Skip Carving—Collaging Pumpkins Is the Hottest Trend of Halloween 2025
Mod Podge does it again
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Like apple picking, leaf peeping and drinking so many PSLs you talk faster than a Gilmore Girl, decorating pumpkins is a fall must. But it can also require intense carving skills, a high threshold for enduring glommed-on pumpkin guts under your fingernails and, well, patience.
What if I told you there’s another way? One that’s low-lift, yet still looks impressive—and is surprisingly affordable? (Seriously, this entire craft cost me $15, thanks to a Michaels promo code.) Call your friends, grab a bottle of wine and cue up your favorite Halloween movie in the background, because you’re hosting a faux-gourd-decorating party, and you’re making these decoupage pumpkins using napkins, Mod Podge and a little creativity.
original photo: candace davison
First Things First
Before you get started, you’ll want to pick out your pumpkin and set your aesthetic. I recommend opting for a six-inch pumpkin or smaller per person, just to keep the project from getting unwieldy. (It’s about a 30-minute craft at that size; one hour if you’re sampling charcuterie and chatting, which I fully endorse.)
Next, choose your vibe: Are you feeling Nancy Meyers-ish? Look for blue and white, Chinoiserie-inspired napkins. Practical Magic-meets-dark-romantic? Look for jewel tone florals and butterfly and moth designs. Surrealist? Grab a bunch of old magazines and go wild!
I opted for a simple blue gingham style, for a preppy look, and a hodge podge of tropical designs, because I’m hopelessly clinging to the last gasps of summer.
How to Make Decoupage Pumpkins with Napkins
original photo: candace davison
What You’ll Need:
- Faux or real pumpkin
- White acrylic paint (optional)
- foam paint brush (1-inch width works well)
- Scissors
- Paper cocktail napkins and/or magazine clippings
- Decoupage glue (I used Mod Podge, matte finish)
Step-by-Step Instructions:
original photo: candace davison
1. Prep Your Pumpkin
If you’re using a real pumpkin, you’ll want to clean it with a damp washcloth and dry it off. If you’re using a faux pumpkin, you may want to paint it white to make the collage images pop a bit more, but it’s totally optional. For the tropical pumpkin, I stuck with the orange base, since it complemented the sunset hues I was using, and it provided a more subdued look overall. For the preppy pumpkin, I wanted a white base to make it look a bit crisper and more aligned with the Tuckernuck-meets-Reese-Witherspoon aesthetic I was going for.
original photo: candace davison
2. Cut Out Your Design
You can go one of two ways: Cut out individual designs and paste them on, for a more curated look, or cut up squares or strips of napkins and wallpaper the whole thing. The latter is a bit easier and faster to pull off, though it’s worth sticking to 1- to 2-inch-wide pieces, rather than gluing entire napkins to the gourd. Basically, the bigger the piece, the more effort it takes to adhere it without dealing with a bunch of wrinkles to smooth out.
original photo: candace davison
3. Mod Podge That Pumpkin
Use a foam brush to apply a little Mod Podge to the pumpkin, one section at a time. Paste on your napkin piece, then coat the napkin with Mod Podge to seal it on. Repeat until you’ve covered the pumpkin to your liking.
original photo: candace davison
4. Back Off
Let it fully dry before putting it on display. The napkins-and-Mod-Podge won’t hold up to the elements, so I recommend showing them off indoors. If you do put them on your stoop, take ‘em inside at night, or if the weather looks ominous.
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