Vintage Book Pumpkin Craft
This DIY vintage book pumpkin is simple to create, thrifty, and full of fall charm. And you can make it temporary like I did by not painting or hot gluing the book.
Want to know what I love most about this idea? You probably have all these supplies on hand already!
Be inspired & keep scrolling for a Supply List, Easy Steps & Short Video Tutorial!
Supplies Needed to create a Vintage Book Pumpkin:
- Vintage Book (mine was about 10in tall & thick enough to stand on its on)
- 12in Wooden Ruler
- Jute Twine
- Scissors
- Fall Acorn Pick (Hobby Lobby SKU#5737515)
- Fall Fig Leaf Pick (Hobby Lobby SKU#6037915)
- Wire Cutters
- Brown Floral Wire
- Spanish Moss
- Ripped Fabric Pieces for bow
Watch the QUICK VIDEO above & read the SIMPLE STEPS below to be inspired to create your own!
Step 1: Choose the Book
Pick a vintage hardcover that stands upright on its own. Test it on a flat surface.
Step 2: Add the Stem
Place a wooden ruler down the center of the book for a “stem”. I positioned the ruler at “noon” (straight up) and tied it firmly with jute so it wouldn’t slip.
Step 3: Secure Stem with Jute
Tie a piece of jute string tight around the upper third of the book to keep the ruler from sliding around.
Step 4: Attach Fall Picks
Use floral wire to secure fall floral picks to the ruler stem and the jute wrap. I attached the acorn pick around ruler, then the leaves to the jute string.
Step 5: Add Moss
Place a clump of moss around the base of the stem for texture and a natural, gathered look—still no glue needed because it sticks together.
Step 6: Tie a Fabric Bow
Next, make a simple fabric bow from ripped strips & secure with another piece of ripped fabric for decorative center. Then use the excess fabric to tie onto stem, nestled right on top of the moss.
Step 7: Style & Display
Your vintage book pumpkin is ready! It’ll look beautiful in any fall gathering and because everything is simply tied on, you can remove the pieces later and reuse the book.
Step 8: Send this Amazing Project to a Friend!
Share this blog post with a friend or directly to your social media feed or stories so others can be inspired too!
Variation Ideas:
Want to put your own spin on this book pumpkin project? Here are some creative ways to change up the look and style!
Book Options
- Dollar Store Book – Paint or cover it to mimic the look of an old vintage book.
- Thrifted Hardcover – Choose one with an interesting spine or cover design.
- Old Dictionary or Hymnal – Adds charm with aged pages and vintage fonts.
- Varied Sizes– make a grouping of a few books in different sizes/colors
Stem Ideas
- Wood Shims – They lay flat, similar to a ruler. Paint/stain color of your choice.
- Paint Stir Sticks – Free from the hardware store and easy to paint or stain.
- Tree Branch Cuttings – Natural and textural, especially with bark still on.
- Cinnamon Sticks – Add both fragrance and an organic look.
- Glue stem at top of book- instead of finding a stem option that will nestle in the pages, consider gluing a wood stem, wine cork, thread spool directly on top of the closed book pages.
Techniques & Embellishments
- Painted Pages – Lightly dry brush orange, cream, or metallic paint onto page edges.
- Decoupage – Use a fall printable, napkins, tissue paper, or scrapbook paper on the book cover for pattern and color.
- Embossed Painting – Add embossing to the book cover like I did on THIS SIGN.
Be sure to save the image below to your fall crafts Pinterest Board!
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