23 September 2008

Dreamy White Pumpkins


I really wanted to play along with Jen's Pretty Your Pumpkin Party! But since I'm out of town this week, I had to recycle this post from a couple of weeks ago. What a goofy post title!!! I'm such a dork. :-) Anyway...

Well, you all knew that I wouldn't be able to resist trying to paint real pumpkins. After this post where I painted some faux pumpkins, I got lots of comments and emails about painting real pumpkins. And it works!


There's my studio again. The pots are heavy terra cotta that I got for just a few bucks from a garden center that was going out of business. We got a bunch maple trees too, but that's another post.

Valarie suggested that I wash the pumpkins in a bleach/water solution first to kill any bacteria and help them last longer. I had heard that before so I did it. It's just plain old off-white spray paint. And I painted the stems with brown craft paint since they got coated with the white too.


I like the pots better in black and I know exactly how I want to use them next summer too. The market had a pallet of watermelons right next to the pumpkins. Can I tell you how badly I wanted to buy a watermelon and paint that too just to get a laugh?



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59 comments {Click here to leave a comment}:

High Heels and a Sippy Cup said...

That is awesome, Kimba! I heart spray paint.

Jenni said...

I love your pumpkins, and how you painted the pots black and tied them together! :) Thanks for telling us how to do it, because I can't wait to try it! :)

Have a good night! :)

Inspired Kara said...

These are adorable!!!!

Jen - Balancing Beauty and Bedlam said...

Procrastination of what I am supposed to be doing at midnight for a class tomorrow, has gotten me 4th on your comment list...whew, I did good today. :)
I saw on another blog that someone put little paper circles in a few places and then spray painted the pumpkins..they were black and white polka dot pumpkins...both yours and hers are too cute.

Bo said...

Such a fresh look to pumpkins and I'll venture to say they will last much longer too.... ;-) Bo

Kris said...

excellent, Kimba! Glad to know it works, I may be doing that very soon!

Empty Nest Full Life said...

I bet your neighbors are really talking about those pumpkins. They are great! Let us know how they hold up. Jackie

Darlene said...

Those turned out really well....LOVE them in fact!!! Those are also great pots and look really big, and sounds like you got them for a great price! I won't be getting my real pumpkins for a while yet so will you tell us how the bleach/water solution works....if it does work and keep them longer?

Christi said...

I am thrilled to hear this worked - I've been wanted big white pumpkins for a couple of years, but they're so expensive hear (more than regular old orange). Now I know how to make them myself!

Unknown said...

You know we will all have white pumpkins now, smile! I like the idea that you shared about washing them first. That might be why mine turned to slush just two weks after I bought them. Living in the south with 1000 degree weather Im sure that helps. Im going to give mine a good bath this year first. Im also going to wait a bit later to buy my pumpkins and mums. Maybe they will last till Thanksgiving this year. Thanks once again Miss Kimba! " We love Ya"!

Sarah Mae said...

If you like ghosts for halloween, you could paint a pumpkin white and carve it - that would be interesting!

Wendy said...

Very cute! I would have loved to see a painted watermelon LOL!

Stacey @ The Blessed Nest said...

The painted pumpkins turned out so pretty! Love the black accent on the one, and you're right, the pots look SO much better painted black! Great transformations!

Valarie Lea said...

I have a friend who has a pumpkin farm, so I am planning to go invade her place this weekend. I am so gonna paint them. I want to paint some black also and carve them so they have an eerie orange glow.

Something Nice and Pretty said...

Love them thanks for sharing:)Can't wait to see what you do with the watermelon!
Rondell

Kathi Roach said...

Very cute!! I knew you'd give it a try!

Brenda said...

The pumpkins turned out fabulous!

Buzzings of a Queen Bee! said...

So cute!! I just love them! I love the pots too, they are adorable.
Carrie

Twyla said...

Great job. Those are beautiful.

Shannon said...

Love them! They turned out great!

Blogger said...

Very pretty! I painted some of my faux orange ones white and love them, too...I should add a design like yours..I tied fancy ribbon around mine, but the black paint looks so tres chic :)

Bella

duchess said...

For some reason I like pumpkins better white. Maybe we should try some genetic plantings.

Carry Grace said...

They turned out great. A watermelon would have been really funny!

Ashley said...

Love it! We have a local farmer down the road from us who sells fruits, veggies, etc. Now he is selling real white pumpkins. I didn't know they grew white. Yea, I want one (or two, or three, or four)!

Heather said...

these are wonderful!

M.L. @ The House of Whimsy said...

Another beautiful project!! And thanks for the great tutorial on the chairs. They turned out gorgeous! You'll have to swing by to see the tall black dead tree I made over the weekend and the funny story to go with. : )
M.L.

