Easy Halloween Craft: Crepe Paper Pumpkins from Recycled Jugs

Written by

tiffanymwindsor

·

Five DIY pumpkins made from orange painted water bottles with black faces, arranged in a garden setting.

designed by Tiffany Windsor

Looking for a fun and budget-friendly way to decorate for Halloween? These DIY pumpkins made from recycled plastic water jugs and colorful crepe paper are the perfect mix of spooky and sustainable! Not only are they lightweight and easy to make, but they’re also a great project to do with kids. With just a few simple supplies, you can transform everyday household items into festive pumpkins that add charm to your porch, party table, or Halloween display.

Watch video on YouTube

Materials

(This post may contain affiliate links and/or may include promotional materials.)

Plastic water (or milk) jugs

ModPodge Outdoor Glue

Foam brush

Scissors

Orange crepe paper streamers (note that some crepe papers may fade quickly in the direct sunlight)

Black craft foam

Aleene’s Felt and Foam Glue

Brown packing paper or brown bag (for stem)

A person holding a plastic milk jug, preparing to create a DIY Halloween decoration.

Remove label and lid from jug.

A person placing a strip of orange crepe paper around a plastic milk jug while crafting a DIY Halloween pumpkin.

Measure crepe paper strips from top of jug to bottom center and precut enough strips for entire jug add enough so that you can overlap at bottom and glue inside top.

A person applying decoupage glue to a plastic milk jug, with colorful crepe paper strips in the background, preparing for a Halloween DIY project.

Apply line of decoupage glue to jug. Be sure that line is wider than your first strip of crepe paper.

A close-up of a hand applying a strip of orange crepe paper to a plastic milk jug, with additional strips of crepe paper visible in the background.

Lay pre-cut strip of crepe paper into wet glue and gently press in place with fingers.

A close-up of a person's hand applying decoupage glue onto a white plastic milk jug while preparing to decorate it with orange crepe paper.

Immediately add coat of decoupage over crepe paper. Keep your brush very wet with glue and do not overwork the glue application or your crepe paper will tear.

A close-up of a table featuring strips of orange crepe paper, a foam brush, and a container of decoupage glue, as a hand applies the crepe paper to a plastic milk jug.

Continue applying glue to jug and add strips of crepe paper one by one. In order to keep the strips straight, overlap the strips at the top of the jug and align at the bottom. Tuck excess paper at top inside jug.

A person holds a paintbrush and decoupage glue, preparing to decorate a DIY pumpkin made from a plastic jug covered in vibrant crepe paper.

To apply around the handle, cut smaller pieces of crepe paper and glue in place and also use smaller pieces to glue over any areas of the jug that you have missed. Let glue dry completely.

A person holding a DIY pumpkin made from a plastic milk jug covered in orange crepe paper, with black craft foam features for the eyes and mouth, alongside a pack of peel-and-stick sheets.

Cut facial features from craft foam and glue in place. Let dry completely.

A colorful DIY pumpkin made from a recycled plastic milk jug, with a black craft foam face, is displayed on a table with scissors and brown packing paper nearby.

To create stem, use a large piece of brown paper and roll and crumple into stem shape twisting as you go.

Close-up of a DIY pumpkin made from a plastic milk jug, featuring a colorful crepe paper covering and a brown paper stem, with scissors and crafting materials visible in the background.

Tuck stem into top of jug. If you want to make the stems weather resistant, apply ModPodge over entire surface.

A row of DIY pumpkins made from recycled plastic milk jugs, each painted orange with black facial features, sitting on a wooden planter box with greenery in the background.

Bonus idea: Cut opening in back of pumpkin to add twinkle lights. If you cut a C shape or a bracket shape to create a “door” you can keep the opening closed better to help avoid water intrusion.

Colorful promotional graphic for a pajama party craft event, featuring floral designs and live demonstration times.

LATEST POSTS:

, ,

Leave a Reply

Discover more from Cool2Craft Blog

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading