{decorate} a pumpkin

Need and alternative to pumpkin carving? here's a perfect idea. I think we may be doing this in addition to carving..since we are not doing what most other people are doing for Halloween...{maybe} we'll just stay home decorating pumpkins!

Supplies:

• Pumpkin
• Assortment of HERSHEY'S Candies (HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates, REESE'S Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures, YORK Peppermint Patties, TWIZZLERS PULL-N-PEEL Candy, etc.)
  
• Confectioners' glue:
• 4 teaspoons all-natural egg whites (meringue powder, such as Just Whites-TM dried egg product)
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions:

1. Create faces or patterns by gluing HERSHEY'S Candies onto your pumpkin. It's easy, clean and safe!
2. To make Confectioners' glue:
3. Gently stir together egg white powder and water according to directions on the egg white powder package or until completely dissolved. Beat in powdered sugar until thick and smooth. Use immediately!
4. Completed craft is for decorative purposes only and candy should not be eaten!

Find the link Here

Egg Carton Pumpkins

The creative geniuses over at plaidkidcrafts.com featured this adorable pumpkin craft I've listed the project directions and a link to their site. It's easy enough for my 5 yr old to enjoy without having a lot of supervision or at least keeping a grip on her creativity so my walls remain intact!

What you need:

• green paper
• green (or brown) pipe cleaner
• orange paint
• egg carton (2 cups per pumpkin)
• scissors
• glue
• paint brush
• black marker

Directions: Cut your egg cups off of the egg carton. Take 2 egg carton cups & paint the outside with orange paint. Let it dry. Poke a small hole in the top of one of the cups. Cut a piece of the pipe cleaner that is 2 inches long & fold it in half. Twist the ends…leaving the top a loop. Place glue on the edges of one of the cups. Glue the cups together & allow to dry. Place the pipe cleaner in the hole on the top. Draw a face on the pumpkin using a marker. Cut a leaf out of the green paper & glue it on & there you have a cute Jack-0-Lantern.

See this project at: http://preschooleasycrafts.com/egg-carton-pumpkins/

Need a New Family?

Tools and Materials

 Two dozen 6-inch skewers
Wax pencil
Child-safe pumpkin-carving saw
Toothpicks
Staples
Waxed twine
Round wood gouge

Gather some natural objects for decorating and for facial features: We used almonds, carrots, pear berries, pear leaves, pine cones, oak leaves, pumpkin seeds, gourds, hazelnuts, chrysanthemums, and radishes for eyes, ears, noses, mouths, and hair.

Gourd Family How-To
1. To make the bodies, select pumpkins in a range of sizes, stack, and secure them to one another with skewers.

2. To make faces, trace the object you will use for each feature onto pumpkin with wax pencil, then cut and scoop out a slightly smaller opening. Lay object on the opening, and press to wedge it in. Poke holes for small objects such as twigs and leaf stems using skewers or toothpicks. Push in staples to hold hair, such as dad's comb-over.

3. For the dad's glasses, twist a 2-foot-long twig; tie in place through the lenses with waxed twine. For the mom's apron, tie Swiss chard onto twine.

4. For the child's hat, an adult should cut a small pumpkin in half horizontally and scallop the edge of the top using the wood gouge.

From Martha Stewart Kids

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Gourd Family - Martha Stewart Holidays

Flaming Outdoor Oven

It's been so hot lately that I was inspired to try this activity. I will warn you I wasn't prepared to answer the questions of going green and how things work by my 5 yr old. So it may be wise to do a little research so you'll know what to tell the curious little minds that have a million questions!

Cook With a Solar Oven
You’ll need:

• Used pizza box
• Aluminum foil
• Clear tape
• Plastic wrap
• Scraps of paper
• A small, shallow container
• Scissors

What to do:

1. Cut a six-inch square window