Want a quick, easy, minimal-supply way to decorate some adorable, on-trend pumpkins? You know we’ve got you. Grab some tissue paper and glue and get to sticking. Here’s how to make tissue paper decoupage pumpkins…

SUPPLIES FOR TISSUE PAPER DECOUPAGE PUMPKINS

• Tissue paper in your favorite color palette (we used this pack available on Amazon)
• Real or artificial pumpkins (like these)
• Scissors
• Mod Podge (we did the matte finish) or white glue mixed with an equal amount of water
• Paintbrush or foam brush

Cut shapes from tissue paper

Start by cutting different shapes and sizes from your tissue paper. You can make:

• Basic shapes: circles, squares, triangles, rectangles, zigzags, strips
• Shapes from the sky: rainbow arcs, clouds, stars and starbursts, lightning bolts, moons, comets
• Natural shapes: leaves, grasses, fruits, flowers, branches, berries, blobs
• Artist-inspired shapes: Do an image search for pieces by Henri Matisse and steal his shapes

Because tissue paper tears easily, cut one or just a few shapes at a time. If you want multiples, don’t stack more than five sheets.

Pro tips

Don’t throw away your scraps—the space around the shape you cut might be more interesting than the shape itself.

Speaking of which—stack two-three contrasting or complementary colors and cut a shape. Then use that shape and the outline in two different colors.

(We learned to make cut-paper collages from Hallmark’s expert, Lynn G.)

Decoupage tissue paper on to your pumpkin

For each shape you want to add, follow these three super-simple steps:

• Paint a little Mod Podge on to your pumpkin in the spot you want the shape. Be sure to make the spot of Mod Podge bigger than the tissue paper.
• Starting on one corner or edge of the shape, gently press the tissue paper on to the Mod Podge, smoothing as you go.
• Just as gently, brush another layer of Mod Podge over the entire shape, using the brush or your fingers to push out bubbles in the paper.

Keep adding shapes to your tissue paper pumpkin. Some fun things to try:

• Layer different colors over each other to make new or darker colors.
• Use patterned tissue paper for more contrast.
• Cover a whole pumpkin in abstract shapes, or create a simple image on the front.
• Use the same batch of colors to create a multiple pumpkin display.

Give the pumpkin one more coat

After all the shapes are in place, go over the whole tissue paper decoupage pumpkin with one more coat of Mod Podge. Let it dry, and your pumpkin is ready!

Pro tips

Mod Podge makes a special formula for outdoor use—handy if your pumpkin will be sitting unprotected on a stoop.

Save your tissue scraps for another cut-paper collage project.

Check out this year’s pumpkin project and last year’s gorgeous gourds—including the ones that inspired Reese Witherspoon to paint her own! (Yeah, we fangirled hard about that.) Plus more painted pumpkins, elegant pumpkins, black and white pumpkins, Signature-style pumpkins, silly pumpkins, pumpkins decorated with markers, pumpkins inspired by movies, and pumpkins decorated by Hallmark Keepsake artists.

And when you make your own tissue paper decoupage pumpkin, post them on Instagram and tag @think.make.share!

— Kelly C.