This month’s DIY Challenge from Walmart was to create a DIY Halloween decoration, so here’s a cute little Jack ‘o Lantern garland project I invented.
Yeah, you heard that right, I completely invented this. And I think it kinda looks like I invented it. . .but hey, the kids think it looks awesome, so I’m good.
Here are my supplies!
I started out with a 8 pack of those little plastic treat pumpkins for $1.94.
I was going for a slightly more classy look (and hey-orange plastic doesn’t really scream “class”) so I decided to paint them with the Rut-oleum Black Hammered Metallic Spray-paint. That was right around $6. . . but I only used a bit of the can and have plenty more paint left over for other projects.
Next I decided it would be really cool if I made them glow in the dark! I mean really-little glowing eyes peeping out at you. . .what could be more Halloween-y than that?
So I found this “Glo Away” paint for $4.97 and popped it in my cart.
But look what I found the next aisle over. . . glow in the dark PUFF PAINT! Not only that, but it was only $2.97. Out of the cart came the Glo-Away, in went the Tulip Glow Puff Paint.
I took the little pumpkins outside when I got home and tried to spray paint them. This was not working out well since they were so small.
I figured if I picked it up and held it I would be able to get all the angles better. That worked but my hands got splattered. Time to break out the gloves.
Seven pumpkins later. . . well, I guess it was a good idea to wear those gloves. Can you imagine if I hadn’t been wearing them?
After they fully dried I took them inside and applied the puff paint. At first I tried painting it on, but it was thin and patchy and just didn’t look right. Then I thought “duh-it’s puff paint, it squeezes out. . .”
This way was MUCH easier. I used little plastic cups to set the Jack ‘o Lanterns in while they were drying-I was afraid if I set them upright the paint might slide down a bit. 
As the glow in the dark puff paint dried it became more of a clearish-whitish color. The one I’m holding above is mostly dried, while one with the paint freshly applied is below it.
Once everything was dried I tied them on some orange string I had and hung them from the mantle.
They are cute, but maybe not quite as impressive as I had intended. Eh, live and learn. . . I think black string or twine would look even better. They would also look great as accents on a shelf or glued onto a creepy Halloween Wreath.
They eyes, nose and mouth glow in the dark with that same sickly yellow green color you get from glow in the dark stickers-so this project is definitely at it’s best in the dark!
****This is a sponsored post****
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post I am participating in with the Walmart Moms. Walmart has provided me with compensation for this post. My participation is voluntary and opinions, as always are my own.
As the story began, I thought you were going to put them on a wreath. Have you thought about hanging them on your porch for Halloween night?
Lora, That is a good idea-I might try that!
Great idea to transform the ‘typical’ to something unique… I’m thinking these might be great hung on a string of lights with strips of rags tied on for a garland… orange lights with colored fabric strips… or keep the black and ‘edgy’ look with purple lights and black and silver fabric strips???
Looking at this (while in the Christmas state of mind), I got to thinking these would look cool hung throughout the trees out front at Halloween time. Little floating jack-o-lanterns, it would seem after dark 🙂