Project Inspiration

Fall DIY Decorations: Pumpkins

We love pumpkins! (Is there anyone who doesn't?!) Pumpkins are the perfect fall DIY decoration because they're easy and affordable to make with Aleene's Glues, and they look fab all season long, no matter what style you prefer. If you're reading this article, chances are you also love pumpkins, or you're at least looking for some easy, affordable fall DIY decorations that look like you swooped them up at a fancy store. You've come to the right place! We've rounded up some of our favorite fall pumpkin projects made with Aleene's Glues to help get you inspired on your DIY decorating adventures this season. Wood Slice Chalk Pumpkins If you have firewood ready and waiting to take the edge off of the upcoming wintertime chill, this is the perfect fall DIY decoration project for you! Slice a few rounds from one of your larger logs, grab some of those leftover corks from your last dinner party (or hey, a great excuse to throw a new one) and you're in business with a little help from Original Tacky Glue and some acrylic paint. Easy Decorative Mini Pumpkins Seriously one of the easiest fall DIY decorations around, these mini pumpkins come to life with decorative papers, ribbons and Original Tacky Glue. Cut out your favorite designs from decorative papers and glue on in an artsy way for a super simple pumpkin project that looks oh so fab. Book Page Pumpkins Turn books into pumpkins? Hey, if Cinderella can ride in a stagecoach made from a pumpkin, you can certainly have a pumpkin made from a book! This rustic fall DIY decoration comes together easily with a thick paperback book, some fun fall embellishments like faux leaves and twine, and Original Tacky Glue. It's a creative project fit for history books (that you can one day turn into more pumpkins)! Fall Glitter Pumpkins This fall DIY decoration project combines two of our favorite things: pumpkins and glitter! And Original Tacky Glue of course - the most versatile craft glue around! You only need Tacky Glue and your favorite glitters to create this shiny, happy set of pumpkins that will look radiant anywhere you place them. Metal, Wood & Cork Pumpkins Normally people just pick up a real or faux pumpkin and decorate that, but this fall DIY decoration project gets super creative with materials! Instead of using actual pumpkins, we went for pumpkin shapes made with natural materials like cork, metal and wood, then painted for chic effects. Check out these three pumpkins made three ways with a little help from Aleene's Wood Glue and Turbo Tacky Glue. Yarn Pumpkins Are your kids into crafting? This fun pumpkin project uses yarn and Aleene's Original Tacky Glue to create string pumpkins you can hang in the window or around the house to add some fall cheer - inside and outside for people walking by! Reclaimed Wood Pumpkins Use the leftover scrap wood from all of those home improvement projects you've been working on to make your own set of wood pumpkins that will last for years to come! Bonus: there's no heavy-duty construction needed for these fall DIY decorations when you use tough-as-nails Aleene's Wood Glue. Glitter Dash Pumpkin Looking for more glitter ideas? Use Aleene's Original Tacky Glue to create dashes or other patterns - like dots and swirls - on a foam pumpkin, then sprinkle on glitter for sparkly pumpkin decor that'll dazzle your friends and family. Day of the Dead Pumpkins Don't forget about Day of the Dead when you're decorating for fall! The day after Halloween, this special day honors and celebrates loved ones who've passed on. Sugar skulls are popular during this holiday, and you can make your own version with pumpkins using foam pumpkins and Aleene's Felt & Foam Glue. It's a fun and easy project for all ages! Feeling inspired? Get started on your fall pumpkin projects today. It'll be Christmas before you know it! (And make sure to tag us on social @aleenesdiy and share your pumpkin creations with us.)

