Clay Pumpkins (Or Mint Pumpkins!)

This is a fun fall project. Very simple. Very impressive.

You need:
Marbles

orange Sculpey clay or similar

whole cloves (in your spice department)

toothpicks

Wrap a marble in orange clay and form it into a pumpkin shape. Flatten bottom a little so it stands firmly. Take a toothpick and put the tip of it in the middle of the top of the pumpkin and roll it vertically down the side. (See picture.) Repeat to make ribs around the pumpkin. Push the whole clove firmly (round end first) into the top to make the stem. The stems tend to break off, but can easily be glued back in after baking.

Check clay package for usage, safety and baking instructions. If you are making these with a group, place each one into a tiny paper (not waxed) cup with names on them, or on small pieces of note paper with names. Bake right in cups or paper on a cookie sheet.

This was actually a cooking project when I first ran across it. The plan was to make pumpkin mints for Thanksgiving. Use any mint recipe and tint it appropriately. Make pumpkins the same way, omitting the marbles step! Very fun, cute and delicious.