The mellow caress of fall is finally upon us, igniting a flurry of excitement. With a refreshing breeze, a kaleidoscope of changing leaves, inviting pumpkin patches, and exhilarating corn mazes, the fleeting weeks leading up to winter are absolutely delightful. CrossCountry Mortgage is delighted to announce the return of our annual Pumpkin Decorating Contest. In this spirit, we've gathered a host of decoration ideas to spark your creativity and kickstart your festive spirit!
Classic Carving For the purists who prefer to avoid the fuss of glue sticks, glitter, and paint, classic carving is the way to go! We have a selection of admired designs that allow creativity to flow without the clutter of extra embellishments.
Lino Cutting Did you know that you can carve your pumpkin without creating enormous cavities? A lino cutter, akin to this affordable $11 model from Amazon, is a carver's delight! Elegantly etch designs, patterns, faces, and more without the strenuous effort usually required to carve a pumpkin.
Stenciled Masterpieces If you share our sentiment that creative designs often don't translate perfectly into pumpkin carvings, we have a solution! This year, consider utilizing a stencil. Simply download, cut it out, and affix the design to your pumpkin before you start carving. This method ensures precision and takes away the stress of freehand carving.
Detailed Facial Expressions If traditional carving feels too simplistic, why not take on a new challenge this year? For those proficient with sculpting or carving tools, crafting a detailed facial expression is an exciting project to undertake over a few hours. Renowned artist Carlo Rubio suggests using pictures of your own exaggerated expressions as references. You can watch the progression of his design in a time-lapse video on YouTube.
TIP: If your carving project extends beyond a day, it may be prudent for novices to refrigerate their pumpkin overnight to keep it fresh.
Alternative Decorations (No Carving) For families with young children or those who prefer not to carve, there's a myriad of exciting ways to embellish your pumpkin for the fall season.
Magical Unicorn Pumpkins This design is undeniably charming. The beauty of the unicorn pumpkin lies in the freedom it offers – you can invest as much or as little effort as you desire. While some enthusiasts may enjoy sculpting a clay unicorn horn, others could opt for foam or plastic as a simpler alternative. A plastic pumpkin can be painted and reused year after year!
Toddler-Friendly Crafts Carving pumpkins with toddlers often leads to one thing: a messy aftermath. Instead, veer away from traditional carving (and its associated gooey seeds), opting for kid-friendly alternatives such as foam stickers, finger-painting, googly-eyes, or glitter. It promises to be fun for your little ones, and a considerably tidier affair for you.
Glowing Mummy Pumpkins This is one of the most inventive pumpkin designs we've come across. It's quirky, funny, and above all, simple to execute. Just brush or spray glow-in-the-dark paint over cheesecloth to create a spooky luminescence that's sure to amaze friends and neighbors.
TIP: Incorporate large googly-eyes to achieve the full spooky effect!
While pumpkins can be scary, securing a mortgage needn't be. Get in touch with a Mortgage Advisor from CrossCountry Mortgage today for a complimentary consultation and unravel the complexities of the mortgage process.
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