DIY Painted Wood Pumpkins

Pumpkin crafts are some of my favorite crafts to make each fall, as you can see in my fabric pumpkins, my gilded pumpkins, and my buffalo check pumpkins. Today, I’m sharing my latest pumpkin craft project: turning wood blocks into cute painted wood pumpkins! These wood block pumpkins are quick, easy, and irresistibly cute. Continue reading to see how I made them, including how to paint a buffalo check design.

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Wood Block Pumpkin Supplies

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• Unfinished wood blocks of assorted sizes
• FolkArt Home Decor Chalk – Colors used here: Seaside Villa, White Adirondack, Vintage Mustard, Parisian Grey
• Paint brushes
• Foam spouncer
• Painter’s tape
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Wood candle cups
• Hot glue
• Wired fall picks
• Scissors

To begin, paint the surface of your wood block(s). I opted to paint each of mine white so that I could easily create a number of different designs later on, but you can paint them any color you like. Apply as many coats as needed for even coverage, and then set the blocks aside until the paint is completely dry.

I created three different designs on my wood block pumpkins: polka dots, stripes and a buffalo check (plaid) pattern. 

How to Paint Polka Dot and Striped Designs on Your Wood Block Pumpkins

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For the polka dot pattern, use the foam spouncer to apply dots of paint in a contrasting color on the surface of the block, as seen below.

For the stripe pattern, apply strips of painter’s tape to the front of the block (I opted to place my strips diagonally, but you can place them straight if you prefer). Use a brush to apply paint in a contrasting color in the uncovered stripes between the tape strips. Allow the paint to dry before removing the tape.

How to Paint a Buffalo Check Design on Your Wood Block Pumpkins

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Step 1: To created the painted buffalo check (plaid) pattern, create a grid of equally spaced squares on the front surface of the block. For this 10-inch block, I created a grid of (25) 2″ squares. Note: If you want your plaid to be centered on your finished pumpkin, be sure to place your first square in the very center of the pumpkin.

Step 2: Choose the color you want for your darkest color in the plaid design (in my pumpkins, this was the Vintage Mustard), and mix that paint color half and half with white paint to create a lightened version. This will be the paint use in the alternating light squares in the buffalo check design.

Note: I opted to use an orange/yellow color scheme for my painted buffalo check pattern, but you can use this same process with any color scheme you like.

Step 3: Apply tape along the boundaries of the second and fourth vertical columns of the grid on the front of the block, and use a brush to apply the lightened paint within the boundaries of the taped sections, as seen below. When the paint is dry, remove the tape.

Step 4: Affix tape along the edges of the first, third, and fifth horizontal rows. Paint within the boundaries of these taped sections with the lightened paint, and allow the paint to dry.

Important: Do not remove the tape when the paint is dry.

Step 5: Affix tape along the boundaries of the second and fourth vertical columns, just as you did in step 3. Apply the dark/unlightened paint color (in this case, the Vintage Mustard paint) within the boundaries of the six square openings created with the strips of tape (the sections indicated with an X in the diagram below).

Allow the paint to dry before removing the strips of tape to reveal the buffalo check pattern on your painted wood pumpkins. It really is like magic!!

When each of the wood block pumpkins is painted with your desired design, apply paint to the outer edges of the blocks. (I used a nice sea foam green paint for this step to make the colors pop.) When the paint is dry, use hot glue to affix a candle cup “stem” to the top center of each pumpkin.

Use scissors to trim apart sections of the wired pick, and wrap the sections around the stem to form the leaves and vines for your painted wood pumpkins. . You can anchor these sections in place with hot glue if you like.

I just love my patch of painted wood pumpkins!

The small pumpkins would make adorable place card holders for Thanksgiving, and this same buffalo check painting technique would be great for making signs and so much more!

Click below to check out these other great pumpkin crafts for fall!

DIY Fabric Pumpkins

Buffalo Check Pumpkins

Gold Foil Pumpkins