Primitive/Rustic Pumpkins

I started with three empty toliet paper rolls (paper towel rolls can be used too). For each rustic small pumpkin you will need (20) 1/2" - 3/8" wide circles. The variance in widths helps the rustic feel so you don't really have to measure.

String the circles onto thin string or twine. Pull the string as tight as possible to form the top edge of the pumpkin and tie a knot. Start forcing the rings into a rounded form like a pumpkin bu scrunching in you palm.

Once you have a full circle of rings run a bead of glue on bottom side of pumpkin to keep it in the shape you achieved. After glue cools, paint each pumpkin to desired color. I chose not to fully cover the pumpkin rings to add to the worm/primitive feel. A cinnamon stick cut to desired proportional length (about 3 1/2") is inserted into the center of the circles for a stem. I curled two spirals of florist wire for tendrils and inserted on each side of stem with a dot of hot glue applied to secure wire. Two small silk leaves from a grapevine bush in my stash were glued to finish off the look. To add texture and appeal a few strands of raffia or very fine twine were tied aroung the cinnamon stick and ends trimmed. Two of my pumpkins have twine and one has raffia. Add the pumpkins to a vignette or group together. They also would look great in a bowl with Spanish moss in the bottom.