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Make a Styrofoam Jack-o-Lantern

Written by: | Published: October 07, 2011 | Updated: October 03, 2023

I love little Halloween decorations. I’m not into the scary seasonal fun, but more on the cute and happy trick-or-treating side of things. So I decided to make my own mini Jack-o-lanterns to start off the decorating season.

Hand made Strofoam Jack-o-Lanterns

Here I’ll show you how to make your own Styrofoam jack-o-lanterns… if you’d like to make larger pumpkins, just start with a larger Styrofoam ball.

As someone who adores all things Halloween but leans more toward the adorable and cheerful side of the spooky season, I couldn’t resist sharing my this cute DIY project with you.

Instead of going for the eerie and spine-tingling, I’ve opted for something a tad more whimsical – mini Jack-o-lanterns! 🧡

Make a Styrofoam Jack-o-Lantern

In this post, I’ll guide you through the steps to create your very own Styrofoam jack-o-lanterns. Don’t worry, if you’re feeling ambitious and want to supersize your pumpkins, just grab a larger Styrofoam ball to get started. Let’s dive into the crafting fun together!

Cute and tiny Jack-o-Lantern
Cute and tiny Jack-o-Lantern

Materials you need to make a Styrofoam jack-o-lantern:

  • Styrofoam ball
  • Orange, un-coated tissue paper
  • Mod Podge
  • Paint brush
  • Small craft knife
  • Black Sharpie marker

How to make a Styrofoam jack-o-lantern:

  1. Flatten the bottom of the ball by pressing the Styrofoam on to a hard surface.
  2. Cut a small portion of the ball off the top. This will be the lid to your jack-o-lantern.
  3. Using your craft knife, cut out the middle of the Styrofoam ball as if you were scooping out the middle of a pumpkin. I used a spoon to help with this.
  4. Decoupage each piece using Mod Podge and orange tissue paper. Set aside to dryI recommend un-coated tissue because it seems to work better for me.
  5. Using some kind of sharp pointer (I used a scratch awl), create the creases in the sides of the lid and base to give the ball a pumpkin look. Do not puncture the tissue and Styrofoam, but rather, press firmly to create the dents in the Styrofoam.
  6. Using floral wire, make a stem and press into the lid.
  7. Using the black Sharpe, draw a face on the pumpkin to create the jack-o-lantern.
Jack-o-lantern lid is removeable
Jack-o-lantern lid is removeable

You could leave off the face drawing and have yourself some super cute little pumpkins for the entire fall season! You can use a small battery-operated tea light to add an extra accent to your Jack-o-lantern… the light will shine through the Styrofoam nicely!

Carve the ball so it looks like a bowl
Carve the ball so it looks like a bowl
Decoupage the Styrofoam pieces
Decoupage the Styrofoam pieces
Add dents by pressing into the tissue and Styrofoam
Add dents by pressing into the tissue and Styrofoam
Mini Jack-Lantern happiness for Halloween
Mini Jack-Lantern happiness for Halloween

Here’s a video to help you see a little more about making these cute Styrofoam jack-o-lanterns…

I think these pumpkins would make create Halloween party favorites. If you leave off the face you could use them as Thanksgiving table place holders or center pieces. I’d love to see what fun you create… tell me about it in the comments below.

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Jen is Passionate about Creativity. She is the owner and "doodle in charge" of JGoode Designs, a Denver based design studio. She is an illustrator, mixed media artist and creative lifestyle blogger. Jen has been a creative professional since 1998 but says she's been an artist since she was old enough to eat glue.

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6 thoughts on “Make a Styrofoam Jack-o-Lantern”

  1. Hi, Jen! It’s great to see another ‘mini’ lover! It seems I’ve always loved itty-bitty (it also happens to be my husband’s nickname) and I really can’t recall when I started making tiny things, but lately mine tend to get even smaller. I’ll be posting pictures of this crazy project on my ‘Knowing Fancy’ facebook page.
    You did awesome work! Any witches or ghosts, or bats on the table?
    From a fellow Mod Podge addict…

    Reply
    • Kat, thank you so much! No other tinies in the works right now, but you just gave me some great ideas, I might just have to add some more things to the list!

      Reply
    • Thank you so much, that’s fantastic, I’m glad you like them. I love that they really glow when you put a little faux candle light inside.

      Reply

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