the space between

upcycle, repurpose and reinvent your space

fall craft {pumpkin}

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Do you live on a Caribbean island where real pumpkins rot in about .2 seconds from the time you leave the grocery store?

No?

Maybe you’re just looking for a new take on the old Halloween craft project? Or, maybe you’re like me and just love to take something natural and make it into something unique.
fall craft pumpkin

Like a pumpkin.

Out of palm frond leaves.
fall craft pumpkin

I used leaves from our yard to make my first fall craft, the easy peasy leaf wreath.

And I used my neighbor’s yard debris to make this little fall craft. My pumpkin.

Truth be told, this was a little more involved than the leaf wreath, but nothing a determined hot gluer can’t handle.

I grabbed a neat looking dead palm leaf on one of our evening walks around the ‘hood, with no real plan in mind. It definitely got an eye roll from Joel.

Total side note: Can I just say that Christian Grey would have a field day with Joel and I considering how often we’re rolling our eyes around here? Oh Lordy!

Ok, back to the dead palm. And a puppy with really good timing.
fall craft pumpkin

I started by cutting off all of the leaves and soaking them in water for about an hour to give them more flexibility.
fall craft pumpkin

Tie a rubber band around the end of the leaves cut from the ‘stem’. (This end will end up inside the top of the pumpkin.)
fall craft pumpkin

One at a time, pull the other end of the leaves around overlapping them in your hand. This part that you’re holding will end up being the bottom of the pumpkin.

Continue, slowly creating a circle, filling in empty spots as you go.
fall craft pumpkin

fall craft pumpkin

fall craft pumpkinUmmmm, that’s going to be a pumpkin, right?!?!

Now, I didn’t have a plan when I got started. So once I had all the leaves pulled around and had them all held together with my hand I had an interesting time perusing the blog room to try to figure out how to secure them all together.

Thank goodness for staplers. 🙂
fall craft pumpkinStaple a couple of times in what is the center of the bottom of the pumpkin to hold all of the leaves together, snip off the extra length, hot glue more leaves in areas where the pumpkin looks sparse.

I didn’t take a picture of it, but hot glue the end that’s now inside the pumpkin, tied with the rubber band, to the center of the bottom. Basically right onto your staples, to straighten it out.

Hot glue a small stick for a stem.

Twirl a few thin leaves around a pencil and hot glue around the stem for added interest.

And then enjoy your unique fall craft … and new take on the ol’ pumpkin. 🙂
fall craft pumpkinAnd then put some Christmas lights in it (LED to be safe) and admire it at night.
fall craft pumpkinAnd then blog about it. 😉  And enjoy another practically FREE project. Not sure what the exact cost of one staple and less than one stick of hot glue is. 🙂

fall craft pumpkin tutorial



Or you could buy a lit grapevine pumpkin for $129 from Grandin Road.

And if you want to see the easy peasy leaf wreath, it’s right here.

And, for a little photo tour of our walk around ‘hood, click here.

And tell me what you think. A fun take on an old original? A unique spin on the pumpkin? Or best used as a fire starter? 🙂

I am sharing this at Savvy Southern Style.

Comments

  2. Karah, Love the idea. There are plenty of palm leaves here. This reminds me of the process I used many, many years ago to make corn husk dolls which could also be made with palm leaves. Love your ideas. You are the best. Nancy Carr, Vieques, Puerto Rico

  4. I can’t believe you just whipped that up form a palm frond. Now THAT is talent and dedication to the art of pumpkin making :))) Truly inspired.

  7. I’m a sucker for anything pumpkin AND for anything that casts interesting shadows when lit at night, so I love this. Don’t. have. palm. fronds. here. Maybe raffia could be used instead or even sisal rope if coated with a fabric stiffener.

