Hallowe'en - My favourite crafting time of year

I know its a few weeks away, but I love Hallowe'en!  Always have and always will.  My love for Hallowe'en probably dates back to my childhood and the fact that my Dad always made a big deal.  In fact, he still does and throws an annual party.

Last year, I went crafting crazy for Hallowe'en. My absolute favourite item was painted pumpkins.  Rather than carve our jack-o-lanterns, I decided to paint funkins and gourds.

I preferred a simple black and white design and tried both "creepy" designs for the front door and classier designs for the inside.  I loved making them so much that I made more than a dozen and gave some to my parents (for the party's decorations) and to my in-laws.

Here is a list of the items that you will need to make painted pumpkins:

Funkins, real pumpkins (washed and dried) or gourds
Acrylic paints in your preferred colours
Brushes and sponges of various sizes and shapes
Ribbon
Tulle
Faux gems or decals

The internet was a great source for designs (as was anything Tim Burton), but my personal favourite (the skull) actually came from the emblem of my hubby's favourite knife manufacturer (hubby is a collector).  Here's last year's lot, lord knows I'll make more this year: