Carving Fake Pumpkins: Super Easy DIY
Fall is my favorite season and have fun carving fake pumpkins. Here is an inexpensive and simple way to carve your fake pumpkins. No power tools Xacto knife or hot carving knife are needed.
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Carving Fake Pumpkins – Can fake pumpkins be carved?
Pick up your craft pumpkins – they sell them at craft stores like Michael’s, Hobby Lobby or you can often find them at Target and Walmart. Mine came from an after Halloween sale at Walmart.
How do you make fake pumpkins look real?
I decided to paint mine to make it look more real – thanks to this wonderful tutorial and simple process you can find on Hometalk here: http://www.hometalk.com/22032593/how-to-make-…>
I made 2 pumpkins – one with the word “Fall” and the other is a pumpkin face. Your first step is to draw on your word or face with a pencil or pen. I used stencils to help me with the whole design. If you make a mistake – no problem, just erase it and start over.
You could alternatively use pumpkin patterns to help create your design.
I bought this 4 pack of serrated knives from Dollar Tree as I didn’t want to use any of my good knives on the pumpkins. (I actually tried a pumpkin carving kit knife first and that did not work.)
Another alternative to using knives like these is to use a hot knife which will cut the foam pumpkins like butter. I like to purchase my hot knife tool as part of a wood burning tool set like the Walnut Hollow Creative Versa Tool so you get more bang for your buck. You can find one of these tools on Amazon. Other options include a Dremel tool.
Do not use a real candle in these foam pumpkins, the flame will light the pumpkin on fire.
First I cut a hold in the bottom of the pumpkin where I could put a strand of lights or a fake led candle.
Next, I used the serrated knife to cut along the printed lines of my carved design. The trick is to go slow and steady. I have found this to be the best tool for carving foam pumpkins.
I decided to go with a strand of orange lights from the Dollar Tree but you could also use battery candles like tea lights, glow sticks or an led candle.
Here are the pumpkins lit up.
The nice thing about foam pumpkins is I can use them all fall, before and after Halloween and through Thanksgiving. Unlike real pumpkins, foam pumpkins don’t rot. I can simply pull out the lights, and rotate them so they are just pumpkins! They are perfect as decoration on the front porch.
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Carving Fake Pumpkins Q & A
No, some foam pumpkins are not hollow inside making it difficult for them to be carved. Make sure to choose a pumpkin that says carvable.
Yes, you can put styrofoam pumpkins outside. If you want them to last longer consider where you place them so they might be protected from the elements of weather.
Yes, you can paint plastic pumpkins with a variety of paints like spray paint, chalk paint, multi-surface acrylic paint, etc. You can see examples of these in my post here – https://chascrazycreations.com/6-plastic-pumpkin-bucket-makeovers/
Spray paint, Chalk paint, and Acrylic paint
How do you decorate a foam pumpkin? How do you paint a fake pumpkin?
There are a variety of ways you can decorate a foam pumpkin. You can paint it, transform it, carve it, etc. Here are some examples of ways I have decorated pumpkins:
- Creative Foam Pumpkin Craft Ideas for Fall Decorating
- Cute and Easy Pumpkin Craft Idea Deer with Video
Check out some of my other pumpkin-related posts!
- Bud Vase Pumpkins & Ghosts!
- Easy DIY Pumpkin Hat on a Budget: 2 Options
- Pumpkin Candle Holder Upcycles
I just bought a fake pumpkin a few weeks ago. Thanks for the carving tips!
I’m so glad this might be of some use Roseann 🙂 I also just bought a tool called a versa tool. It heats up and has different attachments. One of the tools is a blade that heats up and cuts these pumpkins like butter – even easier yet!
Love your ideas! Both of our Dollar Tree stores are out of $1 carveable pumpkins! The person working there told me they flew out the door! They were such a good seller, I’ll bet they’ll be back next year. I’ll start looking in AUG! LOL
Thank you Linda. Wow, that is fast! Our Dollar Tree still has tons of them left. So funny how one place will sell things out like hot cakes and another they’ll sit there forever.
Hey these are great because then you don’t have to deal with the mess that comes with a real pumpkin. Also you don’t have to worry about it melting and getting all rotten in the heat!
Thanks Janice, and you are so right! Plus I spend less and can keep it from year to year – saving money as well 🙂
I like the idea of carving the fake pumpkins rather than actual pumpkins. Not as much mess, reusable and they won’t go bad before the season ends! Thank you for sharing on Party in Your PJ’s. I’ve pinned and shared!
Thanks Theresa and thanks for stopping by. I like the fact that you pay once for these and you can keep them from year to year – therefore saving money too 🙂
Great post and your pumpkins looks fabulous!
Thank you so much Carol and I appreciate you stopping by 🙂
What a great idea! I live in Colorado and can’t put a real pumpkin on my porch as the deer will eat it.
Thank you Pat, and hi neighbor – I’m in Colorado too 🙂
That’s such a good idea, I’d think of painting a fake pumpkin but not carving, and you are right, you don’t want to ruin your good kitchen knives!
Thanks so much for stopping by at Handmade Monday to share this idea with us.
Thank you Julie and thanks for having a place for all of us to share ideas. 🙂
Thank you for the instructions! The pumpkins turned out great! Happy Halloween, my friend.
Thank you Mia and I’d love to see pictures of yours – [email protected] 🙂
What a fabulous idea! I like the idea of having my real pumpkin mess!
Thank you so much Amy 🙂