To Make the Miniature Paper Mache Pumpkins You Will Need
- Strong Tissue Paper – preferably in an orange, or deep yellow color. You can use plain packing tissue and color it with paints afterwards if you prefer, For larger projects I have been known to use rolls of inexpensive toilet tissue.
- Small Piece of Kraft Paper For the pumpkin stems. If you don't have brown or kraft paper (I used a paper bag) you can use a piece of the same tissue or paper you use for your pumpkins. .
- PVA (White) Glue – Traditional paper mache uses flour paste glue, and there are a number of other glues you can use for the technique. I suggest using pva glue because it makes very light, strong paper mache, which will not deteriorate if exposed to moist conditions for a short time. The glue should be thinned with water so that it is not as thick as cream.
- A Firm Spherical Shape I made mine out of a biodegradable plastic shopping bag, pushing the plastic into the center of one side of the bag to make a smooth sphere and taping the top edges closed. For larger pumpkins I would use water balloons, or larger balloons, and for tiny pumpkins I use small rolled balls of tissue paper or waxed paper.
- Green or Orange Thread – Depending on the scale of your project you may need ordinary single strand sewing thread for ¼ or smaller scale miniatures, on up to pieces of strong string for 1 foot and larger paper mache pumpkins.
- Sharp Scissors or a Craft Knife – curved scissors work well for smaller scales.
- Tweezers aren't necessary but may help you to pull the stuffing out of your miniature pumpkins if you need them hollow.
- Paint – I used water color paint to darken my basic tissue to a nice pumpkin orange and used an olive green to detail the stem. You can use acrylic paint, or leave the pumpkins the color of your tissue.
