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Simple Crafts: Mini Halloween Pumpkin from Toilet Paper Roll

a_willow by a_willow
Last updated: 10/03/2011

Upcycle Trash! Turn TP Rolls into Mini Pumpkins!

Creating mini pumpkins to decorate your home, day care center, kindergarten or your classroom for this Halloween or fall season is a simple project and most of it can be done by even kids age 3 and up.

Now, really great thing about working on craft projects like this one is: you probably have all what you need right at your home!

I've uploaded a picture of finished mini pumpkins on the left. Like them? Wanna give them a try?

Just bellow you'll find complete instructions how to make these mini pumpkins from toilet paper rolls using just couple items from your household.

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What You'll Need to Make Mini Pumpkins from TP Rolls?

Mini Pumpkins Supply List

As I said already, all of the items you'll need to make these mini pumpkins you probably already have in your home.

Here is the list:
- couple toilet paper rolls (out of one role you can get max.6 strips that will make 2 pumpkins)
- orange color (gouache or acrylic colors)
- paint brush
- precision knife (or sharp kitchen knife)
- ribbon or raffia
- twig

Step 1: Cut toilet paper rolls in strips

First, take your toilet paper rolls and scissors. Flatten the roll and cut 5 - 6 strips trying to make them as equaly wide as possible. They should remain in circle (like shown on the picture)!

Don't try to get more than 6 strips from one toilet paper roll because you will not be able to make a hole in them without cutting through. If you make 6 strips from one toilet paper rolls, you can use them to make 2 little pumpkins.

Step 2: Color your toilet paper roll strips

Now that you have cut toilet paper rolls into strips, you need to color them. You can use either gouache or acrylic colors to paint them in orange.
This is the part of the project my 3 year old girl participated as well. We love to paint things!

Don't use watercolors! They will make paper rolls too soft and crumbling! Too much water!

Let them fully dry.

Step 3: Forming a mini pumpkin

Take 3 orange strips and place them one inside another. Flatten them in the middle like on the picture, take a precision knife (or kitchen knife, or even better one-hole pounch!), and cut throught all 6 layers.

Your hole should be wide enough for twig to go through all layers.

Caution: ONLY FOR ADULTS!

Step 4: Finishing touch

To finish your pumpkins, put the twig through the hole, shape a pumpkin a bit to make it more round and place a ribbon on the upper part. You can see on the picture on the left how the twig goes all the way through all the layers.

There are several variations you can do here. Use gold spray for twig (if you have it at home), or use glitter for orange strips or glue the bottom so it doesn't fall through (specially if you made hole that is too wide). But I'll leave all these options open and you can decide either you'll improve this craft further. :)

My Other Crafty Projects

Hoping to expand the list over time! :)

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Other Ideas for Seasonal Crafts

All of them created from repurposed household items

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Do You Like My Little Pumpkins from Toilet Paper Rolls?

Will you be making them with your kids this Halloween?

Thank you for your interest in this simple craft project.

Do you have an idea how to make this project even better? How to decorate it differently?
Or you would just like to say you did it and share with us how it turned out?

I would love to know! :)

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This Halloween Magazine page written by

a_willow

Welcome! My name is Michelle Willow. I'm a mother of beautiful little girl who brings me joy every day. Wife of a very patient man. Daughter of loving... more »

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