Fabulous Faux Pumpkins to Elevate Your Fall Decor

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Glitter-Dipped Metals — Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez/Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

What does fall mean to you? The season is filled with family celebrations and great food galore, but we're also head over heels for the season's cozy autumnal decor. Take your classic carved pumpkins up a notch with our latest do-it-yourself projects using artificial pumpkins. You won't miss the real thing thanks to these stylish designs. These DIY faux pumpkins are fun and festive—and they'll last much longer than a genuine gourd, so you can display them again next year. Charming fall decor doesn't have to be expensive, and DIY decor doesn't have to be difficult. Just take a look at these easy DIYs designed by Southern Living floral and crafts genius Buffy Hargett Miller. These designs require only a few elements and just a few hours (or less!) of your time. No special skills required. The results are sure to brighten up every corner of your home with autumnal decor that's guaranteed to charm. Whether your style is natural and subtle or flashy and sparkling, there's a pumpkin DIY here for you. Each of these styles uses faux pumpkins so that you can reuse them over and over again. Once you pack them away this year, it won't be long until you can bring them out again next year to wow your guests and dress up your Halloween and Thanksgiving decorating style.

01 of 09

Faux and Floral

Pair pretty (real!) flowers with artificial pumpkins for a centerpiece that will delight your guests. Or make a few and line your steps for an uber-seasonal arrangement. To make this design, cut the top out of a faux pumpkin. Cut florist foam to fit the depression you've made in the top of the pumpkin. Soak the florist foam, and place it in the top of the pumpkin. Insert your favorite flowers into the foam for a ready-made arrangement. To re-create this look, use fiery orange zinnias, blue thistle, lush green solidego, and red hypericum berries.

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Natural Elements

Use a faux pumpkin painted white for a departure from the season's classic orange. It's an unexpected twist on traditional pumpkin decorating. Nestle assorted feathers and acorns—which can be found at your local crafts store—in the indentation in the top of the pumpkin. Use hot glue to secure the elements in place. Let dry, and display on your mantel or in your foyer.

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Glitter-Dipped Metals

Paint your faux pumpkins with metallic spray paint (use copper and silver spray paint to re-create this look). Let dry; then paint the lower third of the pumpkin with craft glue adhesive such as Mod Podge. Dip the glue-covered portion of the pumpkin in glitter. Let dry, and you're well on your way to decor with plenty of sparkle and shine.

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Autumnal Textures

These pumpkins have texture to spare. Choose assorted ribbons and jute ropes from your local crafts store. Cover the pumpkin with jute rope, securing it in place with hot glue. Hot glue each layer of ribbon and rope, leaving space between the ribbons this time so that you can see the jute layer below. You can include thin sticks from your yard for an additional natural element. Hot glue a short stick into place for the pumpkin stem. You can also use U-pins to secure the ribbons and ropes as needed while the hot glue dries.

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Metallic Calligraphy

Using faux pumpkins as the base, choose metallic paint pens in colors you like. Draw the outline of your text on the pumpkins with pencil, and retrace the design with the metallic paint pens. You can inscribe your house number, last name, or monogram to brighten up your fall front-door decor.

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Sequin Style

Sequin Pumpkin — Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Add some sparkle to your pumpkin design with this DIY. Use an artificial white pumpkin, and paint it with craft glue adhesive (such as Mod Podge), focusing on the areas where you want the sequins to adhere. Add sequins by placing them on the pumpkin or pouring them over the pumpkin. To create this effect, use different sizes of sequins to add texture and visual interest. For the small pumpkin to the right, Miller used leaf-shaped sequins and pearls (which you can find in the bead department at your local crafts store), and she glued them on the pumpkin, centering around the depression in the top of the pumpkin.

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Crepe-Paper Pumpkins

To re-create this look, start with foam balls in three different sizes. Press into the balls using a wooden spoon to create the shape—the ridges and depressions that form the curves of natural pumpkins. Cover the foam balls with orange crepe paper, and secure with a U-pin at the top of each ball. Paint the crepe paper-covered balls with craft glue adhesive (such as Mod Podge) to add a sheen to the exterior of the pumpkins. Let dry overnight. Using gold or copper wire, wrap the wire around the pumpkins, nestling it in the ridges to define the shapes of the pumpkins and add visual interest. Glue a short stick from your yard onto the top of the pumpkin to create the stem, and curl the copper wire around the stem.

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Festive Votives

Line your home's entry with these pumpkin votives for instant charm. Cut the tops off of small fake pumpkins. Cut the scallop pattern with a sharp knife, and use a cordless drill to create the dots in each scalloped curve. Add votive candles to the interior of each pumpkin, and voila!

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Creative Crayons

Melted crayons are always a fun DIY, so you know the kids will want to get in on this project too. To re-create this effect, remove the paper from the crayons, and break the crayons into small pieces. Glue the broken pieces to the top of the pumpkin in the indentation near the stem. Then melt the crayons using a hair dryer turned to the highest heat setting. Use the hair dryer to melt the crayons while sending them cascading down the sides in the pattern you prefer.

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