Trash to Treasure Decorating: Seasonal

T.P. Pumpkins

My mom and some of her friends made these cute pumpkins for a ladies fall retreat and I thought I would show you how to make them. It's an easy fall decoration that isn't messy and you can even make these with kids.

This project is not quite trash to treasure, since toilet paper isn't considered trash until it is used. But I thought it was close enough to share with my readers. It's a perfect way to use up some scraps of fabric too.

What you need:

Fabric square, at least 18x18 inches. I suggest calico or other fall printed fabric. But you can even use old flannel shirts, a table cloth, or cloth napkins. If you're purchasing fabric, a fat quarter is the perfect size.
1 roll of toilet paper, jumbo size
a twig or stick around 6 inches long
silk floral leaves or dried leaves

As you can see from the ingredient list, this isn't a precise project. You can make alterations depending on the supplies you have on hand. The beauty of it is that there is no glue, so the fabric isn't harmed in any way. You can press it and reuse it after the season is over and put the toilet paper back in your stash cupboard.

Place the fabric wrong side up on your work surface and place the roll of toilet paper in the center of the square. Now, bring the edges of the fabric up to the top of the roll and begin stuffing the edges of the square into the center of the roll.

Keep stuffing until all of the rough edges are stuffed in the center of the roll. Keep the fabric loose and puffy as you are stuffing, not pulled tight around the roll. When you are done, adjust the "bunches" of fabric to look evenly puffy all the way around.

Now, gently push the stick into the center of the roll.

Finish the pumpkin by poking the stems of artificial leaves or real dried leaves around the stem. I used fall oak leaves, but you could use leaves from any silk flower. I scattered a few artificial leaves around the base of the pumpkin and put it on my table by my candelabra. It takes less then 30 minutes to gather the supplies and make a few of these easy fall decorations. Happy Fall Y'all!