How to Make a Pumpkin Trick-or-Treat Bucket

Making a trick-or-treat bucket is a fun project that revs you up for Halloween. Give yourself plenty of time to complete this project as it must be completely dry between steps. Start working on your bucket several days before Halloween so it's ready on time. The following steps show you how to make your own pumpkin trick-or-treat bucket.

Things You'll Need

• Balloon
• Glue or flour for mache paste
• Water
• Container to mix paste
• Newspaper
• Acrylic paints
• Black rope
• Black Magic maker
• Glue
• Glitter

Instructions

1. Blow up a balloon. Make sure the bottom two-thirds of the balloon is the right size for your trick-or-treat bucket. Spread petroleum jelly on the bottom two-thirds of the balloon so that it doesn't stick to the paper and can easily be removed once you pop it.

2. Mix paper mache paste in a bowl or container. There are several ways to do this that you may choose from. You can use white Elmer's glue and mix ¾ to ½ glue to ¼ to ½ water (depending on the thickness of the glue) or use ½ white flour to ½ water.

3. Tear strips of newspaper about an inch-and-half wide and two inches or so long. Dip the strips of paper into your mache mixture and place them in rows around the bottom two-thirds of the balloon. Make the top edge as smooth and even as possible.

4. Set the balloon with the tied part down on top of a paper cup, a glass or a jar to dry. Let the paper mache dry completely and put on at least another four layers of paper, making sure it is dry before adding each layer.

5. Pop the balloon when the paper is completely dry after the final layer. Paste extra strips of folded over newspaper dipped in the paper mache mixture along the rim of the bucket to reinforce it.

6. Paint the whole bucket a single color (orange works great for a pumpkin) with acrylic paint when the paper is dry. Do as many coats as you have to make it even, letting the paint dry between coats.

7. Puncture a hole on each side of the bucket toward the top. Measure a length of black rope and put it through the pumpkin, tying it on both sides, to make a handle.

8. Draw the pumpkin's face on the bucket with a pencil and then draw the outline with the magic marker when you get it the way you want it. Fill it in with black acrylic paint. Decorate it with glitter if you want to.

Tips & Warnings

• Adding a couple of tablespoons of salt to your paper mache mixture will prevent mold from growing on your project as it dries.

• You can also use wallpaper paste for paper mache mix.

• You can paint the bucket with white paint first to cover the words on the newspaper so you don't have to use so many coats of paint.