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9.06.2019

well, hello, pumpkins!

(i know, it's been a year since i closed this blog! i wasn't going to post anymore!
but a recent project is SO easy and SO worth sharing with you that... well, here i am again!)

a while back, i had an idea for a new decor project.
it was inspired by some scrap wood cacti shared by 'A Crafty Mix'
on Funky Junk Interiors Junk Projects Party #474 ,
only my idea was to use *a particular wood item* as the basis of my repurposed cacti.
then i forgot all about it. (hey, it's summer....)

this past week, for some strange reason, that forgotten idea morphed into a new one.
and it was pumpkins, natch. i mean - this is me, the former pumpkin queen. 
what ELSE am i gonna' be thinking about as fall approaches, right?
...and shared them all with you here on the blog. 

so with my 'pumpkin brain' engaged, i made a stop at the local Savers thrift store,
and they had exactly what i needed. i saw it, i liked it, i wanted it, i got it. (yeah).
and then... i painted it!

<<< click 'continue reading' to see what i did - and what i used!

first i painted them like the pumpkins in the photo at the top of this post.
but i wasn't really happy with that look, so i re-painted them like the photo just above.

and then when those were dry, i painted the other sides like cacti,
which was my original idea for this project:
so i have polka dot pumpkins for fall, and cactus for whenever i decide to use it...
have you figured out what i made them from yet??
PING PONG PADDLES!

as soon as i finished, and before publishing a single photo of them online,
i did a Google search and a Pinterest search
 (for 'ping pong paddle crafts' and 'ping pong paddle pumpkins')
and nothin' remotely like these repurposed ping pong paddle pumpkins came up. 
so i'm claiming it as an original design first published as of today, Sept 6 2019!

the pumpkins are painted on the smooth red rubber side of the paddles.
 the cacti are painted on the dimpled rubber side of the paddles.

it's a fun & easy project for kids, too!

want more ideas??
* paint one side like a snowball or snowman face for winter,
and paint the other side like colorful eggs for springtime.

* paint one side like a watermelon for summer,
and of course, the other like a pumpkin for fall!

pop 'em into a bucket or flowerpot or wood crate, and you're covered all year long! 

shared online:
funky junk interiors | DIY salvaged junk projects #491

featured! funky junk interiors | diy salvaged junk projects #492


( okay... this was fun. no pressure to create content. just sharing an idea i thought you'd like.
maybe i'll do this now and again.... we'll see! ;) happy fall, y'all! ~ deb ) 

16 comments:

  1. I love the paddles. Very clever! Pinning.

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    1. Thank you so much! It is very kind of you to take time to visit, comment, AND share on Pinterest... Have a happy fall!

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  2. So fun seeing your post - I've missed your blog!

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    1. Thank you so much, Miss Amy ~ I'm glad to hear you enjoyed a return visit!

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  3. Adorable! I love making anything round into a pumpkin. Just today I used a badminton racket! ��

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    1. It's kinda' fun to let the imagination run wild, isn't it?!!! Thank you so much for visiting and commenting - you made my day!

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  4. How GREAT to see a post from you and what a GREAT idea! LOVE the cactus, too! Hope you have a wonderful week. xo Diana

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    1. Hellooo Miss Diana! So nice to see your pretty smile... I've missed you! Thank you so much for taking time to visit and leave a sweet comment, too. You're a doll!

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  5. My goodness, I'm so glad you snuck out of blog post retirement because this project indeed need a blog-home! I adore these Deb! Cya in the features for tonight's party! :D

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    1. Oh WOW! thank you SO much, Miss Donna! i'm honored to get a nod from the indisputable Junk Queen!
      (and 'yer not gonna' believe this.... but i have ANOTHER project to publish! i did NOT have this planned - my creative muses are just partyin' around here! LOL )

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  6. Awesome idea Deb and it makes it even better that they're reversible so you can use them in all seasons

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    1. thank YOU, Michelle, for providing the initial inspo for this project - when i saw your wooden cacti on that FJI party, i immediately thought of using ping pong paddles to make some of my own! (it took me awhile LOL) i'm always trying to get the most out of something, and making these reversible not only means they'll be used more - but a savings on storage space! win-win! i've just added in your links to my post so people will see your wooden cacti, too ;)

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    2. Wow Deb, that sure is an honor for me. You have the most beautiful projects and seeing you come out of "retirement" is just wonderful. I hope you share more of your lovely things every now and again when you get a chance.

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  7. Visiting from Funky Junk and just had to take a closer look at your adorable ping pong paddle pumpkins. Even more stick'n adorable that they are reversible! Pinned 😀

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    1. thank you so much for visiting, Marie! Donna does such a great job of sharing so many creative ideas from so many creative people - i love how she connects us! (does that make her the social queen as well as the junk project queen?! hmmmnnnn....) and thank you kindly for sharing my project on Pinterest! <3

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  8. 2 sided.. can't ask for anything more. Time to go thrifting for ping ping paddles. Sweet.

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