Thankful Pumpkins

At the beginning of fall last year, the girls and I made our Thankful Turkey to help us remember all the things we have to be thankful for.

We hung the Turkey on the refrigerator and added "feathers" written with our thankful messages throughout fall.  I had to come up with a new idea this year because Clara can pull herself up on the fridge and eats anything that we have hanging on it!  Many of the girls' school projects have ended up in the trash because Clara got a hold of it hanging on the fridge.  That girl sure does like eating paper!

So this year, we are making Thankful Pumpkins!

I'm starting to get ready for Clara's pumpkin-themed 1st birthday party so the Thankful Pumpkins that will double as party decorations!

Here are the supplies that you need for one pumpkin:
- 2 sheets of orange printer paper
- 1 sheet of green paper
- 2 brass fasteners
- 1 green pipe cleaner

Here's how you make the pumpkin:
1.  Click here to download the "I'm thankful for..." file and print it out on your orange paper.
2.  Cut the orange paper into 2 inch strips and write what you (or your child) is thankful for.

3.  Cut out two leaves from your green paper.  I used a black Sharpie to outline the leaves.

4.  Puncture both ends of the orange strips of paper and the ends of the leaves.  To do this, I laid the paper on a piece of cardboard and used the tip of a sharp knife to puncture the paper.
5.  Secure the end of the orange strips of paper furthest from the "I'm thankful for..." writing with the brass fastener.  This will be the bottom of your pumpkin.  Don't load the strips of paper onto the brass fastener in clockwise/counter clockwise order or your pumpkin will be lopsided.  Does that make sense?

6.  Thread the brass fastener down through the green leaves.  Then bring the ends of the orange strips of paper up to form a pumpkin and thread the brass fastener through (remember to NOT go in a clockwise/counter clockwise order).  See pictures with leaves above.
8.  Before securing the brass fastener, loop the green pipe cleaner around and under the top of the brass fastener.  See picture with leaves above.
9.  Curl the pipe cleaner with your finger or around pencil.

I can't wait to start making some pumpkin treats!!  I love this time of year!