Book Page Pumpkins

Our church had a salad luncheon and craft sale and I wanted to donate some things so I went in search of some cute easy fall crafts.  This book page pumpkin is what I came across and thought they were perfect!  I made 8 of them....here's what I did:

First rip off the cover, easy on the binding.  I used both paper backs and hard covers and both worked well.

Use a paper back cover and draw half of a pumpkin.  Cut it out keeping the edge that was along the binding straight.

Line up the straight edge of the half pumpkin cut-out along the binding of the book and trace around the edge of the cut-out.  Use scissors or an exacto knife to cut out a few pages at a time.  Each time retrace the half pumpkin shape onto the next set of pages to be cut out but be sure to cut them out just inside the traced line or the pumpkin shape will get progressively bigger and bigger.

Once the whole book has been cut out bend the book around and hot glue the binding together.  Once that dries try and fan out the pages a bit.  They won't be evenly spaced just try and separate any clumps.

Next put a decent sized glob of hot glue on the top center for the stem.  Dan cut up a thick stick from the yard into 1.5-2" pieces for me.  Place the stem and wait for it to dry. 

Then take the pumpkin outside to spray paint.  I held onto the stem to keep it from getting paint on it and lightly coated all around with the orange paint.  You can do more or less as you think looks nice.

Lastly tie on a green ribbon for the leaves.

I think this would be a fun way to make Christmas trees too and spray paint them with green!  Maybe I'll try it.  I still have 2 books left over.