DIY Napkin Decoupage Pumpkin Decorations

Discover a fun way to decorate this fall with napkin decoupage! Learn how to use Aleene’s Premium Decoupage Matte and seasonal paper napkins to create stunning pumpkin decorations with this easy tutorial from Maria Provenzano. This creative décor idea can be customized with your desired napkin designs, so you can make each pumpkin uniquely yours! What you need: Aleene’s Premium Decoupage Matte Faux pumpkins Paper napkins Paintbrush Wax paper Scissors Small disposable bowlStep 1 Prepare your pumpkin decorations Step 1 Prepare your pumpkin decorations Gather the materials for this napkin decoupage project and prepare your pumpkin decorations. Lay a sheet of wax paper across your work surface and ensure your faux pumpkin is clean and dry. Pour Aleene’s Premium Decoupage Matte into a small disposable bowl. Step 2 Place napkins onto the pumpkin Step 2 Place napkins onto the pumpkinOpen and place the napkins onto the pumpkin, design side up. Wrap the napkins around the pumpkin to ensure it will be completely covered, with only the stem poking out. Step 3 Apply decoupage glue Step 3 Apply decoupage glueHold the pumpkin decoration by its stem, then lift the napkins and apply decoupage glue onto the surface of the pumpkin using a paintbrush. Step 4 Apply the napkin decoupage Step 4 Apply the napkin decoupageWhile the glue is still wet, press a section of the paper napkin onto the pumpkin, smoothing out any wrinkles as needed. Use scissors to trim any excess. Repeat this process to cover your pumpkin completely in napkin decoupage! Step 5 Seal with decoupage glue Step 5 Seal with decoupage glue Once your pumpkin decoration is completely covered with the napkin decoupage, seal your designs with a final coat of decoupage glue. Step 6 Let dry and enjoy! Step 6 Let dry and enjoy! Once the glue has dried completely, your napkin decoupage pumpkin is ready to display! These colorful pumpkin decorations are a unique way to spruce up your space for fall— try making a variety of napkin decoupage pumpkins with different designs! Will you be making your own napkin decoupage pumpkin decorations with Aleene’s Premium Decoupage Matte? Show us your DIY seasonal décor and tag us on social media @AleenesDIY!

DIY Book Page Pumpkin

It’s almost that time of year again! The cooler weather, changing colors, and pumpkin spice lattes. Oh fall how I love you so. There is no doubt pumpkins are a familiar sight this time of year and today I’m sharing how to bring some fall decor to your home with a few supplies a book and Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue. What you need: Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue Paperback book Craft knife Scissors Pencil Self-healing cutting mat Painter's sponge Craft Paint Twine Tree twigs or cinnamon sticks First thing you’ll have to do is to remove the front and back cover. Sketch out a pumpkin to fit the size of your book when folded this will be your cutting template. You can also just print out a pumpkin and modify the image to fit your book. Fold the pumpkin sketch in half; you’re only going to use one half of the template. Before cutting out the template, make sure the pumpkin half will actually fit within the book you plan to cut. Trim the template accordingly to get the perfect fit for the book. Slide the self-healing mat under 5-6 pages. Place the template on top of the pages trace with a pencil and carefully use the X-Acto knife to cut the pages along the line. Limit the number of pages you cut at one time to about 5-6. If you stack too many pages, the knife may not cut through them cleanly. After cutting the first set, slide the mat under the next stack of pages and repeat until you get to the end of the book. If you want to add some charm to your pumpkin, Fold the book and use a sponge brush to apply several coats of craft paint across the outside of the pages. Allow to dry. Use Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue to connect the two sides of the book together along the spine. You may also want to glue the two end pages together for a better hold. Save

Lovebug Photo Display Board with Turbo Tacky Glue

What’s cuter than photos of your fam? How about photos of your fam displayed by adorable little lovebugs! LuluMake will show you how to DIY a photo display board using clothespins, paints and Aleene’s Turbo Tacky Glue. No tools needed for this sweet way to put your favorite memories on display; makes a great gift for grandparents and other loved ones too! What you need: - Aleene’s Turbo Tacky Glue- Wood pallet - Clothespins - Wood discs – 1.5 inches and 1 inch- Small wood beads- Felt or foam shapes for embellishing love bugs- Chenille stems- Acrylic paints in desired colors- Paintbrush and paint palette- ScissorsStep 1 For your photo display, get creative designing your lovebugs any way you like! They can be any color and any type of bug you want, or even little people or animals instead of bugs. Step 2 To get started, paint one side of each clothespin with acrylic paint in your chosen colors. Paint the corresponding head for each lovebug clothespin on the 1.5-inch wood discs. Paint the smaller wood discs in a matching color for the bugs thorax (body). You can do a solid color or create fun designs on the thorax its completely up to you! Step 3 Cut a small strand of chenille stem about 2 inches long and thread a small wood bead on each end. Curve the stem upward into a U shape, then apply Turbo Tacky Glue onto the stem. Press in place on the backside of the lovebugs head with the beads pointed upward to be the bugs antennae. If youre creating other critters like animals or people, you can create other features like hair or ears! Step 4 Glue the head pieces in place at the top of each clothespin, then glue the thorax/body onto the clothespin beneath the head. Step 5 You can also embellish your little lovebugs with foam shapes. Just glue them on where ever you like! If you are creating bugs with wings, wait to glue on the wings; youll be gluing them onto the display board instead of the backs of the bugs. Step 6 When you are ready to glue your lovebugs onto the display board, measure and mark where the center of the board is. This is where you will glue your first lovebug. If it has wings, first glue one wing in place on the board. Next glue your bug in place aligned with the wing, the glue the other wing on the other side. Step 7 Repeat gluing your lovebugs in a row across the base. Once youve gotten everything glued in place, let dry completely. Glue ribbon, twine or desired hanger on the back side of the base as well (if it doesnt have a hanger already). Step 8 Attach photos of your own little lovebugs and enjoy! This photo display is almost too cute to handle, dont you think?! What else are you crafting up with Aleenes Turbo Tacky Glue? Make sure to tag us on social @aleenesdiy and share with us!

