Pumpkin Spiders

Stephanie Martin
stephandneil@globalserve.net

You could make several large spiders out of pumpkins. The cost is about $5-$6 (Canadian) each (less if you have some of the material lying around).

Materials:

• small amount of black and white acrylic paint
• matte varnish spray (optional) - must be used if placing outdoors
• 1 roll of black paper twist ribbon
• 12 ft of floral wire
• glue gun

Directions:

1. Take one fairly large pumpkin, paint 2 large eyes and a huge crooked grin in the front of the pumpkin with acrylic paint. Add 2 or 3 fangs to the grin. Wait until completely dry. Spray with matte finish (avoid very top of pumpkin by stem.)
2. Measure eight 15 inch lengths of the black paper twist ribbon. Untwist each length of ribbon.
3. Measure eight 17 inch lengths of the floral wire. Glue one length of wire to the underside of the untwisted paper ribbon. Leave approx. one inch of wire on each end exposed. These are the spiders legs obviously).
4. Poke one end of each leg (four on each side of the pumpkin very close to the stem. Secure the legs so the remain "standing up" with a dollup of glue from the glue gun. Place your spider in place and arrange legs. If placing spider outside poke other end of wire into ground to secure legs. You can now spray a bit more of the matte varnish at the stem area to avoid the pumpkin spider from rotting to early.

When Halloween is over, detach the legs and save them for next year. I am doing a family of these spiders and will be setting them in a large web (very inexpensive - the kind you pull apart), in my front yard. My first spider is done, and he looks great!

These decorations are high impact because of the size of the pumpkin, and the length of the legs. Perhaps each unit could donate a pumpkin to the cause, which would defray the cost even more. BTW IGA (in the Metro Toronto area, anyway) has all of their pumpkins on for $2.99 (Canadian)regardless of size. The same size bought at our local farm would be about $8.00 (Canadian)!! I picked up nine at $2.99 (Canadian) each, I love Halloween!!

I paint faces on one side, to enjoy the weeks before Halloween, and then carve the opposite side for Halloween night. I start carving 2-3 days ahead of time. Smear Vaseline on the exposed surfaces (inside and on carved face) and your jack o' lantern won't shrivel up before Halloween. Last year I was so proud of my creations I lit them for Halloween night and the next 2 nights as well.

Hints, Tips and Friendly Advice:

• Please see our Hot Glue Tip.

Craft Index || Return to Welcome Page or Index Page || Send us Mail