This charming house shows that nature can be a great and ceaseless source of mixed media materials.

SUPPLIES

• water container
• palette or plastic plate
• paper towels
• sandpaper
• pencil
• 1" flat brush
• craft glue
• hot glue gun and glue sticks
• wood filler
• 6" foam pumpkin
• wire
• palette knife
• craft or utility knife
• mop brush
• 8" x 10" natural wooden plaque
• natural items
• vine stencil
• decorative mini frames
• small wooden plaque
• small hand drill

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Use the craft/utility knife to cut the pumpkin in half.
2. Hold a mini frame against the center of each pumpkin half on the outside. Draw a pencil line around it, and use this as a guide to cut out windows with the knife.
3. Sand the edges and fill in with wood filler to smooth them.
4. Paint the edges of the cut pumpkin Light Buttermilk and the inside stem area by pit-patting with Burnt Umber and Light Buttermilk.
5. Carefully hold a portion of the vine stencil in place on the back half of the pumpkin on the outside. With a palette knife, apply Modeling Paste over it to create dimensional leaf patterns. Let dry completely.
6. Repeat the vine pattern on the outside of the pumpkin where desired.
7. Paint the outside of the pumpkin (except for the stem) with two coats of Copper.
8. Double-load the large flat brush with Copper and Lamp Black and use to darken the crevices and around the leaves. Use a mop brush to soften and blend. Let dry.
9. Pit-pat the inside of the pumpkin with Canyon Orange, Marigold, Burnt Umber, and Light Buttermilk. Use a mop brush to blend and soften. Let dry.
10. Glue the mini frames to the outside to frame the windows.
11. Create the inside window frames with large seeds such as gourd or pumpkin seeds.
12. Spray lightly with Americana Matte Spray Sealer to preserve.
13. Attach the pumpkin to the wooden plaque with hot glue, small nails, or screws.
14. Using hot glue and craft glue, make a floor with moss and leaves. (Use natural or silk.) Add acorns, small stones, or pinecones.
15. Add purchased miniature furniture and accents or make them. A table can be made from a stick and some bark, and an acorn cap makes a good dish.
16. Print the sign in a computer font. (We used Harrington.) Use Americana Matte Decou-Page to decoupage the sign to a small wooden plaque and then drill tiny holes and wire it to the stem.

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