design finch

Even though Halloween is now behind us, I’m betting there are a few of us with pumpkins still on our front porches. Anyone, anyone?

Yeah, I thought so.

Well, worry not. I have a great way to give Jack a new lease on life – turn him into a vase for a flower arrangement! A pumpkin centerpiece would be the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving tablescape or a sweet hostess gift for a party. I recently made this one for a fall wedding shower I co-hosted and it was really quite simple. Here’s a quick tutorial showing exactly how I did it:

Step 1: Gather supplies. You’ll need the following:

• Small-ish Pumpkin
• 1-2 Bouquets of Flowers (I used tulips and gerbera daisies)
• Floral Foam (soaked in water for 30 minutes)
• Small Container to Hold Flowers
• Petroleum Jelly (or other pumpkin preservative)
• Knife
• Ice Cream Scoop
• Assortment of Twigs, Leaves and Berries (gathered from my backyard!)

Step 2: Carve out the pumpkin guts. An ice cream scoop makes removing all the slimy stuff a little easier.

Step 3: Coat the inside of the pumpkin with a thin layer of petroleum jelly. This serves as a preservative and will help the arrangement last longer.

Step 4: Insert the floral foam into a small container filled with water; place inside pumpkin.

Step 5: Begin adding the “base” flowers.

Step 6: Fill in the gaps with larger flowers.

Step 7: Forage around outside for twigs, berries and leaves to complete your arrangement.

Step 8: Stand back and admire your amazing creation!

For even more ideas, check out these examples that really put my little centerpiece to shame. Leave it to Martha!

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