Monday, September 29, 2008

SUSAN'S SIGNATURE PUMPKINS!



Well, it's that time again! My painted pumpkins are in the store (as well as in the front urns)!


Every year, actually, since I began doing them in about 1985 (Yikes!), we have requests for them! I'm not sure why I every thought of painting pumpkins. I started with metallic gold. That was the signature for years. Gauzy ribbons, metallic leaves, or gold bullion thread garnished the gnarled stems.


In the past few years, I started adding black into the mix, copper, metallic silver. One year several years ago, I even created a darn good replica of the whitish "Casper" pumpkin that is sometimes difficult to find! They looked just like the real McCoy!


Of late, we have added the ever endearing glitter! Several years ago, my dear friend Linda and I came up with the idea and nearly had to stop our work for the tears of laughing! We had created one that looked like something Paris Hilton would carry about--totally encrusted with multiple colors of glitter. We laughed so hard, we could hardly complete the night's work. As a laugh, we took that one and put it in the jewelry case! What was our great surprise, when that one was one of the first to sell! It truly looked like a diamond covered pumpkin!


This year, we have added a "glaze" of sorts, over the paint! Then, the glitter. The humidity seems to not favor the process, I'll give you a clue. Then, there was the one that Joanne, my staff florist created with the purple glitter! You can imagine my surprise when that one showed up, after I had instructed her "NO purple glitter! I hate that!" For the most part, Joanne has adapted my style to her work and I love it! Not to worry, there will be no more purple glittered pumpkins.


Come in to see the assortment, or call for your special orders! Xlarge to teeny-tiny. We'll be glad to whip one up for you! Sometimes they last until January!!

8 comments:

Denise said...

I love your signature pumpkins and look forward to making my own every year, though I rather dread not only the cost of the pumpkins themselves, but also the hand crampage that results from prolonged spray painting. My never look as cute as yours!

michelle said...

People are always impressed when I make your signature pumpkins. Mine never look as cute as yours, either! I guess that's what keeps people coming in to buy them...

Bond Girl 007 said...

hello there...I am Jill's friend Claudia, and apparently, I am related to your husband...still trying to figure out genealogy in "English." But ever since I met Michelle in person I think of her as family...So I am excited to peak into your family's blogs. Hope you don't mind me picking in...

Jill said...

I think this is such a brilliant idea (do you have any other kind of ideas?). I love these and have admired them when Michelle has had them at her house. I really must do this, especially if the pumpkins last so long.

emily said...

I love the pumpkins! Copper pumpkins have been a staple on our porch for my entire life; it's definitely something I miss when I'm here. I had a friend from school who would sometimes give me a ride home, and he always knew where to go because of the pumpkins on the porch.

I always look forward to that time of year when my Mom makes several trips to craft stores in search of the perfect paint, covers the patio, and sprays our pumpkins. Something about the smell of spray paint in the cool fall air is so wonderful. Thanks for sharing this with our family!

Erin said...

I say yes to creative mom's of my friends blogging! How cute are you??? Could you be any cuter? Don't think so! Can't wait to steal all you ideas!

Anonymous said...

I too recall that cool fall night, painting pumpkins in the pitch dark! We were getting quite "creative" when we came upon the idea of a gold pumpkin with heavy gold glitter. Amongst our tears of laughter we couldn't decide if we loved it or hated it!! Was it totally cute or overly garrish? I guess that's what happens after working all day and painting in the parking lot at 10:00pm. And of course there is always the shock of the next day, to find it was one of the first SOLD! It is still one of my favorite memories we share!

carlo said...

i am loving this idea.

what a seriously cute and very clever idea!

i have not seen them around here so we shall see how my midwestern pumpkins turn out...