Pumpkin Globe Votive

Items Needed:
A Glass Container (I chose a globe, you may choose almost anything glass)
White Glue
Paint Brush
Orange Tissue Paper (and a little yellow if its handy)
Black Crepe Paper Roll
Votive candle

(New word for kids: Decoupage)


While shopping the other day at my favorite dollar store "The Dollar Tree". I saw some new pieces in the glass isle, a 7 inch globe. Big enough for a fighting fish. And this new craft idea flew into my head. I’d just left the wrapping paper area and I remembered the Halloween crepe and tissue papers. And suddenly I could “see” jars and bowls and votive glasses and drinking glasses covered in torn tissue with cute black crepe Halloween faces on them.

To start, gather your materials. I took a half page of orange tissue page and ripped it up in squares (kinda) from 1 inch to most about 2 inches big. I grabbed a little bit of yellow into the mix too. The glass container is a great place to store the torn tissue. I used the glue straight from the bottle and painted some patches on the jar (randomly spread spots). These first patches are meant for the yellow squares (if you are using any yellow). At this point I took the first photo of the project. I continued to decoupage with orange on 1 side of the bowl. I am aiming for one layer depth with overlapping for the best effects of dark and light filtering through. It’s fine to be sloppy with the glue, it dries clear and is very forgiving. My side was dry when Jachob began to work on his side. He examined my previous work and just took off with painting and patching. A folded towel beneath his work area kept the glass from moving about. (Don’t take your eyes off a young kid for a moment, glass and fingers and a tile floor do not mix) We tried to be neat where it counts, and that would be the top and bottom. I kept the bottom clear of any glue so that it would sit well and be stable for the candle, and a candle would emphasize a raggy edge around the lip.


The face is cut from black streamer. I took a long length (who measures a streamer?) and made sure I ‘d folded for six layers. I want the face to be dark when lit up. Then I freehand cut the triangles. And now we have two layers for each eye and nose. With the mouth, I took a random length and sight measured where the smile would lie and how large it should be to complement the face. (I did this thinking on the eyes too, but just now realized it) My smile turns out to be about 5 inches, so I’ll need a foot of crepe. Fold in half and again. Where the fold is—is the largest part of the smile with the open end as the points. Just like cutting snowflakes, cut a nice half of a quarter moon from the whole folded piece. Open it up to the two layers the smile has become, and check if you like the shape. Crepe paper is cheap! If it’s what you like, then fold once and on the fold at bottom of the smile cut a half tooth out. Still folded, on the top cut a whole tooth about an inch in from the fold. Open and you have a cute double layer Pumpkin smile. Better yet!....make the face anyway you want, have fun.


Below is a picture showing how wet and sloppy the item looks while drying. Either almost dry or completely, a light coat of glue re-applied over the whole globe gives it nice finished appearance.


I lit my little craft on my front porch and I’m very pleased with my new Halloween votive. And best of all Jake was happy.


Victoria Swanson