Tie Dye Isn't Just for T-shirts

Published Date: March 13, 2020 Most people think of T-shirts and tie dye going together like peanut butter and jelly (and they totally do), but have you ever thought about tie dyeing other items? Tie dye isn't just for T-shirts, and to prove it, we put together this roundup of cool tie-dye items other than shirts to get you inspired to think outside of the tie-dye box. Check 'em out and get inspired to try something new with tie dye! Supplies needed - Tulip One-Step Tie-Dye Kit of choice - Items made from 100% natural fibers (cotton, rayon, canvas, silk) Instructions Tie-Dye Shoes Give a white pair of canvas kicks a whole new life with vibrant tie dye in an ombre tie-dye pattern. You can squeeze the dyes directly from the bottles onto a damp pair of shoes, or use a paintbrush to brush and blend each color onto the shoes. Such an easy way to create a cool tie-dye look! Tie-Dye Backpack You don't have to be a student to tote around a backpack; they come in handy for hauling stuff to work, stuff for baby, traveling and so much more. We love this freestyle tie-dye pattern on a canvas backpack using the Tulip Rainbow Tie-Dye Kit. You can squeeze the dyes randomly on the backpack or you can try the crumple tie-dye technique, which is basically the easiest to do with such fun results! Tie-Dye Pet Bed Pets deserve to enjoy tie dye too! A tie-dye pet bed is the perfect way for your furry family member to chill out after a run in the park or chasing the tennis ball around. The string bullseye tie-dye technique is an easy one for a pet bed; try a bright color like this one or experiment with multiple colors if your pet has a wild side! Shibori Tie-Dye Pillow Speaking of comfy, cushy tie dye, why not try tie dyeing a pillow? Shibori tie-dye patterns are super chic and never go out of style, and make a great home dec effect you can use to accent your couch, chair or bedding. Get the tie-dye tutorial for this pillow here, then pick up a Shibori Tie-Dye Kit and turn your pillows into tie-dye works of art! Tie-Dye Tassels Tassels are a great way to accessorize home decor like baskets, blankets and even items like handbags. Learn how to make and dye your own using a dip dye style tie-dye pattern and the Two-Minute Tie-Dye Kit, which speeds up the dye set process in a major way. It'll take hardly any time to have some fab, colorful new accessories.

No-Sew Pompom Waist Pack

Carry your stuff around in a style that's completely yours ... because you made it! Personalize a simple waist pack with bright pompom trim for a quick and easy way to add personality to your bag with no sewing needed - just Aleene's Quick Dry Fabric Fusion. It's just a few simple steps for this fun waist pack makeover! What you need: - Aleene's Quick Dry Fabric Fusion- Waist Pack- Pompom trim (or trim of choice)- Scissors All you need is a few supplies to make over a simple waist pack with color and personality! We chose pompom trim but you could use ribbon, sequins or other kinds of trim like lace to upcycle your waist pack with your personality. First determine how much trim you'll need to embellish your pack from end to end. Cut the length of trim needed. Add a thin line of Quick Dry Fabric Fusion along your trim piece. Press the pompom trim in place (glue side down) along the front of your waist pack. Let dry completely. Tip: use sewing pins to hold the trim securely in place while drying. Now your waist pack is super fab with its new pompom trim and ready to head out on your next adventure in style!

