• Home
  • Suggest A Craft
  • DIY Newsletter

Sewing

Patterns, Techniques, Articles, Blogs, and other resources to learn how to sew

  • About CraftGossip
  • Our Network
    • Bath & Body Crafts
    • Candle Making Ideas
    • Crochet Ideas
    • Cross Stitch
    • Edible Crafts
    • Felting Patterns
    • Glass Art
    • Home & Garden Ideas
    • Indie Crafts
    • Jewelry Making
    • Kids Crafts
    • Knitting Patterns
    • Lesson Plans
    • Needlework
    • Party Ideas
    • Polymer Clay
    • Quilting Ideas
    • Recycled Crafts
    • Scrapbooking
    • Sewing Patterns
    • Card Making
    • DIY Weddings
    • Not Craft Ideas
  • Giveaways
  • Roundups
  • Store
  • Search

Steampumpkins for the Michaels Great Pumpkin Challenge

August 27, 2013 by Anne Weaver

steampumpkins_cover4I am thrilled to be part of Michaels’ Great Pumpkin Challenge!  Second only to Christmas, Halloween is my favorite holiday!

For the challenge, Michaels sent craft bloggers some foam pumpkins, a hot knife to carve them, and a gift card to cover expenses, and turned us loose to make some crafty Halloween pumpkins.

When I decorated pumpkins last year, I was all about the glitter.  Bright, neon-y glitter in stripes and polka dots.  This year, I was feeling it for steampunk.  Or… as I like to call them…  Steampumpkins!!

I made two of them.

And I gave them names.  Jack Catterwall and Pumpkins-for-Brains.

Let me introduce them to you.

Pumpkin-for-Brains

When I saw the little white pumpkin in the box, I was all like, bra-a-a-ins!!  And so I turned him into a pumpkin brain.

DSC_3715_edited_croppedsmall

This little pumpkin put the hot knife to the test!  And it passed with flying colors! There is no way – NO. WAY. – I could have cut all those squiggles without the aid of a heated knife.  The heat melted the foam so it cut through like buttah.  I went back with an awl to dig out the lines further, then gave it a glaze from watered down gray craft paint.

DSC_3714_edited_small

Jack Catterwall

And here’s Jack Catterwall.  Between his goggles and his buck teeth, he looks like a steampunk geeky scientist sort.  Eager and smart and friendly, but also a little awkward.  Like me.

DSC_3702_edited_small

I kind of made him up as I went along.  I knew that I wanted him to look like he’s made of metal, so I started by spraypainting the pumpkin a light metallic (Caramel Latte, the can says) and then aging it with a black glaze and spots of Rub n Buff antique gold. Then I took the pumpkin with me to Michaels and auditioned metal embellishments until I found a combination I liked.

I’m super proud of the goggles he’s wearing.  I made them!  Crazy, right?

DSC_3709_edited_small

And they weren’t super difficult, either.  Michaels had all the materials I needed to make them.  I’ve got a tutorial planned that will show you how I made them.

DSC_3707_edited_small

Behind the goggles, I think you can see the gears I used for his eyes.

DSC_3708_edited_small

I cut round holes in the pumpkin and glued the gears over the openings.  The gears came from the jewelry section, as did the little token I used for his nose and that awesome lightbulb assemblage that became his teeth.  There are also some cool steampunk style accents in the Tim Holtz section of the scrapbooking embellishment aisle.

DSC_3704_edited_small

Thank you, Michaels, for allowing me to be part of your Great Pumpkin Challenge!!

Michaels will have a Great Pumpkin Event at all stores on Saturday, October 5, 1pm – 3pm.  For $6 (which covers the cost of a 9” carveable pumpkins), kids can create their own pumpkin design.  A free face painter will also be on hand.

Michaels also offers custom carved pumpkins that can be personalized with a variety of designs and names.  Prices start at $19.99 and you can order them at all Michaels locations.  Just make sure to place your order by Oct. 13 so that it will be completed by Halloween.  Visit http://www.michaels.com/custom-carved-pumpkins for more information.

greatpumpkinevent

 

CARVEITFORYOU

Disclosure: Michaels provided a foam pumpkins, a hot craft knife, and a gift card to purchase supplies for my pumpkin crafts.  They asked that I blog about what I made, but made no requirements that I give a favorable review of their store. My opinions are entirely mine.

 

Next Pattern:

  • 2 Week Beginner Sewing Challenge
  • Book Review - Making Clothes for Your Dog: How to…
  • The Great British Sewing Bee: The Skills: Beyond Basics:
«
»

Comments

  1. Erin || Sewbon.com says

    August 27, 2013 at 2:34 pm

    Wow! Fantastic pumpkins! I’m so impressed!

  2. Cath says

    August 29, 2013 at 6:27 pm

    Love Jack!! Thanks for the inspiration.

  3. Cissy Mitchell-Banning says

    September 4, 2013 at 6:38 pm

    I’m having trouble finding the entry information page????

    Just hope I won’t be competing against Jack Sprat and Brainy !!! Lol
    WOW…. I love Steampunk… And what an amazing Muse you must have beside you! These are both very Origional and Creative!!! ALL- HALLOWS- EVE Is my favorite time of the entire year !!!! I go a bit overboard…. Hey- when your art studio is screaming for skellys and pumpkins…. You must go to Micheals…. And get carried away!!! ( as my hubby says!!) lol

  4. Brenda Young says

    October 1, 2013 at 5:47 am

    Hi Anne, I so love your steampunk pumpkin! I adore it so much I felt compelled to share your art with my readers today as a feature on my weekly post Tuesday’s Top 5 Favorite Junk Finds!

Have you read?

Etsy Spotlight – Classic with a Twist: A Dreamy Dress Pattern You’ll Sew Again and Again

DIY Valentine Shabby Chic Bookmarks: A Creative and Heartfelt Gift Idea

That Time a Thrift Store Employee Shamed Me – And Your Honest Responses

How To Sew a Banner from felted wool sweaters

Etsy Spotlight – Sew Your Own Baby Dress with the Harper Dress Pattern PDF

Categories

Bags and purses Children's Christmas Easter fleece Free Patterns Girl's Dress Halloween Hats Home Decor More Sewing Patterns No-sew Pillows Refashions Scrap Fabric sewing Sewing Techniques Skirts Softies T-shirts

RSS More Articles

  • Etsy Spotlight – Classic with a Twist: A Dreamy Dress Pattern You’ll Sew Again and Again
  • FREE Beach Huts SVG Cut File
  • DIY Upcycled Fabric Bowls and Baskets: A Fun and Functional Craft
  • Create Your Own Heartfelt Masterpiece: The Carwyn Throw Crochet Kit
  • Make Your Cross Stitch into an Iron On Patch
  • How to Make a Trendy Capybara Card
  • DIY Valentine Shabby Chic Bookmarks: A Creative and Heartfelt Gift Idea
  • Stitch Stars: Taylor: Over 20 unofficial embroidery patterns for stitchy superfans
  • Bee Themed Mini Scrapbook Album
  • Fun Tank Top Knitting Patterns

Copyright © 2025 · CraftGossip | Start Here | Contact Us | Link to Us | Your Editors | Privacy and affiliate policy