Holidays & Entertaining Halloween Halloween Crafts and Craft Ideas How to Make a Wire Pumpkin Porch Decoration Create a one-of-a-kind jack-o'-lantern out of wire baskets and miniature gourds. By Emily VanSchmus Emily VanSchmus Instagram Emily VanSchmus is the assistant digital home editor at Better Homes & Gardens, where she covers home decor, entertaining ideas, and more. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on September 3, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Project Overview Working Time: 1 hour Total Time: 1 hour Skill Level: Kid-friendly The wire baskets and driftwood “stem” give this pumpkin a festive farmhouse look, while the mismatched gourds make this easy DIY project a colorful addition to your fall front porch. The colorful Halloween craft is easier to make than it looks and can be displayed indoors or out. Plus, it’s so versatile—you can create the gourd pumpkin first and display it for fall, then add the jack-o'-lantern eyes as it gets closer to Halloween. Use faux gourds to create a lasting display you can showcase year after year. What You'll Need Equipment / Tools Hot glue gun and glue sticks Wire cutters Materials 2 round wire baskets 50 small faux gourds Cardboard Craft wire Driftwood Black adhesive craft foam Instructions Fill Baskets Choose two round wire baskets with a tight weave. You want the holes to be small enough that the gourds won't fall out (shoot for an inch or smaller). A wire topiary form ($23, Amazon) works well. Fill the baskets with an assortment of faux gourds ($17, Amazon). You can use real gourds for this project, but they can get expensive and they won't last all season long. When you've filled both baskets, place a thin piece of cardboard on top of one basket, and hold in place while you flip the basket on top of the other one. Then, slide the cardboard out while holding the baskets together and secure them with craft wire ($7, Amazon). Related: 21 Creative Pumpkin Crafts to Make Today Add Driftwood Stem To turn your baskets into a true pumpkin shape, create a stem with a piece of driftwood. If you don't have driftwood, you can use a cut piece of a tree branch or any other small wood piece. Use hot glue to attach the driftwood to the top basket. If you're putting the basket out early in the season, the main pumpkin part is finished—you can go ahead and display it! Add the Face Adam Albright When you're ready to turn the pumpkin into a jack-o'-lantern, cut a spooky or silly face from black adhesive craft foam ($10, Amazon). If you need inspiration, we have hundreds of free printable pumpkin stencils to help you get started. Once you've cut the shapes, peel the backing off, and stick each shape to the front of the pumpkin. If the adhesive becomes unstuck, reattach with a bit of hot glue. The finished project can be displayed indoors or outside on dry days.