Introduction: Pumpkin Snack-bags LOL: Treat (and/or Trick) Filled Pumpkins

By Sometimes I tweet about stuff
About: Learn more about me here: https://www.instructables.com/id/Featured-Author-shesparticular/ or follow me on Twitter (@shesparticular) (if you're into that sort of thing).

Leaves are beginning to fall, days are getting shorter, and the best time of the year is almost here - Halloween! 

What better way to celebrate than by sharing some tricks and treats all wrapped up in cute little pumpkin costumes? These Pumpkin Snack-bags, LOL (#PSL) will make you the favorite house in the neighborhood.

Supplies

You’ll Need…

  • Orange tissue paper (2 pieces per pumpkin - I like these smaller 14”x20” sheets to limit the waste: https://a.co/d/eR0MRyB)
  • Green masking tape (I used this kind, but floral or painters tape would work as well, you just need it to be at least 1” wide: https://a.co/d/b5Xf0O8)
  • Green pipe cleaners (optional, but cute - you’ll need 1 per pumpkin)
  • Small cellphone bags (optional, but I found they helped keep the goodies contained and prevented tissue punctures. I used these that one with twist ties, but and small baggie would likely work well or you could go without: https://a.co/d/3sH8V7M)
  • Scissors 
  • Pencil, pen, or chopstick (optional)
  • The good stuff! Candy, small toys, spider rings, wax vampire fangs, stickers - anything that makes you “Boo and Ahhh!”

Step 1: Sugar High

Separate your treats and tricks into small piles. You can include whatever you’d like and more/fewer items, but I’m a little over the top (and love Halloween) so in each of my pumpkins I went with: 

  • A light up skull ring lollipop 
  • Halloween stickers
  • 6 mini lollipops
  • 5 mini candy bars/chocolate candies
  • 6 sour straw candies
  • 1 mini bag m&ms
  • 1 mini bag gummy candies 
  • A light up pumpkin ring

If using baggies, place the treats for each pumpkin into the bag and secure with a twist tie. If not using baggies, proceed to prepping your tissue 

Step 2: Tissue Paper Prep

To make wrapping your pumpkins as easy as possible, you’ll want to cut your tissue paper into circles. To do this quickly (this process is shown here with plain paper for clearer visuals):

  1. Place 3-5 sheets in a stack
  2. Fold in half so the short sides meet
  3. Fold in half again so the short sides meet
  4. Fold on an angle so that the previously folded areas meet 
  5. Cut from the point of the last fold across the paper on a slight curve
  6. Unfold the tissue and admire your circles


Step 3: Pump It Up!

  1. Cut or tear off 3 pieces of tape - one 4-5” long, and two that are 2-3” long
  2. Place 2 tissue paper circles on your work surface
  3. In the center, place one bag (or pile) of treats
  4. Gather the edges of the tissue up around the treats
  5. Pull the edge together on the top of the treats to form a “nub” - this will become your stem
  6. Place one short piece of tape across the top of this nub and affix it to the side
  7. Cross the second short piece of tape over the top of the nub so that it is covered on top and most of the sides 
  8. Wrap the longer piece of tape around the nub so it is fully covered
  9. Repeat steps 1-8 to create your own personal (treat-filled) pumpkin patch

Step 4: The Finishing Touches

You can stop there, or add a little more flourish to your seasonal squashes:

  1. Place a pipe cleaner around the bottom of the nub (where it meets the pumpkin top) and twist to secure it
  2. Wrap the ends of the pipe cleaner around the pencil (or use your fingers) to create curls
  3. Pop on your spookiest outfit and hand them out to all your favorites ghouls and goblins!