Fall Favorites and a Pumpkin Topiary Tutorial

Fall is by far my favorite season.  I love every single thing about it.  Over the years of blogging, I have posted some of my favorites.  

{Pumpkin Carving Prayer}

{Taco Soup}

{Toilet Paper Pumpkins}

{Fall Wreath}

{Moss Covered Initial}

This year I added a few new touches to our outdoor decor.  This is our scarecrow.  It was one of the first holiday decor purchases that my husband and I made as newlyweds.  He is made of metal and then we dressed him in overalls and stuffed him with straw.  He is the first to welcome our guests each fall.  This year I made him a little burlap banner, so that he too can proclaim his love of fall.  

I also added two pumpkin topiaries next to our door.  I found the bases at a garage sale for $5 each and then the foam pumpkins were also found at a garage sale for fifty cents each.  I should mention that I found them in May.  So, these pieces have been sitting in our garage since then and my husband asked several times why I needed pumpkins in May?  :)  I knew exactly what I was going to do with them, I just had to wait for my favorite season to arrive.  

I had everything else on hand, so one rainy afternoon, I got to work creating our topiaries.  Here is what I used:

• urn style base or terracotta pot
• foam pumpkins
• heavy duty scissors
• wooden dowel rods
• floral foam
• paper
• leaves
• ribbon
• straight pins

1. Cut a hole using the scissors in the bottom and top of one of your pumpkins.  This pumpkin will be your base pumpkin.  Cut the hole a little bit smaller than your dowel so that it is a tight fit.  Cut one hole in the bottom of the other pumpkin.  This will be your top pumpkin.  
2. Run your dowel through the bottom pumpkin and then stack the top pumpkin.
3. Place the floral foam in the base of the urn and then put the rod through it centering the pumpkins on the urn.
4. Stuff paper around the dowel on the inside of the urn to give stability.
5. Add leaves all around the base of the bottom pumpkin.
6. Layer ribbons and tie them together.  Place on top of the pumpkin stem, attaching with straight pins.

 Happy Fall!

©2011 Filled With Praise