Fall / Halloween Craft: Acrylic Paint Stamped Squash


We are not quite ready to harvest our pumpkins, but we did have some very overgrown squash that were no longer edible (but were quite beautiful!)  I looked into ways to decorate them and considered that painting them with a basic acrylic paint would work well.  Here is an easy way you can use acrylic paints to give you squash, gourds, or pumpkins a little pop!


You will need:
  • Squash/gourds/small pumpkins (don't have a garden? Walmart has several types in stores now!)
  • Acrylic Paint
  • Stencils (optional)
  • Brushes, sponges, and other applicators
  • Baby Wipes and a drying cloth
  • Ribbon
1. Make sure your squash is clean, free of any mud, and dry.  Cut any stem down to a reasonable length for displaying.

2.  Get your paint ready.  I just squirt the colors of my choosing onto a foam plate so that I can toss it when I'm done.

3.  Cut your sponges or other applicators down to the size and shape of your design elements.  For the leafy fern design, I cut a kitchen sponge into a "leaf" shape.  For the polka dots design, I used a giant marshmallow.

4.  Carefully apply your paint.  I messed up a few times, but it was easy to use a baby wipe to clear the canvas and start over.



5.  While the paint is drying, tie some colorful ribbon to the neck of the gourd or squash.  Blacks, browns, and oranges work well for this!


When completely dry, you'll have a pretty piece to add to a centerpiece, cornucopia basket, or pumpkin display.  This project is not waterproof, so indoors only!


What fun designs would you paint on your squash?  If you are pressed for time you can also check out these creative stencils!

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