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    Home » Seasonal » Fall Decor

    Topsy Turvy Jack-O'-Lanterns

    By: Jane · Updated: 1 Feb, '15 · This post may contain affiliate links · 23 Comments

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    Hello everyone! We recently made these topsy turvy Jack-O'-Lanterns and can you guess what we used to make them?

    Topsy turvy jack-o'-lanterns made from plastic trick-or-treat pails

    If you guessed cheap, plastic trick-or-treating pails then you are correct! These came from Walmart and they were only $1 each.

    Trick-or-treating pails

    I started playing around with painting this one. I first painted it with some white latex paint that I already had and that certainly wasn't the look I was going for so I then painted it with some orange chalk paint that I had on hand. What I had at that point was a color that looked quite a bit like orange sherbet! So I pulled out some bronze metallic glaze and then it kept getting better and better, but it still a little too red for me. So the last thing I did was to add some gold leaf Rub n' Buff here and there.

    Painted trick-or-treating pail | cottage at the crossroads

    Ah, perfect! So I drilled a few holes in the bottom and plopped in an orange mum and the trick-or-treat pail was instantly turned into a cute Jack-O'-Lantern planter! Well, not really instantly because I had to wait for all those paint layers to dry so perhaps I should say that it was fairly easy to turn the pail into a fall planter!

    Cheap, plastic trick-or-treating pail turned into a planter | cottage at the crossroads

    So then I got the idea to make a topsy turvy planter (y'all know how much I love topsy turvy things, don't ya?) by painting the pails 3 different colors. One of them I spray painted green and then added metallic copper paint and some gold leaf Rub n' Buff. Another one I painted in a similar way as I did the original one, and the third one I painted a sunshine yellow color with some gold metallic paint on top with just a little gold leaf Rub n' Buff added.

    Painted trick-or-treat pails

    So once they were dry, Leo cut a hole in the bottom of each one so we could insert a wooden stake into it. (We have plenty of wooden tomato stakes lying around!)

    Topsy turvy jack-o' lanterns made from plastic trick-or-treating pails

    Since we were putting the topsy turvy pumpkins in some black urns, we judged how long the stake needed to be and then Leo cut it off so it wouldn't stick out of the top.

    Topsy turvy jack-o' lanterns made from cheap plastic trick-or-treating pails | cottage at the crossroads

    Here they are looking just as cute as can be, unplanted.

    Topsy turvy jack-o' lanterns made from cheap, plastic trick-or-treating pails

    But since I wanted to use them as planters, I filled the bottom of each one with packing peanuts so that they wouldn't be so heavy with soil, added a little potting soil, and then tucked in some small mums.

    Topsy turvy jack-o'-lanterns made from cheap, plastic trick-or-treating pails | cottage at the crossroads

    I added a little moss which looks a bit like hair, doesn't it?

    Topsy turvy jack-o'-lanterns made from cheap, plastic trick-or-treating pails | cottage at the crossroads

    I just love the combination of colors!

    Topsy turvy jack-o' lanterns | cottage at the crossroads

    Every time I pass them by they just make me smile!

    Topsy turvy jack-o'-lanterns made from cheap, plastic trick-or-treating pails | cottage at the crossroads

    They really brighten up the front of the house and can be seen from the road. Oh, and do you see the large, green plants? There are 2 matching black urns under them that you can't see!

    Topsy turvy jack-o' lanterns made from cheap, plastic trick-or-treating pails | cottage at the crossroads

    Those are sweet potato vines that keep growing and growing kinda like Jack and the Beanstalk vines!

    Topsy turvy jack-o'-lanterns made from cheap, plastic trick-or-treating pails | cottage at the crossroads

    They're even growing up the front steps, which contributes a little spookiness, don't ya think? This white pumpkin started growing in our compost bin early this summer, and I transferred it to the garden so it could continue to grow. I'm so surprised that it had lasted this long. We have some other pumpkins growing in the garden that aren't ready yet.

