This is a sponsored post. I received compensation in return for creating a DIY project. See my disclaimer for more. All October posts are part of the Countdown to Halloween!
One of the new decor trends that caught my eye this Halloween season was pumpkin misters. They're exactly like they sound: a gentle mist pours out a pumpkin for lots of spooky goodness.
I envisioned them on tables at parties, outside front doors to delight trick-or-treaters, or simply on a coffee table on Halloween night for my own enjoyment.
Like most things this season, they disappeared FAST from store shelves. So naturally, I thought the thing every Halloween creator thinks: I could make that.
Using a pumpkin and Penguin Dry Ice was all it took! This year for Halloween I wanted to upgrade my decorations so they would be super spooky. Penguin Dry Ice helped me create long-lasting fog for my pumpkin mister.
In this blog post, I'll show you how to make one too. This is a great last-minute DIY project that you can make for around $20. I'll also share a few ideas for how to style a centerpiece around it!
How to Make a Pumpkin Mister
Before we dive into this post, be sure you take a minute to read these safety guidelines for using Penguin Dry Ice.
Supplies:
Real pumpkin
Carving tools of your choice
Dry erase marker
Paper towel
Penguin Dry Ice (here's where to find it near you)
Hot water
Insulated gloves
Tongs
Cup or measuring cup
Instructions:
To start, cut open the top of your pumpkin as if you were carving a jack-o-lantern. It's important to cut open from the top, not the bottom, because we'll be using the pumpkin to hold water for this DIY.
Scrape out all the pumpkin guts. Your pumpkin doesn't have to be perfectly clean because no one is going to see the insides.
Determine which side of your pumpkin is the back, then using a dry erase marker (it'll wipe off easily!) trace a long, skinny rectangle along the bottom third of the backside of your pumpkin. It should be about one inch wide and run around one-third of the pumpkin.
We're creating a vent for the dry ice fog to pour out of with this step. You want the rectangle to be low enough for the fog to escape but not so low that the water we'll use to activate the dry ice will spill out.
Once it's traced, cut the rectangle out of your pumpkin to create a vent. If there are any dry-erase marker lines still exposed, use a paper towel to wipe them away. And that's it for the pumpkin!
When it's removed, you may want to trim down the pumpkin flesh along the inside of the rectangle (where the arrow points in this picture) so it's more rounded. I always like doing this on jack-o-lanterns to expose more of the candlelight, and it's the same concept here. I want to open the vent a little more from the inside so it's easier for the fog to flow out freely.
How to assemble your pumpkin mister
Before assembling your pumpkin mister, I recommend placing it in its final spot. Once you add water, it will be more difficult to carry and move around your pumpkin without spilling.
To assemble your pumpkin mister, put on insulated gloves before handling dry ice. Using your tongs, reach into the bag, remove a chunk of dry ice and drop it into your pumpkin from the top hole.
If you need to break up your dry ice to fit inside your pumpkin, take it outside, place it on concrete, and use a hammer to break it up.
Fill a measuring cup with hot water and pour it directly into the pumpkin to begin the fog effect. You can learn more about the right water-to-dry-ice ratio in this post from Penguin Dry Ice, as well as tips and tricks for creating long-lasting fog!
And that's it! You've made your own pumpkin mister.
4 Styling Tips for Your Pumpkin Mister
This DIY is perfect for a Halloween party centerpiece! Here are four tips you can use for styling your pumpkin mister like I did.
Make the pumpkin mister the centerpiece.
Place it first, then build around it. Since the pumpkin is large, you may want to use smaller items so the centerpiece doesn't take up too much surface space, esp. if you're decorating a table or island for a party.
Vary the height of your decor.
This will help create interest. In my styling, I used a vase of flowers and battery-powered candles to give my centerpiece height. But I also threw in my little skeleton owl, Pout, to vary the height of my decor.
Use odd numbers.
I picked up this trick from a friend well-versed in interior design. When in doubt, always pair things in odd numbers. It's pleasing to the idea and an easy cheat to make a vignette or centerpiece look great.
Add lights.
I couldn't help but add a little extra lighting with my candles and the twinkling string lights. In a darker room, I imagine the string lights would have helped color my dry ice fog too.
Use what you have.
Seriously! What Halloween decor is already out that you can grab and repurpose to make a centerpiece? That's all I did here! You don't have to spend a ton of money to create something spectacular. Use what you have!
Where would you use a pumpkin mister on Halloween?
Let me know in the comments! Don't forget to look for Penguin Dry Ice in these locations this Halloween season for any DIY you're making.
Looking for more inspiration? Check out this smoking cauldron chandelier I made a few years ago!
