We, here at Flea Market Gardening, ‘do’ pumpkins enthusiastically.  The icon of Fall and Halloween, they are blank slates upon which we create our special junky magic. Here are three ideas for you!

Marie’s junky pumpkin

Have you ever wondered what could be done with rusty doodads and stuff in those dusty junk boxes you see at some Flea Markets and garage sales??  Marie Niemann’s Junkin’ Punkin’ created last year can easily be done with some of those odds and ends,…springs, gears, knobs and wires can make a unique face for your garden pumpkin.

Jack, the Rusty Junkin’ Punkin’

Jack and Jill are two happy junkin` punkin`s

Marie says, “Meet Jack and Jill!  I made these two Junkin` Punkins last year using whatever items I could find in my rust buckets. They were a ton of fun to make! If you don’t have any rusty junk anything will work with some imagination.  You’d be surprised what unique items you could find in your garage or junk drawer.  A trip to a thrift store or even the hardware store where you could find all sorts of interesting pieces to use.”

Mary’s concrete pumpkin

Mary Everett has done something completely different!

Mary Everett’s concrete molded pumpkin

Here’s my concrete pumpkin made from one of those orange plastic pumpkin that  kids collect Trick or Treats in.  I saw the idea and I had to try one. The hardest part was waiting for the concrete to dry! I just dry brushed the paint because I wanted a more rustic look. I like the plain side best. Super easy!!

Basic Instructions:

1. Using soap and water, clean the inside of a plastic trick-or-treat pumpkin.  Dry completely.
2. Coat the inside of the dry pumpkin with spray-on cooking spray.
3. Prepare a bag of quick set concrete according to package instructions. Pour the concrete into the pumpkin up to the brim.
4. Tap the sides to bring up any bubbles.
5. Allow it to dry completely or when the concrete is as firm as brownie batter place a stick in the top as a stem. Hold this with wire to keep in place.
6. Use a utility knife to cut away the plastic pumpkin! You’re done!

Mary says, ”After the cement was dried, my husband was able to cut the plastic pumpkin in half with a small hand saw and used the two halves to make half pumpkins which are cute and can be used backed against something. Got our money’s worth out of that plastic pumpkin.”

What to do with the leftover cement? Mary says, , “I used Jeanne Sammons’ idea and poured the leftover concrete into an assortment of little plastic bowls for tops and styrofoam cups for stems and made mushrooms . Thanks for sharing that idea!” One further tip from jeanne Sammons is to use 25 lb Vinyl Cement Patch instead of concrete for a smoother finish.  See Jeanne’s pumpkins on our FMG Facebook page.

“It weighs about 20 lbs. At least I don’t have to worry about it blowing away.” Mary tells us.

Let the pumpkin bandits try to take this. haha!  And no one is going to be kicking this pumpkin (at least they will regret it if they do)

Laura’s Rusty Pumpkin

See what one Flea Marketer has done for her porch and entry displays…

“One look at my front porch and you can see my business name come to life. What started as aspirations of pumpkin farming and an occasional sale has grown into a bigger adventure than I ever imagined. Thanks for joining me on the journey,” says Laura Arensdorf.

The ‘Rusty Pumpkin’ porch

Laura has a business, The Rusty Pumpkin in Des Moines, Iowa, a Facebook page and travels as well to Flea Markets all over.  Lucky you if you live close to her shop and if you don’t, you can always take a peek anyway at all her good ‘loot.’  It’s nice to know that there is that much good junkola in the world!

Rusty Pumpkin’s easy-to-do display

Now, I hope that you can take some good ideas away from these three and have a wonderful Fall!

***