5 Glow-in-the-Dark Painted Pumpkin Ideas

If you're already thinking about decorating for Halloween, you are not alone! We're totally getting into a spooky state of mind around here, and one of our favorite ways to prep for Fright Night festivities is making glow-in-the-dark pumpkins. They're easy (and fun!) for all ages to create, they last longer than real pumpkins (and hey, are less messy too) and they're perfect for adding a ghoulish glow to Halloween parties, your front porch or where ever you place them! Here's a roundup of our favorite glow-in-the-dark painted pumpkin ideas for this year: What you need: - Real or faux pumpkins (we like faux so they last) - Tulip Glow Dimensional Paint How cool are these glow pumpkins from Sam at Color Made Happy?! Get creative like Sam and make sugar skull designs, animals and other patterns; they will all look amazing! Pumpkins don't always have to be scary; these beautiful boho pumpkins from Alisa Burke are still some of our absolute favorites. Simple repeating patterns make for a stunning motif that stands out in the dark. Jaderbomb is no stranger to glow-in-the-dark pumpkins! If you've been following our blog for a while, you've certainly seen her get super creative with some glow paint and a set of pumpkins. More sugar skulls please! With a side of kitschy humor. We love these Sugar Skull Pumpkin Pails that are great for your trick-or-treat haul, or for setting on display while not in use. You don't always have to create creepy faces or intricate designs ... Pumpkins with Halloween themed words are also fun, and super easy to make! You can even use them for clever signs at your Halloween party.

3 Pumpkins, 3 Different Ways

We don't know about you, but we are sooooo ready for fall here at Aleene's. One of our favorite things about fall is of course, everything pumpkin related! Pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin patches, pumpkin decor ... you get the point. In order to celebrate the arrival of fall in just a few weeks, we came up with 3 pumpkin decor ideas made from 3 different materials - metal, cork and wood; all all of them will last the entire season and seasons to come! Read on to see how easy it is to create your own with Aleene's glues. What you need: - Aleene's® Wood Glue- Aleene's® Turbo Tacky Glue- Grade Stakes Pine- (21) regular-mouth Mason jar lids- Corks- Tree branch cut into three pieces for stems- Clamps- Paper towels- Acrylic paints in colors of choice- Paintbrush- Twine- Sand paperWooden Pumpkin Cut 9 pieces of wood to following sizes: (2) 4 pieces, (2) 5 pieces, (2) 5 7/8 pieces, (2) 6 pieces and (1) 7 piece. Apply wood glue to the bottoms of all the pieces, except to one 4 piece (this will be the bottom of the pumpkin). Stack the pieces in this order 4, 5, 5 7/8, 6, 7, 6, 5 7/8, 5, 4. Add clamps to each side to apply pressure while glue dries. Once the glue is dry remove the claps smooth out edges and paint to desired color. Finish the pumpkin by adding a small tree branch as a stem and twine to finish the look. Metal Pumpkin Cut about 2 feet of twine and run it thru 21 open mouth Mason jar lids. Pull both of the string ends together to form the pumpkin and tie. Once you have the shape of the pumpkin add small amount of Turbo Tacky Glue to each overlapping lid. Let dry. Cut off the twine and paint with desired color of paint. Use glue to add a small tree branch piece as a stem and twine to finish the look. Cork Pumpkin You will need about 37 corks. There are seven rows total. Use the Turbo Tacky Glue to adhere two rows of 4, two rows of 5, two rows of 6 and one row of 7. Let dry. Glue rows 4, 5, 6, and 7 together, then glue the reverse order to 7, 6, 5, and 4. Let dry. Once dry paint and finish the pumpkin by adding a small tree branch as a stem and twine to finish the look.

Yarn Glue Pumpkins

Are you a yarn collector? Do you have a secret stash of autumnal yarn and looking for any excuse to use it? Have no fear – glue pumpkins are here! What you need: -Aleene's Original Tacky Glue 4 fl. oz. - Yarn (oranges for pumpkin + green for the stem) -Wax paper -Tray or cookie sheet -Jar or container with 4 fl. oz of water -Plastic spoon -Needle Pour the entire 4 fl. oz bottle of Tacky Glue into the jar of water. The whole bottle! Let it sit for two minutes. After letting the glue loosen up in the water for a couple of minutes, use the spoon to blend them together. The final result will be the consistency of very heavy whipping cream. Cut yarn into one yard lengths. Each pumpkin will need at least nine yards, but you can add more if you like. Dip the yarn into glue mixture use the spoon to fish it out. Use your fingers to arrange the yarn into a loose pile on the wax paper. Indent the top slightly to mimic the shape of a pumpkin. Take a spoonful of the glue mixture and pour it evenly over the surface. Let the pumpkins dry overnight. In humid areas, add a fan to help the pumpkins along. You will know they are dry when the glue is clear. Tear away the excess wax paper from behind the yarn. Thread one yard of green yarn through the eye of a needle and insert through the top of the pumpkin. Tie off the green stem and hang your pumpkin with pride! Because they are transparent, the pumpkins look especially neat when displayed on a window.