Let's take a second and imagine a life without emojis. Super weird, right? With the days of typing emoticons long gone, emojis have become our go-to for adding personality and expression to our words. People have even been known to communicate entirely through emojis — which is why it only makes sense that you have an emoji Halloween bucket with you for all your treat-collecting festivities this year.
Since I am determined to help you have the best Halloween ever, I decided to combine the best of both worlds. This easy peasy DIY is perfect for transforming the iconic pumpkin bucket into a vibrant heart eyes emoji. Don't get me wrong; the classic pumpkin bucket is something special. It reminds me of Halloween escapades during my childhood. But now that I'm a real life adult, I can't help but make punny projects for the best day of the year.
If you want to go the extra mile, consider creating an emoji costume to pair with your new bucket. We're talking cat emojis for the cat ladies, and cha-cha emojis for the wanna-be dancers. Let's not forget the dancing girls emoji for besties, too. You can even dress up as an emoji with just makeup. The best part is this bucket will guarantee that no one will mistake your candy stash for theirs. Best Halloween ever? (Insert thumbs up emoji here.)
Supplies:
- Pumpkin bucket
- Black and red foam or card stock scraps
- Scissors
- Yellow spray paint
- Hot glue gun
- Pen (optional)
- Old newspapers, tarp, magazines (recommended)
You can snag a pumpkin bucket for $1-2 at stores like Target, Walgreens, and the dollar store.
Directions:
1. The first step of your pumpkin transformation is painting the little guy yellow.
As always, head outside when using spray paint. Proper ventilation is super important. The key to an even layer of spray paint is standing far enough from the object. Otherwise, the paint will pool up and create a glob-like mess. Cans of spray paint will typically list a few tips on this; usually, it's best to spray paint from six inches away.
It's also a good idea to cover your work space with old newspapers, tarp, or magazines. Unless you want a round yellow outline on your driveway, but that's on you.
Make sure the bucket is completely dry before handling it. If you find that the bottom needs some paint, simply turn the bucket upside down and add a light layer.
2. Cut out two hearts from the red foam or card stock. Make sure each heart is big enough to cover most of the triangle eye. For a standard-sized pumpkin bucket, make your hearts 2 1/2 inches wide.
Tip: You can use a pen to draw a heart before cutting it out. Once you cut out one heart, you can use it as a guide for the second heart.
3. Cut out a big ol' smile from the black foam or card stock.
Here's a tip: To make a symmetrical smile, fold the scrap foam or card stock in half. Next, cut out a shape similar to 1/4 of an oval. When you unfold it, the "half oval" will by symmetrical.
I recommend cutting out a shape bigger than you think you'll need. This way, you can always trim it down until it fits comfortably over the existing pumpkin's smile.
You can also use a pencil or gel pen to draw an outline. Don't be afraid to experiment, and see what works best for you.
4. Hot glue the hearts and smile to the bucket. And just like that, your emoji will come to life.
I'm pretty sure I turn into a heart eyes emoji whenever I look at this guy. Happy trick-or-treating!
Images: Kirsten Nunez
