How to Make the Perfect Autumn Decorated Wooden Pumpkins to Spice Up Your Fall Decor

 As the leaves turn and the air gets crisp, there's nothing quite like cozying up your space with handmade autumn decor. If you're a fan of rustic charm and love working with wood, crafting wooden pumpkins is the perfect seasonal project. With the precision and versatility of Proxxon tools, you can create stunning pieces that bring warmth and whimsy to your home.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to making your own wooden pumpkins that will last for many falls to come.

Tools and Materials You'll Need:

• Plywood or reclaimed wood (¼" to ¾" thick)
• Proxxon Bandsaw MBS/E 
• Proxxon Scroll Saw
• Proxxon Disc Sander
• Proxxon Delta Sander
• Acrylic paints
• Pumpkins Template
• Assortment of twines, yarn, or narrow ribbon

Let's Make a Wooden Pumpkin:

1. Design Your Pumpkins—Download and print the Pumpkins Template, or sketch out a few pumpkin shapes of your own. Mount the patterns on the wood blanks. Cover one side of the blank with painter's tape. Mist the back side of the patterns with spray adhesive, and mount on the taped blank. The painter's tape made removal of the patterns easy without leaving any sticky residue. 
   
   
   
2. Cut Out the Shapes—Using either the scroll saw or the bandsaw mounted with Proxxon's extra narrow scroll saw band. This band is extremely narrow to allow for easy cutting of tight curves and radii.
3. Smooth the Edges—Once your pumpkins are cut, use the Delta sander to smooth out the edges and surfaces. This step ensures a professional finish and removes any splinters.  I mount my sander in the Precision Vice FMZ so I can have both hands free to manipulate the piece I'm working on. 
   
   
   
4. Detail for ¼" Pumpkins—I used a variety of thicknesses for my pumpkins from my scrap pile. I found the ¼" ones stand reliably, so I cut a small right triangle that I glued to the back of the pumpkins. Works like a charm!!
   

   

   
   
5. Paint the Pumpkins—There are lots of options for painting your pumpkins. Choose warm autumn tones like burnt orange, mustard yellow, or deep burgundy. Use acrylic paints to create a solid colored pumpkins, or one with fun designs. You can also opt for a distressed whitewash for a farmhouse vibe. 
6. Jazz Up the Pumpkins—Tie strands of twines, raffia, narrow ribbons, or yarn to the stem.

Ready to turn your workshop into a pumpkin patch? Grab your tools, some wood, and let the autumn magic begin.

Carole

How to Make a Pumpkin Decoration Using an Old Book and Proxxon Tools

 This fun and easy project is perfect for autumn home decorating. 

Supplies and Equipment that you'll need:

• Old book
• Hot glue and glue gun
• Proxxon Bandsaw MBS/E or Proxxon Scroll Saw DS 460
• Orange acrylic paint
• Paint brush
• Jute twine to make tendrils
• Artificial leaves
• 2" to 3" twig for the stem

Let's make a book pumpkin:

1. Remove the cover from your book.
   
   
   
2. Draw half a pumpkin shape (similar to the one below) as a pattern.
   
   
   
3. Trace your pattern onto the first page of the book.
   
   
   
4. Cut the pumpkin pattern using the bansdaw or scroll saw.
   
   
   
5. Manipulate and fan the pages to soften the spine.
6. Hot glue the edges of the spine together.
   
   
   
7. Next, glue the first and last pages together. You'll have something that looks like this.
   
   
   
8. Now, working with small sections of the book, paint the edges of the pages. I watered down my paint to about 2 parts paint :: 1 part water. As the pages absorb the water, they take on a nice rippled form.
   
   
   
9. Separate each of the pages to achieve a full pumpkin. Set aside to dry.
   
   
   
10. Make tendrils by wrapping the twine around ¼" dowel or large knitting needle. Secure the ends with pinch clothespins, Liberally mist the twine with water. Bake in a 250°F oven for 20 minutes. When the twine is cool, slide it from the rod and cut into lengths for tendrils.
11. Hot glue the twig, leaves, and tendrils in place on top of the pumpkin.
    
    
    
12. Display your book pumpkin with pride!!
    

Carole