Last week we had Thanksgiving here in Canada (I know, how weird is it that we don't share the same date for Thanksgiving with the US?). My husband and I were hosting and I wanted to have a pretty centerpiece for the table, but I didn't want to spend a fortune on one that was already made. Not to mention it's pretty difficult to find a pre-made Thanksgiving centerpiece that doesn't involve cheesy turkeys or tacky glittery bouquet inserts that say "Happy Thanksgiving!" on plastic (you know the ones I mean, right?). So I thought I'd try my hand at arranging some flowers using a pumpkin as a vase.
First I found a nice, medium-sized white pumpkin at the grocery store. In previous years, all I could find at the supermarket were the usual standard orange pumpkins – but not anymore! From bumpy, warty-looking green ones to beautiful bright orange "Cinderella" pumpkins, even my local run-of-the-mill supermarket is carrying the "fancy" pumpkins this year. My white pumpkin was from Fred Meyer (Kroger).
First I found a nice, medium-sized white pumpkin at the grocery store. In previous years, all I could find at the supermarket were the usual standard orange pumpkins – but not anymore! From bumpy, warty-looking green ones to beautiful bright orange "Cinderella" pumpkins, even my local run-of-the-mill supermarket is carrying the "fancy" pumpkins this year. My white pumpkin was from Fred Meyer (Kroger).
I gutted my pumpkin (saving the lid for later in the fridge), then cleaned it in the sink and let it air dry. To add some flair to the white skin I used gold spray paint (my favorite is this one from Rust-Oleum
– buy it online, it's way cheaper!) to create an ombré look. I sprayed the bottom heavily, and lightened the spray as I went down the pumpkin. The trick is to use a light hand and spray from a distance, letting each pass dry before spraying the same area again. If you don't do this, you will get drips running down your pumpkin. Remember to stay out of the wind so you don't inhale any paint!
– buy it online, it's way cheaper!) to create an ombré look. I sprayed the bottom heavily, and lightened the spray as I went down the pumpkin. The trick is to use a light hand and spray from a distance, letting each pass dry before spraying the same area again. If you don't do this, you will get drips running down your pumpkin. Remember to stay out of the wind so you don't inhale any paint!
At the grocery store where I bought my pumpkin, I tried to find some pretty seasonal flowers in fall colors. I picked a few chrysanthemums in yellow and white. I would have liked to use something more orange/red, but the flower selection at the store wasn't as great as the pumpkin selection! (I think if I had found a large orange flower to replace the light yellow flowers I used, the result would have been better). I measured my flowers in graduated heights – white flowers were tallest because of their larger size, then medium height for the gold filler mums, and then the light yellow flowers were the shortest since I planned to place them below the other flowers.
I was pleased with how the centerpiece looked when I finished (and after my daughter helped me cut and place all the flowers – critiquing the whole time in the way that only 5-year-olds can get away with). See the top photo for the finished product.
Added bonus: now that the flowers have seen better days, I cleared them out of the pumpkin, and am now left with a pretty white and gold ombré pumpkin for my front porch.
What are (were) your centerpiece plans for Thanksgiving this year?
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