I saw the new Home Depot Halloween animatronics for 2026, and was inspired to make my own pumpkin creature. Originally, I wanted it to be a tree like in the inspo photo, however, the foam looked waaaayyy too much like pumpkin guts and isn’t that even more hardcore? Now this piece was made from lots of odds and ends that I had around my house, so think of the purpose of each object and substitute if needed. Any long piece of wood can work as the internal structure, and the base doesn’t have to be wood.
- wooden broom handle (leftover from mop I didn’t like…)
- gap filler (4 cans at $5 each)
- pumpkin head ($15 with coupon)
- miniature pumpkins ($8)
- spray paint, yellow and orange ($5 each)
- 3 paving bricks (picked up for free)
- chicken wire (leftover from home improvement project)
- superglue
- zip ties
- plastic wrap or bubble wrap (free from deliveries)
- sticks (found in my backyard)
- plyboard ($13)= $66
Carve a hole the size of your broom handle in the bottom of the pumpkin. Paint and decorate your pumpkin as you wish.
To create the base of your figure, stack your 3 paving bricks on top of each other, holes facing up, and create a crisscross pattern for extra stability. Glue in place using superglue or equivalent for your materials. Place your broom handle through the middle hole of the pavers. If needed, use glue or a little spray foam to keep in place.
Using the chicken wire, create a torso by wrapping it around the broom handle. I squeezed the bottom to create a waist, but it didn’t end up making a big difference in the final appearance, IMO. Use zip ties to keep the wire closed. Use another, shorter piece of chicken wire to make hips/thighs, and an even smaller piece for the legs, using zip ties to secure them all.
Use plastic wrap or bubble wrap over the chicken wire, completely covering it provide a good base for the foam. Cut a hole in the plastic on either side for the arms, and place the branches through the plastic and into the wire. Starting from the top down, spray the foam in long lines, working quickly so you don’t end with a bunch in one spot. Press your small pumpkins into the bottom of the figure, surround with foam. Use a little bit of foam (perfect for when your can is almost out) on the stick arms as well.
Spray paint the foam yellow. If you used the natural color like I did, you can even leave some of it bare for a more realistic look. I also painted the small pumpkins bright orange, but you could probably find some that are already orange. Paint the base if you wish, I used some black acrylic paint I had leftover from another project.
And your done! Keep in mind this would be flammable because of the foam. If planning to have it outside, I think a waterproofing spray like from Gorilla Glue would help protect it from the elements, but obviously it might fall apart under harsh weather. A protected patio or sunroom would be best for this guy.
One thing I think would be pretty cool is if I had used some glow in the dark paint on the eyes of the pumpkin. Glow in the dark in general would look cool.
Check out my Instagram @thedupery to see videos of the process!
The Dupery 