Fall Letters Display

Instructions

1. Before removing plastic, place foam block on cutting mat and use a ruler and permanent marker to draw a line 3″ away from one long side for the base. Use a serrated knife to cut along lines. (Note: Cut through plastic and foam layers with several passes of the knife, keeping knife perpendicular to the foam so that edges are straight.) Leave the plastic on the large remaining piece. Along the short side, draw 5″ x 7 3/4″ tall uppercase “F,” making it 2″ thick on vertical and horizontal crossbars. (Note: The lower horizontal bar is 1 1/2″ lower and 1″ shorter than upper.) Also draw two lowercase “l” rectangles that measure 2″ x 7 3/4″, leaving enough room to trace the “a” pattern provided. Use a serrated knife to cut them, as you did the base.
2. To smooth and slightly round all edges/corners, press foam edge down onto the table with even pressure as you rotate and smooth. Use bowl of the spoon to smooth the inside edges of “a.” Press large pumpkin into the opening in “a,” carving with a serrated knife as needed for it to fit snugly. Remove pumpkin for now.
3. In a well-ventilated, newspaper-covered area (inside box), spray all sides of the base with a couple of coats of brown. (Tip: Use toothpicks inserted into scrap foam to hold a piece up to dry. Similarly, paint “L” orange”; both “l”s green; and the “a” almond. Let dry.
4. Insert large pumpkin into “a.” To assemble on base, insert two toothpicks into the bottoms of each letter. Set onto the base as shown, angling letters as desired. When satisfied with the arrangement, either hot glue contact points permanently or leave unglued so that it can later be disassembled for storage.
5. Pull or cut leaves from branches. Randomly arrange along the base. Set small pumpkin among leaves.