With Paper Bags And A Pool Noodle You Can Make The Cutest Fall Pumpkin Decor

Decorating for fall doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. While the decorative pumpkins at the store look super cute, buying them for your home can really add up. Plus, you're just going to put them into storage them in a couple of months anyway. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't deck out your home for the festive season! You just need to get creative with items you probably already have. YouTuber Patti J. Good demonstrated a simple way to make your very own rustic pumpkins in her compilation of easy, inexpensive fall decor tutorials. All you need is a pool noodle, a paper bag, and five minutes of your time. You don't even need to be crafty. As one viewer commented, "You'd never guess that it started out with a pool noodle!!!"

For this craft, you'll need one pool noodle (Good got hers from Dollar Tree), a ruler, a sharp knife, a wine cork, a brown paper bag that measures 5⅛ inches wide, 9½ inches tall, and 3⅛ inches deep or similar (these Amazon brown paper lunch bags are the exact ones she used), craft wire (the light coffee color of this rustic craft wire), a dowel rod or straw to make curly vines, a hot glue gun, faux leaves, and craft stems (Good used these craft sticks from Amazon). Assuming you have the necessary tools, you can recreate this craft for under $40 — and that's if you buy everything used in the video. You can get smaller packs of lunch bags for cheap at the grocery store. The same goes for craft wire. You can also forage in your own yard for fallen branches or autumnal-colored leaves. These substitutions can go a long way in reducing the overall cost.

For this affordable fall decor DIY, start by cutting the pool noodle into 2-inch sections; this is where your ruler will come in handy. Disassemble the paper bag so that it's flat, and cut off the uneven edge that results from opening the bottom. Divide the flattened bag in half — one bag is enough to make two pumpkins. Good then scrunched up one of the halves and accordion folded it for a textured look, which may also help make the material more flexible. Then, place a piece of pool noodle inside the cut paper bag, making sure it's as close to the center as possible to ensure the bag can fully tuck into both sides of the noodle.

Next, stuff the edges of the paper into the pool noodle's holes. Good used a piece of wine cork to plug the bottom and keep the paper in place, but you can also substitute some cut-up sticks or even leftover balled paper if you don't have a cork on hand. The goal is just to fill the hole to prevent the paper from unwrapping. The top part is what really takes this project from bag-covered-pool-noodle to rustic-pumpkin. Hot glue on the faux foliage, and use one of the craft sticks to plug the top of the hole, mimicking a stem. Since it wouldn't be a pumpkin without vines, curl some wire around a dowel rod (or even just your finger). Cut and shape it before sticking it into the top opening and cementing it in place with hot glue.

Add interest and height to this easy DIY rustic pumpkin decor by cutting the pool noodle at different lengths. You just need to make sure that the paper bags you have are tall enough to fully cover the largest sections. By varying the size of each pumpkin, you can create an arrangement that's more fun and eye-catching compared to if they were all uniform. In addition to playing around with the dimensions of your pool noodle pumpkins, you can also make adjustments to the color. While standard brown paper bags lend to a rustic theme, white paper bags spray-painted orange would cater to a classic fall display. You can also easily turn these fall pumpkins into Halloween jack-o'-lanterns with construction paper cutouts for the eyes and mouth. Grab a pack of paper lunch bags, like these Looksgo White Kraft Bags on Amazon for less than $8, and use the leftovers for paper lanterns.

As for decorative details, there are a few alternatives you can try to tailor the decor to your specific taste. While you can decorate the pumpkins with faux foliage from a craft store, an alternative is to forage (responsibly) for fallen branches or autumnal-colored leaves. You could also substitute the gold wire vines with craft pipe cleaners for a more playful and inexpensive result. Snag some green pipe cleaners, like these Bzraxt Green Pipe Cleaners from Walmart for less than a dollar. Twist and curl as many as you want or attach them at the ends to create long trailing vines coming out of your pumpkin. Or, if you're into the bedazzling trend, you'll love this last idea. Cover the finished pumpkin in gem stickers! Amazon sells packs of over 3,000 Eodiebn Self-Adhesive Gem Rhinestones for under $10.