Whenever I see woven mats or straw trivets at thrift stores, I can’t help but grab them. And while I’ve upcycled trivets before into my boho basket wall décor, I’ve been secretly stashing away a few in fall colors. Because I wondered if I could turn them into pumpkin decor for Fall.
The boho basket wall décor project that I’d mentioned…
See? Those were in fun, bright colors- pinks, yellows, blues, greens. But the ones I’ve been hoarding more recently sport a much more autumnal palette.
I’ve collected them from thrift stores and Etsy because of the influx of woven pumpkins that I see at craft and décor stores. There are tons of rattan pumpkins and similar versions everywhere I look.
So, I’m setting out to see if I can jump on the woven pumpkin decor bandwagon by upcycling a few of these trivets into pumpkin decor with a boho twist!
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Building Stands for the Straw Trivets
First and foremost, I needed to make little stands for my trivets so that they’d stand up on their own. So, I grabbed a few pieces of craft wood to bring my vision to life.
After coming up with a simple design and plan, I marked up the wood so Jon could cut it. I could have done it, but he’s always extra happy when I ask him to help out. Such a good guy!
He cut the pieces of wood for each stand, and I sanded down the edges to remove any future splinters. This was what each stand would eventually look like.
Next, I opted to stain the wood so that’d blend in a little better with the straw trivets and our home decor in general. I used Minwax stain in Honey, since I already had that in the garage.
Once the wood pieces were stained (and fully cured after a couple of days), it was time to construct the stands for my pumpkin decor. First, I glued the front ledge on top of the base with my hot glue gun.
Then, I placed the trivet against the front ledge and gently squeezed in the back ledge behind it before gluing the back in place.
This way, the trivets weren’t actually glued into the stands. The gentle squeeze or pressure between the ledges would keep them upright and stable, while still removable!
Finishing the Pumpkin Decor
And just like that, my straw trivets were standing and ready to become little pumpkins, thanks to their wooden stands.
Next, I needed to add stems to the multi-colored trivets. I assembled a few options: wooden knobs from a craft store and some vintage macrame beads from Etsy.
I ended up choosing the wooden knobs as stems. While not staining them, I did use a little wood conditioner on them before gluing them to the top of the straw trivets.
Now for some pumpkin leaves! Since I never find faux foliage at craft stores that are actually shaped like pumpkin leaves, I opted for some small maple leaves from Michaels.
Which I gently painted with a combination of green paints for a mottled, sage-green look.
The matte green paint was leftover from this heirloom pumpkin-painting project. The terracotta paint was from the same line as this popular vase makeover project but in a slightly more muted shade.
And there we have it- the straw trivets were now an abstract take on the woven pumpkin decor that’s so popular right now!
Pumpkin Decor from Straw Trivets
Sure, they’re not exactly an upcycled swap for the woven and rattan pumpkins that craft stores are offering these days. But still a fun boho take on pumpkin decor- especially if you have a nostalgic soft spot for these vintage trivets like I do.
So, if you have any straw trivets in Fall-esque colors and hues, this might be a fun option. And if building little stands doesn’t interest you, I could totally see these being glued to wooden signs instead! Same effect without using a saw.
And since today is the second Wednesday of the month, that means it’s Thrift Store Décor Team day! Check out what my bloggy gal pals have been up to with their thrifty finds below.
1. Three Tier Wrought Iron Plant Stand for Fall – My Repurposed Life
2. Easy Modern Mirror Edge – Domestically Speaking
3. Hanging Candy Dish – Petticoat Junktion
4. Pumpkin Decor from Straw Trivets – Sadie Seasongoods
5. DIY Bird Feeder – House of Hawthornes
6. How to Make a Painted Surface Look Like Wood – My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
7. DIY Three Panel Room Divider Refresh – Shop at Blu
8. DIY Felted Fall Leaves – Our Southern Home
9. Thrifted Pumpkin Basket Makeover – Organized Clutter
Looking for more upcycled pumpkin ideas? This collection is full of unexpected items that are made into fall pumpkin decorations!
Craft on!
S
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Sarah Ramberg is the owner of Sadie Seasongoods, a website that celebrates all things secondhand. From upcycling ideas and thrifted decor to vintage-centric travel itineraries, Sadie Seasongoods is a one-stop shop for anyone who loves thrifting and approachable repurposing ideas. Sarah is also the author of “Crafting with Flannel” and has been featured in numerous media outlets and magazines.
Sarah, simply fabulous! What a thrifty and fabulous seasonal decoration. Pinned.
Thanks so much, Suzanne!
Sarah,
so, so cute! While trying to choose my favorite, first it was the tall one that I would call Bert, then it was the shorter oblong one that I would call Ernie. 🙂
That’s how I describe pumpkins, they’re either Berts or Ernies lol
pinned!
gail
I *love* the Bert & Ernie comparisons for pumpkins- that’s the perfect way to describe them!
So simple and so splashy! You did it again!
Thank you so much, Connie!
Those trivets are bringing back memories of my mom’s kitchen – in fact she still might have some of those trivets. Love those cute pumpkins!
They’re SO nostalgic!!
OK these are really cute, I love how they turned out! I feel like I never see any of these at our thrift stores. I just bought some rattan mini pumpkins in the dollar bin at target, I couldn’t resist lol
Thank you so much, Kristin!
Loved how you did the pumpkins and still left them “usable” if needed as a trivet! Fall seems to be so full of textured decor–more than other seasons, I think! I, too, have needed “pumpkin” leaves. I use faux grape leaves; your mottling the maple leaves was a fantastic idea.
Thanks, Kathy!
I’ve seen several of these lately at the thrift store. Wish I had picked them up now. They are perfect for fall pumpkins. Nostalgic and whimsical at the same time!
Thanks, Christy!
While my son would love a spooky Halloween, I want pretty, and these pumpkin trivets are perfection! Love the stand and stem additions… really creative!
Thanks so very much, Donna!