Halloween Pumpkin Vine Tree

Halloween Pumpkin Vine Tree

Materials Used:

Appx 25-30 dollar store pool noodles or find some here
Creepy pumpkins (I found these HERE)
PVC 3/4″ — 4 each 2′ pieces, 4 each 2.5″ pieces, and 4 each 6′ pieces
8 each 3/4″ PVC 90′ coupling or 45′ coupling (the 45′ would allow for no bending of the pipe)
2 each – PVC 3/4″ X coupling
PVC Cutters (needed if you do not have your pieces cut in the store)
Wire I used some I had on hand (it just needs to be flexible enough to work with (using to adhere the noodles and pumpkins with)
Thicker gauge wire for making your small twisted vines
Scissors
Cheap cloth/ fabric
Spray adhesive or other desired adhesive
Brown and Green colors of outdoor rated spray paint (I used about 5 cans total)
Duct Tape- we used 2 large rolls

Directions:

Start by cutting your pvc the desired size (if not already cut from the store)
Attache your 4 each 2′ pieces to your first X coupling
Next at a 90′ or 45′ coupling to the ends of each of your 2′ pieces
Attach your 4 each 6′ pieces into your 90 or 45 coupings
Now add your other 4 90 or 45 couplings to the other ends of your 6′ pieces
Insert your 2.5″ pieces into the open end of your 90 or 45 couplings
Attach all 4 of those into your X connector ( you should have what looks like a tree form )
(note if you use the 90′ couplings you may need to heat your pipe up to allow it to bend and sit flat ( that is what we did with ours)
We used a hand held torch to heat our pipe- always take caution when working with a torch- follow any recommended safety procedures when doing so.
Once you have your tree form, start duct taping your pool noodles together at each connection
Attach your pool noodle chain with wire to your form
I attached mine to each other in spots to help it bend more
Once you have wrapped your tree you can add some curls to it- twist your wire in to vine curls (I wrapped some small pieces of pool noodle inside the ends of mine to make them look large on one end and then small and twisty on the other end. Duct tape the large end to one of your pool noodles to make it appear it is coming out of the wrapped vines) do this randomly all over your tree
For the top section I ran a piece of wire through one pool noodle and shaped the end coming out, the wire helped in keeping the pool noodle ridged enough to bend into a twist (see images)
Next spray some adhesive onto your pool noodles and attach cut pieces of fabric onto the noodles to give it texture ( you can always paper mache them on as well)
Spray paint your entire tree with browns and greens
Use wire to attach your pumpkins randomly onto your tree.
Use some ground stakes to hold down your tree in the yard
Optional: add a fog machine and light under tree to make it spooky