Painted Pumpkins/Squash

squash or pumpkins
craft paint (soft yellow, cream, black, orange, light orange)
stain
paintbrushes
water-based varnish
painter's tape
adhesive dots or labels (from office supply store)
pencil
tape measure

Steps:

Yellowware Design

1. Paint two coats of a soft yellow color over the whole pumpkin and let dry.
2. Mark points 1-1/4 inch down from the stem around the top of the squash for a guideline. Use a narrow, flat artist's brush and the marks to paint two or three cream rings around the squash.
3. Once dry, gently rub an antiquing stain over the whole squash to soften the color and age it a bit. After that dries, apply a coat of varnish to protect the paint.

Redware is a lead-glazed pottery made by Pennsylvania Germans in the 18th century. Fancy pieces were decorated with traditional stylized designs such as people, birds and flowers, but simpler pieces were decorated with lines and dots like these (figure A).

1. Look for deep red-orange pumpkins or apply two coats of red paint and let dry .
2. Use flat or pointed artists' paintbrushes and cream acrylic paint to draw linear designs like those on old-fashioned red ware freehand or make a paper pattern.

1. Paint the entire pumpkin orange. Once dry, paint a patchwork pattern freehand or use tape to mask-off rows of squares around the pumpkin. For a more whimsical , folk-art look, make some of the lines fatter than others and don't worry about the shapes being perfect. Or, use adhesive dots or labels to make patterns or make stripes with tape to speed up the process.
2. Brush one or two coats of light orange or cream paint over the whole pumpkin and let it dry. Carefully peel the tape off and varnish the whole pumpkin for protection (figure B).

Halloween Pumpkin

1. Write the name "Ichabod" and enlarge it if necessary on a photocopier. Position the paper on the pumpkin and trace the letters onto the skin to make an indentation .
2. Paint over the letters in desired color.

Display Tips

• Place a medium-size pumpkin in a compote or arrange a group of small ones in an epergne (an old knitting stand) or on a tray.
• Line small ones along the mantel.
• Turn them into candleholders by pushing candle spikes into the flesh.