache on black construction paper.  Cut out the mustache and tack onto your pumpkin.

7.  Stand back and admire your pumpkins!

So far, everyone who has seen these pumpkins have giggled at the sight.  They are super easy and fun to make, especially if you have a little helper! Don't forget about those pumpkin guts!  You can toast the seeds in the oven for yet another tasty Halloween snack that's more "human" approved.

Your fellow Pin-aholic - Shirley