Thread: Preserving rotted pumpkin....

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Today my step-dad and I brought all of the halloween stuff out of the attic and there was a tiny rotted pumpkin in one of the boxes....and its BEAUTIFUL! Really... it is! and I'm a crafty person and I would to to preserve it and make it a hair piece, or put it on a hat... But I don't know how to preserve it My step-dad says the white mold on it is still soft.


Yes, that is a leaf fused to it..... as is it to the cardboard.

If anyone has any idea how to preserve it or seal it, please educate me!



~DaniAingeal

I don't know if that is possible.

Yes, it could be sealed in Sculpt-or-Coat plastic cream, which dries clear, or varnished, but you may not like the glossy finish.

Second, any chemical is bound to change the color of that mold, either by killing it out right or starving it of oxygen.

Also, the bacteria in the pumpkin will still have lots of pumpkin meat and time before they finally die off, so the pumpkin could continue to decay even if sealed.

You could always try a dipping it in varnish or pouring varnish on it, see what happens.

Final option might be to get it covered in clear acrylic, the same way they make those tarantula and scorpion paperweights.

eww.... I hate the smell of rotting pumpkins! Lol! Glad you could take it as I would have propbably dropped the camera and ran while taking that photo! LOL!

You can try sealing it with acrylic clear paint. At least 4-5 coats to get a fully sealed exterior. Best of luck to ya!

Ummm I really don't think you'll be able to preserve something that's already this far into decomposition. Even if you attempt to seal it moisture will be trapped inside and it will just continue to decay internally. Unless you're going to slap it in a jar with some formaldehyde it looks like this is the end of your pumpkin. I suggest you get a funkin and try to replicate the look of a rotting pumpkin or maybe make one out of papier mâché, at least that way you really can enjoy it forever!

Take some good pictures of it and make some prints to hang on your wall. It is really cool looking. Maybe you can experiment with some other little pumpkins and make prints off of those - sell them on e-bay and get rich!!

Originally Posted by Jen1984

Take some good pictures of it and make some prints to hang on your wall. It is really cool looking. Maybe you can experiment with some other little pumpkins and make prints off of those - sell them on e-bay and get rich!!

This is a fantastic idea, especially if the photos are color, or sepia tone, and close-up to get the texture.

Originally Posted by Spats

I don't know if that is possible.

Yes, it could be sealed in Sculpt-or-Coat plastic cream, which dries clear, or varnished, but you may not like the glossy finish.

Second, any chemical is bound to change the color of that mold, either by killing it out right or starving it of oxygen.

Also, the bacteria in the pumpkin will still have lots of pumpkin meat and time before they finally die off, so the pumpkin could continue to decay even if sealed.

You could always try a dipping it in varnish or pouring varnish on it, see what happens.

Final option might be to get it covered in clear acrylic, the same way they make those tarantula and scorpion paperweights.

This is what I was thinking too, sealing the outside may not stop the decay & would probably crack any finish that was put on it.