Two Easy Fall Projects for Less Than $5!

Before I start decorating for fall, I pull out my big bin with decor and do a little prep work. Not only do I evaluate what I have to keep me from overbuying all the new items in stores, I like to get a few craft projects done before it’s time to decorate.

This year I decided to give a couple pumpkins what I like to call “The Fairy Godmother Treatment!” I started with these outdoor pumpkins that were horribly faded.

These were a major Hobby Lobby clearance score about 10 years ago. Originally $25, I got them 75% off after Halloween! I haven’t used them every year, but they definitely needed a makeover after several seasons out in the hot sun (#southernlife).

I taped off the stems and gave them two full coats of white spray paint.

This is how they looked after the first coat. I used a Rustoleum Indoor/Outdoor paint that I found at Dollar General for around $4.

Here they are after the final coat. I left the stems just as they were! I could have filled in the scrolling detail with a darker color and added a monogram, but since these will be outside and can be turned around (like the one on the right) I decided to leave them plain.

One of the keys to success as a novice DIY’er is knowing your limits. 🙂

For the second project, I decided to paint one of the cute wooden block pumpkins from Dollar Tree, which they have in stock again this year! Here are the two I used in my decor last fall:

They come with a raffia bow, which I replaced with some jute string.

I really like those two and will use them again this year. However, I wanted some plain ones to add to my decor. I’ve learned from my mom that worded decor should be used sparingly. It can easily make your space look cluttered if you have too many signs or decor pieces with words and phrases.

Some of those Dollar Tree wooden pumpkins have glitter lettering. I painted over an extra orange one I had from last year, so I started by removing the words with sand paper. It didn’t take very long at all! I taped off the stem and gave the pumpkin two coats of a deep navy acrylic paint from Dollar Tree.

I was able to leave the stem with the original paint color and just embellished it with some Dollar Tree twine!

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It helps so much to have my DIY projects completed before I start decorating, which is what I’m working on right now! My house will be decorated for fall by the end of the week so that I can enjoy it as long as possible.

When do you start decorating for fall?

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