Project of the Week

Personalized Foam Jack-o-Lanterns

Wow, it’s October already and we are in full-fall mode after letting the girls decorate our front yard to make it “spooky”.  I’ve seen these craft pumpkins every year but have never been inspired with an idea I loved enough to bother with the project.  When I create something we will use each year, I like to make sure that it’s something I really love and not just something to pass the time.

Since I now have a Silhouette craft cutter at my disposal, I imagined a beautiful set of monogramed pumpkins.  I took my older daughter to Michael’s to purchase the pumpkins.  I was honestly torn between classic orange and the modern white versions so I let Chloe choose.  I must be rubbing off on her because she instantly picked the white.  She picked two small pumpkins for herself and her sister and two large for Jason & me.  I started to explain how we were going to put our “initials” on the pumpkins and she said “no, carve faces with names in them”.  Okay, so she’s a genius.  Much better idea, thank you, Chloe!

Michael’s does sell “hot knifes” for cutting these, but it was basically a cheap soldering iron with an exact blade on it.  I really don’t see how the heat can help that much.

I sketched the faces with open mouthes in pencil, using a Google image search as inspiration for eye shapes to give each pumpkin a bit of it’s own character.  I added our names in block letters inside the mouths.  Slowly, I cut the shapes out with an exacto-knife.  Speed is the enemy of this project so keep it slow and steady.  I did have to saw a bit in some places, but these are easier to carve that you’d think.  I found it easier than carving an actual pumpkin since they are much thinner, more sturdy, and my hands weren’t covered in pumpkin slime.

We haven’t added lights yet because I know I have plenty of flameless LED candles somewhere.  Once I find them, I’ll cut small holes in the bottom just large enough for the candles.

I have an exciting sponsored project coming up next week so be sure to follow Remodelicious on your favorite channel, Pinterest, Facebook, twitter, etc. with the links on the right!