Fun with PUMPKINS! ...Inspired by Martha Stewart

I'm getting excited that September is almost here, mainly because I'm hoping that sooner rather than later we get cooler weather.  It is soo hot!  I love it when the leaves start to fall off the trees and the cool crisp air arrives.  I love putting out my fall wreath and buying pumpkins to decorate the entryway with.  It's always fun when the seasons change!  I especially love the holiday season and getting together with family.  However, I don't know if my sister always looks foward to the weekends I visit them or when they come visit us, as I will admit I tend to get a little too excited and go overboard with planning activities to do with the kids and places to take them to.  Okay, I know she does look forward to our time together, but I probably do drive my sister a little batty! :)  At least I can admit it, right?

Last year when my sister and her family came to visit my husband and I during October, we visited the Houston Zoo for "Boo at the Zoo" and then we came back to the house to decorate pumpkins and make cupcakes.  It was such a fun time, and I wanted to share this idea with you as a new way of decorating pumpkins other than the traditional way of carving them. 

I saw this idea on Martha Stewart's website and thought it was a great way for the kids to be more hands on and get creative (since they need a little more supervision to carve the pumpkins).  I bought all different types of candy for them to use for hair, eyes, nose and mouth.  We also used construction paper to make hats.  We used toothpicks to secure the candy and paper to the pumpkins.  My sister and I The kids really got into it!!  :) I think their pumpkins turned out awesome. 

Since the little one was only a year and a half at the time, we let her join in the fun by using Halloween stickers to decorate her little pumpkin.  It turned out really cute.

**These pics were taken on my iphone, so they weren't the best, but at least you get the idea. 

What's your favorite way to decorate pumpkins??  Do you have any special traditions you've started with your kids for fall or Halloween?

I'm linking up to Domestically Speaking's Countdown to Autumn Linky Party.  Click here to get fall decorating ideas, recipes and lots of other fun stuff!

Tara