Jack-o'-Lantern Treat Totes

Carving this pumpkin isn't nearly
as messy as the real thing.

• Newspapers
• Small balloons
• Disposable foam plate
• Crafts knife
• Scissors
• Orange crepe paper
• Decoupage medium
• Paintbrush
• Small foam ball, such as Styrofoam
• Colored papers in yellow, black, and purple
• Thick white crafts glue
• Small paper punch
• Eyelets and eyelet tool
• Plastic-coated colored wires in purple, black, white, orange, yellow, and green
• Ice pick or skewer

1. Prepare balloon. Cover your work surface with newspapers. Blow up a balloon to about the size of a baseball. Secure the end.

2. Secure balloon. Cut a small X in the center of the foam plate using a crafts knife. From the top of the plate, pull the knot of the balloon to the back of the plate. This will help hold the balloon while you work.

Step 3.

3. Layer crepe paper. Use scissors to cut several squares from the crepe paper roll. Cover the bottom two-thirds of the balloon with a coat of decoupage medium. Add crepe paper squares over this area, using decoupage medium to stick the pieces to the balloon. Continue adding more crepe paper squares until at least two layers cover the entire two-thirds of the balloon. Paint a coat of decoupage medium over the crepe paper. Let it dry.

Step 4.

4. Carve pumpkin. Pop the balloon and remove it. Place a foam ball inside the crepe paper cup. Use a crafts knife to cut the desired face in one side. Remove foam ball.

Step 5.

5. Insert backing for face. Cut a circle or oval from the desired color of paper to fit inside the crepe paper cup, underneath the cut features. Glue the paper in place and let the glue dry.

Step 6.

6. Make handle. Punch a hole on each side of the face, approximately 1 inch from the top. Insert an eyelet in the hole and secure it using the eyelet tool as directed on the tool package. Braid or twist wires together to make a handle. Insert the wire ends through the eyelet holes. To finish the wire ends, wrap them around an ice pick or skewer.