Simply Fun Halloween

Carved, painted, or decked in
sequins, these starstruck
pumpkins are stunning alone or
in a grouping.

Don't have the whole day set aside for carving? No problem. Here are some ready-in-minutes ideas.

• Pumpkins of all sizes
• Paint pen in desired color (often used for fabric painting, available at fabric, discount, and crafts stores)
• Small paring knife
• Votive candle
• Star sequins
• Straight pins with colored pearl ends
• Small star cookie cutter

1. Paint-pen pumpkin: To make a paint-pen pumpkin, draw stars in desired colors all over the pumpkin.
2. Candleholder pumpkin: To make a candleholder pumpkin, cut a round hole (large enough to hold a votive candle) with a paring knife in the top of the pumpkin and scoop out. Decorate around the hole with paint pen as desired. Place a votive candle into the hole.
3. Sequined pumpkin: To make a sequined pumpkin, attach star sequins using straight pins with pearl ends.
4. Cookie-cutter pumpkin: To make a cookie-cutter pumpkin, press the star cookie cutter into the surface of the pumpkin and remove the "skin" of the star shape using a small paring knife.

• Wind the ends of a metallic pipe cleaner around a pencil, slip off, and attach a pipe cleaner to the stem of a miniature pumpkin.
• Attach a purchased artificial fall leaf at the stem of the pumpkin and display in a small pile of leaves.