25 Easy Repurposed Junk Pumpkins You Can Make for Halloween & Thanksgiving

I collect rusty junk all year long but in the fall everything starts to look like pumpkins.  Today I’ll share with you some great ideas to turn your thrift store and flea market finds into repurposed junk pumpkins.

This post contains affiliate links.  You won’t pay any more when you use these but I will earn a small commission on any purchases you make after clicking on them and I greatly appreciate it.  Thanks for helping support my little blog!!!

{{{ Sign up for our email newsletter and get ALL my future projects sent straight to your inbox! }}}

Repurposed Junk Pumpkins

First of all, let me encourage you to open your mind when you look at your pile of junk. You may not see pumpkins yet but I bet you will after reading this!

Here are a few items you may want to have on hand before you get started.

My Junky Pumpkins

This is one of my all-time favorite fall DIY projects. I’m always on the lookout for old tin Jello molds at thrift stores, garage sales, and flea markets!

Scrappy Junk Pumpkins

Rusty junk doesn’t even have to look like a pumpkin. Just buy or cut out a wooden pumpkin, paint or stain, and attach all your rusty gold to the shape with screws, nails, or my favorite glue – E6000.

Scrap Wood Pumpkins

You don’t even have to cut your wood into pumpkin shapes! Just paint the pieces orange, add a stem, and embellish with paint, raffia, or other scraps from your stash.

Glass Bottle Pumpkins

I’ve painted a few bottles orange in my time. HINT: Orange spray paint works well for this project, too!

Junk Drawer Pumpkins

Here’s another example of wood that hasn’t been cut into a pumpkin shape. Use your imagination to create faces on your junky Jack-O-Lanterns then add some jute “leaves” to the top.

Most junk can be attached with E6000 so you don’t even need tools for this fall craft.

Chandelier Globe Jack O’Lanterns

Genius! Can you tell what this is made of?

This is one of those projects that makes me want to go thrifting to hunt down more junk!

More Repurposed Junk Pumpkins

• 5 Minute Rope Pumpkin
• Alcohol Ink Glass Pumpkins
• Cake Pan Junk Pumpkins
• Monkey Pod Tray Pumpkins
• Straw Tote Pumpkin Planter
• Salad Bowl Pumpkins
• Light Fixture Pumpkin

And, just for fun… a little pumpkin poem!

The Pumpkin, by J. G. Whittier

Ah! On Thanksgiving Day, when from East and from West,
From North and from South come the pilgrim and guest,
When the gray-haired New Englander sees round his board
The old broken links of affection restored,
When the care-wearied man seeks his mother once more,
And the worn matron smiles where the girl smiled before,
What moistens the lip, and what brightens the eye?
What calls back the past, like the rich pumpkin pie?

O, fruit loved of boyhood!  the old days recalling;
When wood-grapes were purpling and brown nuts were falling!
When wild, ugly faces were carved in its skin,
Glaring out through the dark with a candle within!
When we laughed round the corn heap, with hearts all in tune,
Our chair a broad pumpkin, our lantern the moon,
Telling tales of the fairy who traveled like steam
In a pumpkin-shell coach, with two rats for her team!

Then, thanks for thy present! – none sweeter or better
E’er smoked from an oven or circled a platter!
Fairer hands never wrought at a pastry more fine,
Brighter eyes never watched o’er its baking than thine!
And the prayer, which my mouth is too full to express,
Swells my heart that thy shadow may never be less,
That the days of thy lot may be lengthened below,
And the fame of thy worth like a pumpkin-vine grow,
And thy life be as sweet, and its last sunset sky
Gold-tinted and fair as thine own pumpkin-pie!

Hope you enjoyed these DIY pumpkin ideas… now go make your own junk pumpkins!

Thanks for reading!

‘Til the next project,

 Ann @ Duct Tape and Denim

Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Etsy | YouTube