The following is a post from contributing writer Jacinda.

Here’s a fun, super-easy, no-sew fall craft that anyone can make. It’s dirt cheap (I made my pumpkins for less than $0.30 each!) and they last much longer than the orange beauties you’ll find in the field.

No one will believe you when you tell them these gourds are made from toilet paper! It’s the perfect activity to involove young children in too.

Supplies  needed:

• a roll of toilet paper
• flyers or newsprint
• a scissors
• 1/2 yard of orange fabric per pumpkin
• one or two fake leaves
• scotch tape
• raffia
• a twig for the peduncle (I love saying that word)

Instructions:

Start by rolling sections of newsprint and attaching them to the toilet paper roll with scotch tape. Attach the tape to the inside of the toilet paper tube.

Continue until you’ve covered the roll with six or seven sections.

Place the roll in the center your fabric, wrong side up, and stuff the excess into the middle.

Insert the peduncle into the middle of the tube (secure with glue, if necessary), attach a few leaves, tie on some raffia and you’re done! Experiment with different fabrics for a truly unique look. These pumpkins look lovely in corduroy, velvet, linen, and cotton.

More posts from Jacinda

The following is a post from contributing writer Jacinda.

It didn’t take me too long after getting married to realize how many household things I took for granted while living at my parent’s, such as basic sewing necessities. A button had popped off my blouse one morning before church, and without a needle or thread on hand, I had no way of fixing it!

This simple sewing kit is the perfect gift for a bride-to-be, a student heading off to university, or any young girl who’s building her hope chest. It’s a cute, inexpensive way of making sure your basic sewing supplies are available when you need them.

Supplies Needed

•  1 glass canning jar with ring and lid
• 12″ x 12″ square of fabric
• steel wool
• cotton stuffing
• crazy glue
• spools of thread in neutral colors
• a measuring tape
• small scissors
• a thimble
• sewing needles
• safety pins
• sewing pins
• buttons
• *optional: spray paint and accessories

Instructions

1. To make the pincushion lid, cut the fabric into two circles slightly larger than the ring of your jar. Sew wrong sides together, leaving a 1″ opening.

2. Turn the circle right-side out and stuff with steel wool (this helps to keep the pins sharp). Add in enough cotton stuffing so the top of your pincushion is able to keep a smooth, round shape.

3. Pop your pincushion through the ring of the jar. Apply glue to the top of the lid and quickly press it against the backside of your cushion.

4. Fill the jar with sewing supplies, and screw on your pincushion lid!

*Optional: Spray paint the jar ring to match your fabric and embellish with ribbon.

More posts from Jacinda