Here is a fun way to make a light-up Jack o’ lantern head for your doll. It is an easy project that will take little time or money, but looks great nonetheless. My pumpkin and candle came from the local Family Dollar store.
You will need:
Small foam pumpkin
Battery operated votive light
Thin bladed knife
Eye putty
1. Find a small foam decorative pumpkin that will fit in place of your doll’s head. (I prefer one that is larger than my doll’s head. My doll is 1/4 size.) I found this one with decorative flowers stuck in the top.
2. My pumpkin came with a convenient depression about the size of an artificial votive candle on the top. If yours doesn’t, trace a votive candle onto the top of the pumpkin head and cut away within the circle. Don’t make the hole in the top too big, as you will want to later stick the votive candle in the hole without it falling in.
3. Begin to hollow out the pumpkin. Be careful not to go through the outer wall. I was able to hollow out mine just by scraping foam out with my fingernails. It is easy to do, but messy!
4. When the pumpkin is pretty hollow, cut a Jack o’ lantern face on one side.
5. Once you pumpkin has a face, cut a hole into the bottom of the pumpkin big enough to slide the it snuggly down the neck a little. To keep it from slipping off, use a bit of kneaded eraser or eye putty to hold it in place. You will still be able to move the head around for posing.
6. Insert the votive flame-side-down into the top of the head. Turn it on. Put a wig or a hat or both over the top of the votive to cover it up. All done!
I made two heads just for fun in no time at all. They look authentically spooky in low light, especially if your votive is designed to flicker like a real candle.. This would be a fun project to do together with doll friends.
