Instructions

1. Watch video. Follow along with the video tutorial for a walkthrough on how to make your own plastic bowl pumpkin.
2. Prep the Bowls. Spray the outside of both bowls with a light coat of matte white primer or spray paint. Don’t worry about perfect coverage—this is just to help your chalk paint adhere better. Let dry.
3. Create the Pumpkin Base. Add dabs of E6000 glue around the rim of one bowl. Place the second bowl upside-down on top to form a sphere shape. Press gently, then set aside until the glue dries completely.
4. Paint the Pumpkin. Using a flat craft brush, apply your chalk paint directly onto the bowls. Mix colors right on the surface (bright orange, light pink, tan, or brown) for a natural, dimensional look. Paint the entire sphere, working in sections, and let dry on parchment paper to prevent sticking.
5. Attach the Stem. Hot glue doesn’t hold well on plastic alone, so first coil a short piece of twine into a small circle. Hot glue this coil to the top of the pumpkin, then glue your stick on top. The twine creates a secure base for the stem.
6. Add Curly Tendrils. Wrap jute cord around a pencil to form spirals. Hold for a few seconds, then remove. Hot glue one end of each curly cue near the stem and let them drape naturally down the sides. Repeat for 2–3 tendrils of varying lengths.
7. Make and Attach a Bow. Cut a piece of ribbon and form a simple figure-eight shape with two loops. Pinch the center, wrap with a smaller ribbon strip, and tie in back. Trim the tails at an angle and seal with a lighter to prevent fraying. Hot glue your bow at the base of the stem.