Let me start by saying this is a very easy, but very messy DIY. there is no way you are not going to get glue absolutely everywhere so just accept that now. Lay down something more than a couple paper towels to cover your work station and tie up your hair. Do as I say, not as I do. Sincerely, the girl with glue in her hair.
P.S. This is going to take some time so put on a favorite fall show. Here's a few of my favorites if you need suggestions.
I failed at this project a couple years ago, but I learned a lot, I know where I went wrong, and I'm ready to give it another shot. Here's a look at my last attempt. It's not terrible, but you can still see a lot of orange showing through even though I put layers and layers of paper on it.
For this project, you'll need a pumpkin, spray paint, glue, and a book you're willing to destroy. Bonus points if the book fits the Halloween theme.
Start by spray painting your pumpkin either white or black. I didn't do this on my first try and the paper did NOT want to stay put on the shiny surface of the pumpkin. It'll also keep any orange or other colors/marks from showing through your paper and you won't have to use as much to cover the pumpkin.
Mix up 1 cup of glue (Elmer's is fine) and 3/4 cup water in a bowl.
I painted some of my glue mixture over my pumpkin to start with a sticky base.
Choose a book with normal to thin paper thickness. On my first try at this, my pages were fairly thick and weren't easy to shape to the pumpkin.
Tear up your book pages a couple at a time (skinny strips are best) and dip them into your glue mixture. It helps if they sit in the glue for 10-15ish seconds to get a little soggy.
As you take each strip out of the glue, run your fingers down them (over the bowl) to get rid of excess glue. Mold each paper strip to your pumpkin pressing and smoothing it down gently until it lies flat.
I started from the bottom to get the hang of things and hide any early mistakes I might make then flipped my pumpkin halfway through to finish the top.
This is the tedious part. Just keep covering your pumpkin and building up your layers of paper until you're happy with the look.
Prop your pumpkin up on something for it to dry. You don't want the bottom to get stuck on anything or peel off when you try to move it later.
Let it dry completely (it'll take several hours) before styling it.
Ta-da! You just made beautiful decor perfect for any book or fall-lover.
