Last Thursday was the first day of fall and I welcomed the season with open arms. Hobby Lobby has had all fall and Christmas decor on 40% off for quite some time now. I picked up a cute scarecrow door hanger for only $12. But my favorite way to start decorating for fall, is by using real pumpkins and gourds. You can get a bag of the gourds like I used for $5 at HEB. I also was so excited to see new pumpkins this year. There are "pink" pumpkins like I got and dark green as well. I love the pink because it looks like something straight out of Cinderella. But it still has a peach/orange tint to it so that you don't stray too far away from true fall colors. If you have a pumpkin patch or farmers market nearby you can probably find even better deals and more options. I don't plan on carving these pumpkins, just setting them out for decoration. If you do plan on carving I would recommend waiting until about two or three weeks before Halloween since the carve pumpkins will decay much faster.
Left alone. the pumpkins and gourds will last much longer. These are the steps I use to preserve my pumpkins and gourds to help slow down the rotting that I found on this blog through Pinterest.
You will need:
Pumpkins/gourds
Bleach
Vaseline
Towel or washcloth
Tub or large sink
Aside from the pumpkins, you most likely have everything else at home already.
Fill your tub or sink with 10 parts water 1 part bleach and let your pumpkins soak for 5-10 minutes. Don't overdo the bleach or it will eat away at the skin of your pumpkins.
If you plan to paint your pumpkins, skip the next step and go straight to painting. The colors are mine were gorgeous, so I chose to leave them their natural colors.
With a washcloth or paper towel, buff each pumpkin/gourd with a little Vaseline to moisturize the skin and give it a pretty shine. If there is excess or they are slippery, wipe them down with a clean cloth or paper towel. You don't want them to be sticky or slippery.
And then you're done! Your pumpkins are now clean and shiny and ready to be put to use. I use mine as a centerpiece for my living room table and as random decor around the house. If you follow me, you have probably noticed I have been on a chalkboard paint kick. I picked up this chicken wire/chalkboard hanger at the Round Top Antique Fair last year. It has been loaded down with pictures and memories but I never got around to writing or drawing anything on the chalkboard side. Here's what I ended up doing! I'm pretty pleased with how it came out. I hope you found this post useful and happy fall y'all!
XXXX,
Lindsey
