I was recently teaching in a second grade classroom and admired a painted pumpkin that sat on the teacher's desk.  A student named Lexi had given it to her.  Do you know that sweet girl went home and asked her mom to make one for me?  It totally made my day.  Now I have a beautiful painted pumpkin sitting on my desk, too.  Thank you, Lexi!! 



Lexi's mom, Lori, told me that to decorate the pumpkin, she painted the design with acrylic paint.  (Did you see those polka dots?  My fave!)  She then sprayed the pumpkin with a clear acrylic gloss coating.  Lori wrapped some of the ribbon (dampened) around dowel rods and dried them in a 300 degree oven.  The curly and straight ribbon was hot glued around the pumpkin stem.  Adorable!  I have to try making some of these.  Thanks again, Lexi and Lori!