  9. What a nice idea! Your pumpkin looks festive as any northern pumpkin. I also live in the tropical climate and I may try this as well….thank you for the inspiration

  11. This I LOVE!!!!! You are just so darned creative, who would have ever thought…a pumpkin from fronds! Only in Curacao. Hope you are well. xxoo

  14. Ha!!1 Awesomeness again from my Curacao friend:) You continue to amaze me.! I have one palm tree that is not very big but it does have small fronds so I may be able to make a mini one! love to the fuzzies!

    Kristy from Gawga!

  15. OK this is officially my FAVORITE pumpkin of the year so far. I love it! It’s different and pretty and so cool. Great job!

  17. Now THIS is a pumpkin I can get on board with!! Too bad there’s no dead palm fronds lying around here in Georgia… I’ll just admire yours. And pin it. 🙂
    xo Heidi

  18. This is such a great idea, Karah! I love a palm leaf pumpkin!
    Thanks so much for inspiring me today!
    karianne

  20. If we had dead palm leaves on the ground around here, I would definitely pick one up and turn it into a pumpkin – what a fun & creative craft project! I love how it turned out, especially lit up with the LED lights 🙂

  22. OH my gosh, so cute. People like you make people like me look like…I dunno…rotting pumpkin lovers or something. That looks seriously awesome. And I love decor that you don’t have to store from year to year, you know? Like, most fake pumpkins take up so.much.space. This is fabulous. Really.
    -Brittney
    http://smartgirlstyle.blogspot.com (my new home-decor blog; come on by if you like! But only if you lower your expectations. Like, super duper low…wait. Right about there is perfect. K, NOW come on by…)

  23. Well, I’m in awe – how many people can take palm leaves and turn them into a pumpkin? WOW! Found you at Savvy Southern Style!

  27. Karah, my dear, this is awesome and a great example of using what you have! Don’t think I could ever be this clever!

    Jenny

  28. You get the prize for most creative in my book. I love your natural pumpkin. I wonder if I could make on from pampas grass leaves? Might have to try this week end.

  30. Seriously, Pretty darn awesome Karah! You were really thinking outside the box on this idea! Thanks so emuch for sharing with our party.

  33. Absolutely fabulous : 100% recycled + 100% natural + free + easy enough. YOU are a champion! I love it. So, let me invite you to share your creation (and other ideas) at our linky party at http://www.FineCraftGuild.com/party : Look forward to seeing you there! ~ Rose

  35. Oh I love! That might be do-able for me here in Hong Kong. We don’t have pumpkins either. Or thy cost an arm and a leg at the store!

  37. just tried making this… my palm was different so it didn’t work… wahaaaa! So sad! Turned it into a vase arrangement :o)

  40. Awesome! It never would have occurred to me to do something like that with yard “trash”. Thanks for sharing!

  42. Cute, clever, free, and innovative. What could be better? It’s so pretty lighted.

  44. This IS the most creative (and awesome) pumpkin I have ever seen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love it and am so gettig a palm frond next trip to Fl.! XO, Pinky

  45. I love this – a lot. What a great DIY mind you have 🙂 Living in the Pacific Northwest, I won’t be finding any palm leaves, but perhaps something will inspire me. Have a great day!

  48. I don’t have the painful experience of living in the Caribbean! Hahaha.. But I do so LOVE that totally out-of-the-box pumpkin. It’s crazy!

    • Yes Gwen … the Caribbean … it’s downright hideous! But there are so many southern states that have palm trees. So glad you like the pumpkin!!

  49. What a gorgeous idea, Karah–love that you used what you had and turned it into something unique and so beautiful. I love your last picture with the pumpkin backlit–pumpkin glamour! “I’m ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille . . .” says your pumpkin as she smiles seductively for your camera!

  50. Karah!!!! This is awesome. Just awesome. I love love love it. I have some willow branches I am wanting to make a pumpkin out of – this helps me think of how I might do it. – and now I know what I want in my next shipment from Curaco . .

  55. You’re a genius! I would never have thought to use old leaves! I seriously just threw a bunch of them in the trash last week. Maybe I’ll have to ask my neighbors if I can weed for them? Thanks for the inspiration!

