B o o-tiful pumpkins!

I saw this idea last year when looking at HGTV's Fall decor postings, and I just couldn't pass it up this year...I HAD to make these! I mean who doesn't want some adorable, plastic-but-look-so-real pumpkins with the letters 'B', 'O', 'O' carefully cut out?! HGTV showed them being placed outside, however, with the crazy wind we have here because of the beach, I was afraid they would blow away...or some wild animal would walk away with my work of art in its mouth---so they are my inside decorations for now!

These were fairly simple to make and pretty cheap (would have been cheaper if I just waited until after Halloween for the sales like I kept telling myself...but I couldn't resist!). I bought these medium sized plastic pumpkins at Michael's. They were on sale for $5.99 each, but I also had the lovely 50% off coupon, so not bad at all!

I came home and picked the font on the computer. I chose one of my favorite fonts, 'Monterey'. Now, I know you can print out the font and trace it, but I just eye-balled it and drew on the pumpkins with a pen. Two HUGE things to keep in mind (that I didn't even think of until cutting) is to make sure you make the letters have enough support and that you make sure you draw the letters in a way that you aren't cutting out the centers of the B and O's...if that makes sense. You can see one of my O's has support at the bottom of the letter instead of it being 1 piece like the other O...I learned my lesson.

Cutting is the trickiest part. I started by cutting a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin for the lights to go in. I then took the small knife and started cutting. I tried all sorts of methods and I can't tell you which is the best...I did the sawing method, the puncture method and I then even resorted to scissors--all were challenging. I do have to say I feel it was pretty similar to cutting a pumpkin though--you have the harder outside and the foamy/squishy inside, so very similar.

I then placed these on top of our hutch with some rope light weaving in and out of it. I know you can also get those fake tealights if you wanted to set them outside. I am REALLY happy with how they came out and thrilled beyond words I get to use them next year!

Oh, and these pictures do not do these cute pumpkins justice at all! They are much cuter in person.