You can have gaudy, gold pumpkins too!

Last year, I did this post on how I gold leafed some pumpkins for fall. They were so pretty, but they just took too much time.

So this year, I decided to take a short cut and bought a can of metallic spray paint from Hobby Lobby. It’s Krylon’s “Gold Metallic” paint and is $6.99 a can. Ouch. But I did spray 6 pumpkins and have plenty of spray paint left!

Brace yourself for my extremely high tech “pumpkin-holder-upper”. I used a kitty litter container, but you can use anything slim enough for your pumpkin to sit upside down on. Also note how I carefully protected my husband’s lawn with a Hobby Lobby sack (not). There wasn’t any over-spray other than on the container, so I didn’t get into trouble!

I always paint the bottom of the pumpkin first. That way if I wait the recommended 17.4 seconds to let the paint dry before I flip the pumpkin over…..at least the top was done LAST and is still pretty (note: you really should wait longer than 17.4 seconds for your spray paint to dry).

I tape off the pumpkin stems because I like them to remain unpainted. So tape, then paint, then remove the tape immediately.

And viola….gaudy, gold pumpkins.

Something anyone can paint….

Here is my handy work on my front steps. In the morning light they glow….

In the shade, they aren’t quite so blinding.

I know someone will ask “how does that spray paint hold up outside?”. My answer is “I have no idea”! Haha! Sometimes paint is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get.

The can DOES say “for indoor/outdoor use”. It also says a clear coat will add durability, but will dull the metallic….so I didn’t use one. I can tell you that after almost 3 weeks, my pumpkins have some dark “speckling” on them….

But I think that just adds to the charm!

So spray away. And enjoy this gorgeous time of year.