  57. Thank you so much for linking to Homa Style’s No Orange Autumn Display Link Party. Your pumpkin my favorite on the internet or anywhere!!! Will you be able to keep it for years to come? You have me combing the forest ground and so far all I have to show is a pile of curved sticks! I was very excited to show it to my readers. Homa Style will be hosting a Simple Holiday Handmade Gift Idea Link Party {Please no sale items} on Oct 31. Hope to see you there. Thanks again!

    • One other idea is raffia … maybe you could get a similar look! So glad you like the pumpkin. I am hoping to keep it until I manage to inadvertently crush it. 🙂

  58. Fantastic idea! My weekly linky party–One Creative Weekend–has gone spooky this week in honor of my thirteenth party. If you haven’t already, I hope you’ll visit “One Creative Weekend” on OneCreativeMommy.com (open every Fri-Wed) and link up this idea and anything else you’d like to share. (You can include non-Halloween posts as well, but feel free to link up as many Halloween-themed posts as you like.) There are two categories—one for Halloween and one for everything else.

  62. I forgot to pin this, not that I live anywhere that Palm Trees grow, but I do have a few small ones in my home…maybe in 20 years when they are big enough I can create this absolutely awesome pumpkin!!
    Thanks,
    Debbie 🙂

  63. Love it, Karah! I’m not a fan of the rafia option, so I guess a visit to collect materials is required. haha! I’m going to include a link back in this week’s DIY Fall Festival highlights. Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂

    • A visit down here definitely sounds like your best option!! Thank you so much for including it in your party highlights!!

  64. I LOVE your pumpkin. In fact, I actually have pumpkin envy as I WANT your pumpkin!

    • Thank you so much, Michelle! I lived in Switzerland for a year … got a chance to go to Octoberfest in Munich … had a blast. 🙂

  67. Wish i had palm fronds…would so loce to make this! It’s really cool. Great craft. HUGS

  68. Oh my goodness- yes my mouth was open when I scrolled down and saw your material list :)— I am impressed and I live in Florida with a backyard full of palms! Thanks for sharing! Making some for our Thanksgiving table —

  69. That is truly inspired! You definitely have vision and creativity plus maybe a deep longing for a pumpkin! Strong work.

Trackbacks

  2. […] a regular evening walk around her neighborhood, Karah from The Space Between was inspired by her neighbor’s yard debris to make some fall décor – Caribbean style. With […]

  3. […] There are so many different pumpkin ideas out there this time of year.  And this year I’ve found so much inspiration from nature.  From all of that yard debris that finds it’s way to a beautiful shade of … fall.  This easy craft is made from palm fronds, but if you don’t live in a climate with palm fronds … I think raffia, or even jute twine would create a similar, nature inspired look.  Read the tutorial of how to make this easy fall pumpkin craft here. […]

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  11. […] Fall Pumpkin Craft ~:: The Space Between ::~ […]

  15. […] Palm Frond Pumpkin Tutorial […]

  16. […] Thanks for visiting!If you have access to palm fronds where you live, you can make this fantastic fall pumpkin craft from Karah at The Space Between. What a beautiful way to take something from nature and transform […]

  17. […] is so stinkin’ cool I can hardly stand it!  Seriously.  Thank you.  From the bottom of my palm frond pumpkin. (See what I did there … a serious comment dumbed down with a not serious analogy … […]

  18. […] even took our neighbor’s yard debris and turned it into a fall pumpkin. And when we’re not DIYing, we’re traveling, sharing the foto friday series has been […]

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  27. […] There are so many different pumpkin ideas out there this time of year.  And this year I’ve found so much inspiration from nature.  From all of that yard debris that finds it’s way to a beautiful shade of … fall.  This easy craft is made from palm fronds, but if you don’t live in a climate with palm fronds … I think raffia, or even jute twine would create a similar, nature inspired look.  Read the tutorial of how to make this easy fall pumpkin craft here. […]