Terra Cotta Halloween Pumpkin

Halloween goes avant-garde with this artfully frayed and cracked terra cotta pumpkin. A great Halloween project for the kids!

Materials:

• STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam:
• Ball, 8"
• Chipped & cracked terra cotta pots and saucers
• Latex adhesive for ceramic floor tile
• Sanded grout for floor tile
• Wooden dowel, 1" x 3"
• Burnt umber or black acrylic paint (optional)
• Serrated knife
• Candle stub or paraffin
• Fine-line black permanent marker
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Large rubber bands, three
• Metal tablespoon
• Measuring cup
• Disposable bowl
• Rubber spatula
• Rubber gloves
• Bucket
• Sponge
• Palette knife
• Linens: old towel; clean, soft rag
• Hammer
• Tile nipper (optional)

Steps:

1. Wax serrated knife with candle stub or paraffin. Cut thin slice from bottom of foam ball. Mark center bottom and center top of ball. Use marker to divide ball into six equal vertical segments. To make this easier, wrap three large rubber bands around ball before marking.

2. Use knife to cut 1/2"- to 1"-deep V-shaped groove along each segment line. Smooth cut edges with backside of metal spoon. Carve small hole in center top for stem; insert dowel to check fit and set aside.

3. To prepare mosaic pieces, place terra cotta items, one at a time, inside old towel. Use hammer to break items into 1" to 1-1/2" pieces; do not pulverize. Remove smaller pieces periodically to check size. Continue until you have approximately 6 c. of mosaic pieces.

4. Use palette knife to spread 1/8"-thick layer of tile adhesive onto small section of foam pumpkin. Press terra cotta pieces firmly into adhesive, leaving roughly equal amount of space between pieces. Use curved terra cotta pieces on more rounded parts of pumpkin where possible; do not cover stem hole. Repeat to cover pumpkin; let dry. Glue stem into hole.

5. Follow manufacturer's instructions to mix grout, unless using pre-mixed grout. If desired, tint grout with small amount of acrylic paint in disposable bowl; mix well.

6. Wearing gloves, spread grout onto pumpkin, working it into spaces between terra cotta pieces. Use spatula to scrape off excess and to reapply where needed.

7. Use soft, damp sponge to clean mosaic surface after grouting. Rinse tools and sponge in bucket of water rather than household sink; discard water outdoors.

8. Use soft rag to clean face of terra cotta one last time; set aside to dry completely.
 

®™ Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow. For more project ideas, please see styrofoamstyle.com.