If you love to decorate for fall but loathe the added clutter, then minimalist decor is perfect for your home. Create a charming and minimalist mantel piece with simple mini pumpkins and some metallic gold leaf.
Cute miniature pumpkins are in abundance this time of year. Pick up a handful of them the next time you are at the store and turn them into a glistening craft for your home this Thanksgiving. The supplies are simple: 8 mini pumpkins, some metallic gilding sheets, gilding adhesive and a couple of paint brushes. I love the Martha Stewart brand of gilding supplies.
Grab a pen or pencil and plan out your letters. You can freehand the lettering, or use a stencil like I did.
If you decide to use a stencil, connect any gaps in the lettering to minimize the stenciled appearance. Don’t worry if your outline looks a little messy — everything will be covered up by the gold gilding by the time you are done.
Use a small paint brush to fill in the letters with the gilding adhesive. Apply a generous amount of adhesive, but not so much that it drips or runs. Let the adhesive dry until it turns clear before applying the gilding.
Gently lay the gilding sheets across the top of the adhesive and smooth it out. The instructions on my gilding supplies said to use special gloves for this step, but I got along just fine without them, just handle the sheets gently with clean, dry hands.
Remove the sheet, then use a soft-bristle paint brush to gently brush away any excess gilding. It is unlikely that the lettering will be completely filled in with the first layer, so repeat the gilding process by applying more adhesive and gilding until the lettering is completely filled in.
Once you are happy with the look of the gilding on each of your pumpkins, your new Thanksgiving decoration is ready to display in your home.
How to make “Thankful” gilded pumpkin decor
Supplies:
- Miniature pumpkins
- Gilding adhesive
- Gold gilding sheets
- Soft-bristle paint brushes
- Pen or pencil
- Stencil (optional)
Directions:
- Draw letters on each of the pumpkins to spell out the word “thankful.” Connect any gaps in the lettering if you are using a stencil.
- Fill in the letters using a paint brush and some gilding adhesive. Let the adhesive dry until it is tacky.
- Gently lay the gilding sheets over the adhesive.
- Use a soft-bristle paint brush to gently brush away any excess gilding.
- Repeat steps 2 through 4 until the lettering is completely filled in with the gilding.
- Display your new Thanksgiving decoration.
More Thanksgiving crafts
12 Delightful paper crafts for Thanksgiving
Easy Thanksgiving turkey wreath for kids
Festive for fall: 7 Leaf craft ides
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