    White pumpkin and sweet potato vine | cottage at the crossroads

    So in the meantime, I have my topsy turvy Jack-O'-Lanterns to amuse me!

    Topsy turvy jack-o' lanterns made from cheap, plastic trick-or-treating pails

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    1. Cindy

      September 29, 2015 at 8:57 am

      I love your Jack-0-Lanterns! I haven't done much painting, but you have inspired me to try. I have the perfect place for them! Very cute!
      Cindy

      Reply
    2. connie

      September 13, 2015 at 4:19 pm

      love your topsy turvy pumpkins the paint is so creative

      Reply
    3. Bessie

      August 08, 2015 at 1:44 pm

      These are so adorable! I love the topsy turvy look. Thanks for sharing the idea.

      Reply
    4. Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces

      October 05, 2014 at 6:05 pm

      I love this fun project, Jane! Looks wonderful! Thanks for the tutorial!

      Reply
    5. VICKI

      October 05, 2014 at 3:29 pm

      What a wonderful idea!! They are so cheerful! Now, wonder what WM will have cheap that we could use to do this for Christmas? Think girl think!!! Best, Vicki

      Reply
    6. Jonni

      September 30, 2014 at 7:37 pm

      Great DIY idea.

      Reply
    7. Joan Bloom

      September 29, 2014 at 1:01 pm

      Jane, you have done it again! Your ideas are wonderful. You do soooooooooo many different things with soooooooooooooo many different things. I continue to be amazed at how much you do accomplish! I love your blog!!!

      Reply
    8. Pat @ LifeAtLydiasHouse

      September 28, 2014 at 8:36 pm

      Oh Jane, you have out done yourself with these topiaries! Whoever thought plastic jack-o-lanterns could look so cute? I love them!

      Reply
    9. tonia conner

      September 28, 2014 at 6:18 pm

      A must do. Such a cute idea and easy and most important not expensive. Thanks for sharing your great ideas.
      Blessings
      Tonia

      Reply
    10. shelley

      September 28, 2014 at 5:02 pm

      love it....easy and cheap too..

      Reply
    11. MaryJean Zajac

      September 28, 2014 at 4:33 pm

      What a cute idea! I definitely have to pin this one. If I don't get to it this year I hope I can next year! Gotta get me some of the sweet potato plants too! Really great looking growing up the steps!

      Reply
    12. Marlene Stephenson

      September 28, 2014 at 4:13 pm

      Really cute,looks simple,i will see. Thanks for the idea.

      Reply
    13. Dawn

      September 28, 2014 at 2:24 pm

      What a brilliant idea Jane and those pumpkins look much richer than walmart specials. The painting technique makes all the difference.

      Reply
    14. Connie

      September 28, 2014 at 1:41 pm

      You are so clever . . . these are adorable:)

      Reply
    15. PC

      September 28, 2014 at 12:26 pm

      Jane,
      Thank you for the inspiration for using that stash of plastic pumpkins from when the children were young. I am seeing a green, gold, and purple stack on my porch (Mardi Gras colors)

      Reply
    16. Kathleen

      September 28, 2014 at 8:54 am

      Great job, they look wonderful, Jane!

      Reply
    17. Candy S

      September 28, 2014 at 8:27 am

      Really cute! I will be on my way to Walmart to buy some pumpkins after breakfast. Thanks for the inspiration.

      Reply
    18. Martie Brown

      September 28, 2014 at 8:20 am

      I want to know where you got LEO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Reply
    19. Joanne Boulter

      September 28, 2014 at 5:10 am

      You pumpkins are darling and look so festive. I wont tell just how easy that was. I think that I could even make them. LOL
      Life is so LOVERLY when we are doing what we love. ((HUGS)) Jo from Anne's Attic - design blog
      http://fulcolbaxia.wordpress.com

      Reply

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