DIY Teal Pumpkin Project Sign

You can support the Teal Pumpkin Project with fun signs and banners, too, as I did with this DIY Teal Pumpkin Project Sign!

Just like with last year’s project, I was super excited to make this DIY Teal Pumpkin Project Sign to support the Teal Pumpkin Project. In case you are unfamiliar with this wonderful program, it was created to “raise awareness of food allergies and promote inclusion of all trick-or-treaters throughout the Halloween season.”

Whether you are giving treats away at your door, planning a Halloween party, or supplying items for a school or church Halloween or Fall event, having nonfood items available makes this treat-centered holiday possible for all kids. Last year, I picked up a few non-food treats to hand out and they were so popular, we ended up handing them out with the candy to the rest of the kiddos, too. Unfortunately, we ran out fast. So make sure to grab plenty of goodies! Now let’s get started on that sign.

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DIY Teal Pumpkin Project Sign Materials

• Wood Pallet Sign
• Wood Pumpkin Shape
• Large Wood or Chipboard Letters (1-a,1-b,1-c,2-dD,2-e,1-n,1-o,1-r,1-S,1-t)
• Small Wood or Chipboard Letters (2-A,1-D,3-E,1-F,1-H,2-N,3-O,1-R,1-S,2-T,1-V,1-W)
• Teal 1″ Grosgrain Ribbon
• White Chalk Paint
• Chalk Paint Wax
• Wood Stain
• Teal Acrylic Paint
• Black Acrylic Paint
• Brown Acrylic Paint (If your pumpkin has a stem and leaves)
• Tacky Glue
• Paint Brushes
• Rag for Wax
• Scissors
• Sandpaper
• Staple Gun for Ribbon (Optional)
• Fun Nonfood Treats

DIY Teal Pumpkin Project Sign Steps

1: Stain the wood pallet sign. My sign measures 13″ by 9.5″ but yours may have different measurements. You can easily find these unfinished signs in most craft stores. I used a spray stain because I think it’s easier to use, especially for smaller projects.

2. Paint your wood pumpkin shape teal. I painted two coats. Be sure to let each coat dry completely before adding another coat. I only painted the front and sides since it will be glued to the sign. If your pumpkin has a stem like mine, don’t paint that part.

3: Now you’ll paint the stem and leaves brown if your wood shape has them.

4: If your pumpkin seems a little flat, sketch out some curved lines with a pencil to show the segments on the surface, then use a different shade of teal or mix some of your brown or black paint into the teal paint to make it slightly darker. Then use that darker teal to trace over your lines.

5: Paint all of your letters, large and small, black. The chipboard letters will take longer to dry than the wood ones so give them all enough time to dry before trying to glue them on. If you’re concerned about moisture or rain ruining the chipboard letters, you can seal the paint with Mod Podge.

These small letters can sometimes be hard to paint. I suggest holding them with some tweezers so you can get to all of the sides and grooves.

6: Once the stain on your wood sign is completely dry, paint it with the white chalk paint. I painted three coats. Let each coat dry completely before you paint another. 

I ended up having some bleed through from the stain, but I didn’t mind because I was going for a more rustic look. If you want to make sure you don’t get that, I suggest adding a clear coat to the stain before adding the paint.

7: Sand the edges and some of the middle areas of the wood sign to give it a worn look. You can also use a mouse sander or one of those spongy sandpaper blocks if these little squares are hard for you to hold.

8: Apply the wax over the white chalk paint and rub it in with a rag. I actually like using Bounty or Viva paper towels for applying wax.

9:  The cut a 20-inch piece of the teal ribbon.

10: Once the sign is completely dry, staple or glue the ribbon to the top left and right corners of the sign. I recommend using a staple gun for maximum strength.

If you don’t have a staple gun, you can always hot glue the ends of the ribbon to the back of the sign.

11: Glue the pumpkin into the bottom right corner of the sign. Apply the glue to the sign and not the pumpkin so you can make sure to hit the slats.

12: Glue the black letters to the sign so they say “Dont be Scared | WE HAVE NONFOOD TREATS” or some other variation. Again, watch where you are applying the glue so it doesn’t hit the open areas of the sign.

I suggest placing the letters on the sign first to get the spacing set and then glue on one letter at a time.

TIP: Most if the wood and chipboard letters don’t come with punctuation, so you may need to paint your apostrophe on like I did.

13: Let the whole thing dry for at least an hour before you try to hang it so your letters and pumpkin don’t slide off because if you hold that sign up vertically too soon, they will absolutely, but slowly, slide right off. I also placed some heavy objects on top of the larger letters to make sure they were completely and flatly sticking on while everything dried.

14: Now for the really fun part, pick out a festive Halloween bucket or bowl to fill with non-food treats like small toys, games, and novelties like these from Amazon.

That’s it! This fun DIY Teal Pumpkin Project Sign may have several involved steps, but it really is easy to make.  It’s perfect for those of you who already have a teal pumpkin or maybe just want to have something reusable and easy to hang.

If you still want to participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project but don’t want to make anything (or run out of time, lol), simply print out a Teal Pumpkin Project Flyer and tape it to your door. Don’t forget your fun non-food treats, though! Amazon can get them to you fast! So do you participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project? How have you decorated your pumpkin or sign?

Even if you don’t want to make something like this DIY Teal Pumpkin Project Sign, just offering non-food treats on Halloween is more than enough to show your support.

If you love the idea of making a craft for the Teal Pumpkin Project but were set on making a pumpkin, check out my Glittered Polka Dot Teal Pumpkin craft tutorial!

Glittered Polka Dot Teal Pumpkin

And if you want to take your teal pumpkin crafting to the next level, try my Teal Pumpkin Project Topiary tutorial. It would look so cool on your front porch!

Teal Pumpkin Project Topiary