I paint a big batch of these beautiful jewel-toned pumpkins and gourds every year, and they're as sweet as can be. They look great scattered down the middle of a party table, with candles of all sizes in rich fall colors. This project was featured in Sunset Magazine in 2002, and you can find a copy of the article and instructions at Handpainted Party Pumpkins.
I couldn't find my photos from last year, so I borrowed the one above from KinderKorner, my website for teachers, where it's part of a thematic unit called Welcome To The Pumpkin Patch.
KinderKorner isn't just for teachers and homeschoolers, it's for anyone who spends time with young children, and it's a great place to find inspiration for quality-time activities. I hope you'll stop by and visit the pumpkin patch, where you'll find pumpkin-themed songs and poems, children's art, craft projects, easy-to-make math games, suggested stories, and lots of other fun ideas and activities. While you're there, check out my other fall pages, including Scarecrow, Scarecrow and The Leaves Are Falling Down.