I don’t always like carving my pumpkins because I like them to last through Thanksgiving; however, I made an exception with this DIY Blooming Jack-O’-Lantern. I wanted a seasonal way to display my potted flowers and thought a pumpkin would be cute. And with Halloween just a few days away, it only made sense to carve a jack-o’-lantern. The result is a jack-o’-lantern with a pretty cute hair cut.
This is a fun project to get your kids involved. Every kid loves carving pumpkins and this is sure to make them laugh when they add the flowers to be “hair.”
Included in the instructions are a couple tips for prolonging the life of your carved pumpkins. Carved pumpkins only last a few days before they mold and dry out; however a couple common household items (bleach and vaseline) can help prolong the life of your pumpkins. I enjoyed my jack-o’-lantern for about a week inside before any signs of rotting.
This project would also work with a faux pumpkin. You can find faux pumpkins at Michaels or Joann Fabrics that are hollow inside and are easy to cut. This would allow you to enjoy your pumpkin longer and for years to come.
DIY Blooming Jack-O’-Lantern How To
Materials
- Medium Pumpkin (a pumpkin pie pumpkin is a good size)
- Small flower pot
- 1 teaspoon bleach (optional, to help prolong its life)
- 1 gallon water (optional, to help prolong its life)
- Vaseline Petroleum Jelly (optional, to help prolong its life)
Instructions
- Clean your pumpkin before carving. Making sure your pumpkin is clean will help make sure your carved pumpkin lasts longer.
- Carve your pumpkin. Make sure the top hole is large enough for your small flower pot.
- To prolong the life of your carved pumpkin, mix 1 teaspoon of bleach with 1 gallon of water. Either soak your pumpkin in your bleach/water mixture or put the mixture in a spray bottle and spray your pumpkin inside and out with the solution. The bleach helps kill any bacteria that may cause your pumpkin to mold faster. Let your pumpkin dry.
- Wipe petroleum jelly over the cut edges of your jack-o’-lantern to help prevent the edges from drying up.
- Place flower pot inside your pumpkin. Enjoy!
Another fun option for displaying your jack-o’-lanterns is to make a Jack-O’-Lantern Topiary. To get the simple how-to instructions, be sure to check out my post on DIY Pumpkin Topiaries.
Not into the mess of carving a pumpkin? I used a jack-o’-lantern tote and filled it with hydrangeas. You could recreate the same look with an orange gift bag. On a orange gift bag, draw a jack-o’-lantern face. Place a jar of water inside the bag and then add your hydrangeas. Easy peasy!
