Re-Creating the Viral Terra Cotta Pumpkins
Have you seen those gorgeous Pottery Barn terra cotta pumpkins? Well, I decided to try my hand at re-creating them using some cheap pumpkins from Wal-Mart and the results were shockingly good! Here’s how to DIY those gorgeous terra cotta pumpkins for a fraction of the price.
I’ll admit – when I decided to give this faux terra cotta pumpkin thing a shot, I was a little skeptical. I mean, I started off with some ugggggly pumpkins. I wasn’t sure if anything was going to save them. But, I had already seen how great my faux-stone-look pumpkins turned out, so I knew there was hope. And I’m so glad I decided to try it out because I’m in love with how these look!
Consider this your friendly reminder that cheap pumpkins from Wal-Mart or the Dollar Store can be the perfect base for a really fun project or two.
How I Made My DIY Faux Terra Cotta Pumpkins
Video Tutorial
Materials Needed:
You don’t need much to make these guys. Here’s everything I used:
- Faux Pumpkins (the large one isn’t online, but I grabbed it at Wal-Mart for about $13)
- Light Coral acrylic paint (this is the exact one I used)
- Brown acrylic paint
- Baking soda
- Paintbrush
Step One: Mix Up the Perfect Color
You’ll want to start off by mixing your coral and brown paint to create a color you really like. If your coral is pinker, you’ll want more brown. Mine was closer to tan, so I didn’t need a ton of brown. This isn’t a science – just play around with the ratios and find something you like.
Then, add in a dash of baking soda. Again, I didn’t measure or overthink this! I just dumped about a teaspoon’s worth of baking soda in each time I mixed up a new batch of paint.
Step Two: Paint That Pumpkin!
Once you’ve landed on a color you’re happy with, it’s time to paint! I just used a regular paintbrush to paint my pumpkin. I grabbed a tiny one to help out around the stem, but you’ll be painting that too. So, it doesn’t matter too terribly much.
Don’t get a ton of paint on your paintbrush, and use broad, long strokes. You want to be able to see the brush strokes – it adds texture! I did two thin coats of paint on my pumpkin, but you may find you need three. It all depends on the texture and color of the pumpkin you’re starting with.
When I did the second coat, I mixed in a little extra brown to make the color feel layered. It’s almost impossible to go wrong here, so feel free to play around and have a little bit of fun!
Step Three: Paint the Stem
Once both coats of your paint have dried, you can paint the stem! I just used my brown acrylic paint and mixed in a tiny bit of black to make it a little more muted. Then, I used a small paintbrush to apply it. If you have a good looking stem to begin with, you can skip this step! But, none of the stems on my pumpkins matched, so it felt important.
Alternatively, if your stem is easily removed you can replace it! The last time I did a project like this, I pulled all of the stems out and replaced them with some sticks from my yard. It looked great and they lasted, so this is definitely an option, too.
The Finished Product
And that’s all there is to it! From start to finish, I’d guesstimate that this project took me no more than 30 or 45 minutes. And that includes dry time! It was so easy, and honestly, even I’m surprised at how great they look.
Next week I’m going to get started on Halloween decorations, and I love that these little faux terra cotta pumpkins will be able to stay out and layer right in all season long. And the best part is, no one will ever guess that I only spent about $20 on all three of these!