Marie said...

VERY cute! I love how they turned out. I'm sure I'll be trying this the closer it gets to Halloween. :o)

Jennifer P. said...

those pumpkins look ready for their close up ;)! Very cute!!!

Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence said...

These are wonderful-- i will have to paint some soon. We don't have any real pumpkins in the stores yet--Christmas stuff, yes, but no pumpkins.

Amanda said...

love love love it. especially the black pots. I have a 36" urn planter that I want to spray paint black and plant some yummy orange mums in it or maybe even a pumpkin topiary. I say-If you cant live with it-spray paint it!!

{oc cottage} said...

Fabulous!!!

M ^..^

~Trish~ said...

Awesome!!! Thanks for stopping by my blog when it was featured last week! I'm still trying to catch up with all the comments I got!!

Angie said...

The pumpkins look awesome! You are so smart!

Lynn Hasty said...

Now how neat is that! I would never have thought of that, but I do have a great homeschooling idea all set for a pumpkin. :)

I love the chairs you finished with the distressing technique!

Lynn

Virginia said...

I love the white pumpkins, they turn out very cute, you are so clever.It seems that everybody is into white pumpkins. I can picture it in my mind. The takeover of the white pumpkins overthrowing the orange pumpkins.
Like a coup. Oh, well I favor more the white, it goes better with most decors.
Blessings, Virginia

Buzzings of a Queen Bee! said...

Hey girlie! Email me if you have any questions about labradoodles...I love to convince other families to get them, because Frankie has been so great for our family. My husband and I have allergies, and since he doesn't she (the dog, not my husband...well, he doesn't shed either!) it is great. Plus there is no extra vacuuming! He is also super-gentle with my daughter, which is a must. Email me at buzzingsofaqueenbee@hotmail.com to chat if you need to! :)
Carrie

Mrs. B said...

The pumpkins look great! I'll be painting some pumpkins this year too, and I'm thinking of adding a design to the gold ones I did last year.

Love the black chairs too!

maryanne420 said...

kimba,

i love what you did with the pumpkins and pots. you are just too darn creative. i love it!

Deb and Blake said...

I can't wait to try making a few of these of my own! I love your artistic touch!

Anonymous said...

Wow! So cute!
What is the deal with white pumpkins this year?! I love them!

Amy @ Living Locurto said...

Very good idea. I like how you painted the stems too. I don't think there are pumpkins for sale anywhere around me yet. It's still too hot.

niartist said...

I have to say thank you thank you thank you! I wanted to do white pumpkins this year (not quite time) and I wasn't sure how I was going to go about doing it! This is the PERFECT SOLUTION! Thanks so much!

Julia @ Hooked on Houses said...

I'm starting to think I'm the only woman left in America without some fabulous white pumpkins in her house! I've got to rectify that situation soon. These look amazing! -Julia

Lorie said...

I want to spray paint MYSELF to see if it makes ME look better! It works for everything else!!

The Beauty Bargainista said...

wow! I really like this idea! :) I need to go get some pumpkins

Jennifer said...

I love those pumpkins. I wouldn't have thought of that. Thanks for sharing!

Amanda said...

I forgot to comment yesterday. These are awesome. I've got some planters that the last owner left in the yard..all in great shape but they so need paint. The painted pumpkins in the painted pots...I'm lovin' it.

Our Complete Family said...

So stinkin' adorable! I love them and the pots! Happy FALL!!! ~ Les

Unknown said...

Those turned out great! You have such great ideas and make them look easy!

You should link this to my Wednesday link-up for pumpkin posts.

Lulu said...

I love the white pumpkins!!!

Unknown said...

Thanks for linking it up to pumpkin week! :)

Anonymous said...

Very cool - white and black is a combination I heart!

Manuela

Laura @ the shorehouse. said...

These came out great! I didn't realize how easily regular spray paint would "take" to pumpkins. And great tip on the bleach/water wipe down.

Ms. Tee said...

Your pumpkins are very pretty with the black planters! I didn't know about the bleach and water thing either..I'll have to do that. :)

Shannon @ Silver Trappings said...

I love the black and white combination. It looks great.

Watermelon - funny!

Shannon

Mindy said...

How much fun was that? Great results, eh? Thanks for bringing me to your blog through Jen's. Great stuff! ~Mindy

Decor To Adore said...

I love the contrast of the black and white.

I am on my 98th post. So stay tuned for something great.

The Texas Woman said...

You might not have gone with the watermelons, but you still got a laugh out of me just thinking about it.

The Texas Woman

Mammatalk said...

Easy and beautiful. Love it!