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    Home » DIY Projects

    Decorating White Pumpkins with Leaves

    October 6, 2021 by Patti Estep Leave a Comment

    Jump to How-to Card
    White pumpkin decorated with dark leaves on a buffet above the top down view of the same pumpkin with leaves rimmed around the stem.
    White pumpkin decorated with dark leaves.

    See how decorating white pumpkins with leaves from the garden is to create. They make a beautiful accent piece for your fall decor. Use it as a centerpiece or anywhere you want to add a little natural beauty.

    White pumpkin decorated with leaves in a dark color.

    There are so many beautiful pumpkins on the market just about everywhere you go in the fall. This year I thought I'd try decorating a pumpkin with leaves for a no-carve look. Carving pumpkins can be gorgeous but it can be difficult and the result doesn't last long as the pumpkin will rot fairly quickly. No carve decorated pumpkins should last several weeks.

    Plain white pumpkin with blemish at the bottom.

    This pretty creamy white pumpkin I picked up had a big blemish area. I'm sure it's from the way the pumpkin sat in the garden patch. The unsightly area is what brought me to the idea of decoupaging some leaves on the pumpkin to hide the area and make the pumpkin look fun and festive.

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    How to Decorate a Pumpkin with Leaves

    I used leaves from my Ninebark 'Diablo' and Weigela 'Wine and Roses' shrubs. They both have beautiful dark leaves and gave the pumpkin a pretty contrasting neutral look. However, you can use any leaves you want. In fact, I think fall color leaves would be gorgeous.

    White pumpkin on a cookie sheet and tray.
    1. Start by pressing your leaves to flatten them. Use some wax paper to protect the leaves and add some weight to the top of a sheet pan, books or whatever you have on hand. I used the pumpkin for weight but food cans or anything heavy would work.
    Dark leaves on a tray that have been pressed.

    This will make the leaves easier to work with.

    Back of leaf painted with mod podge.

    2. Next coat the back of a leaf with mod podge using a sponge brush.

    Dark leaves covering blemish on pumpkin with mod podge.

    3. Place the leaf on the pumpkin. Start with some of the larger leaves and overlap them as you cover the area.

    Side of pumpkin being covered with dark leaves.

    4. Continue around the bottom of the pumpkin covering as much as you like.

    Smaller dark leaves covering the top of a pumpkin around the stem.

    5. Add some leaves to the top of the pumpkin too if you like in the same manner.

    Layer of mod podge on top of leaves on the pumpkin to seal.

    6. Once you have your leaves in place let them dry a little (about 20-30 minutes.) Then completely coat the top of the leaves with more mod podge.

    White pumpkin decorated with leaves on a buffet next to a candle.

    7. Once the glue dries completely set it anywhere you'd like. Don't you think it would make a cute centerpiece?

    White pumpkin decorated with leaves on a buffet flanked with two candles on each side.

    For now, I have it on my dining buffet with some candles.

    This easy DIY project is one that you could do with kids but is interesting enough for adults. So invite some family and/or friends over and make it an afternoon of fun, food, and great conversation.

    Patti signature

    More Fun Pumpkin Crafts

    • Alcohol Ink Pumpkins
    • Floral Pumpkin Wreath
    • Felted Pumpkins
    • Large Paper Heirloom Pumpkins
    Mod podge pumpkin with black garden leaves.
    Print

    Decorating White Pumpkins with Leaves

    Use leaves from the garden or collected in the fall to create a beautiful decorated pumpkin with mod podge for a unique fall look.
    Prep Time1 hr
    Active Time1 hr
    Total Time2 hrs
    Course: DIY Projects
    Yield: 1
    Author: Patti Estep
    Cost: $10

    Equipment

    • Sponge brush

    Materials

    • 1 white pumpkin
    • leaves from the garden or collected fall leaves
    • mod podge
    • wax paper

    Instructions

    • Clean your pumpkin
    • Press leaves on a hard surface covered with wax paper. Place a flat object or pan on top and weigh it down with cans or anything heavy.
    • Start covering the pumpkin by spreading mod podge on the backs of the leaves and placing them along the bottom of the pumpkin all around.
    • Make a ring of additional leaves around the stem.
    • Allow the leaves to set up for a little while maybe 20-30 minutes.
    • Then coat the entire leaf area with additional mod podge to seal and protect.

    Notes

    The leaves used here are from Ninebark 'Diablo', Weigela 'Wine and Roses' shrubs. However, you can use any leaves you like including colorful fall leaves you've collected.

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    About Patti Estep

    Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.

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