DIY Book Page Pumpkins for a Cozy Vintage Fall Tablescape

Written ByLynn Published

There’s something magical about giving an old book a brand-new story—especially when it turns into a charming pumpkin for fall. This simple DIY blends timeworn pages with soft autumn tones, and I carried that theme right into my tablescape by styling the finished pumpkins alongside stacked vintage books and greenery.

It’s cozy, it’s vintage, and it’s perfectly fall. Stick around—I’ve got a couple of short videos to show you exactly how I made them and how I styled the whole look!

A small pumpkin covered in book pages sits on a stack of vintage books. Red roses, greenery, and a wine bottle candle are draped around the books, creating a cozy, literary-themed arrangement on a soft, neutral background.

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I’m joining a group of incredibly talented creators in The Handcrafted Society, where each month we reimagine a specific item with our own crafty twist.

This month’s challenge? Repurposing books—and I couldn’t wait to give mine a fresh story.

Be sure to check out the inspiring projects from the rest of the ladies—you’ll find all their links at the end of this post!

A dining table set for a formal meal with white chairs, gold and book page pumpkins as centerpieces, red roses, candles, and crystal glasses. A red velvet blanket is draped over a chair; a lamp and painting are in the background.

Making Book Page Pumpkins

I started with small craft pumpkins and decoupaged them using torn pages from a vintage book that was already falling apart. Tearing the pages into small pieces makes them easier to work with and gives the pumpkins that perfectly imperfect, aged texture.

Mod Podge makes this project foolproof—I love it because even if you’re not super crafty, it still turns out beautiful. I’ve used it before to make ornaments and decorative plates, so I knew it would be perfect for this project too.

Supply List

  • Faux pumpkins
  • Mod Podge
  • Brush
  • Vintage book pages
  • Optional: Real Pumpkin Stems
  • Hot glue gun
A flat lay of craft supplies including book page pumpkins, paint, a brush, a blue plate, driftwood, an open book, and a spray bottle. A large play button overlays the center of the image.
Click the Photo above for a quick tutorial creating the pumpkin

Adding a Real Pumpkin Stem

Before applying the paper, I removed the faux stems from the pumpkins. Once everything was dry, I hot-glued dried pumpkin stems on top. It’s a simple touch, but it adds a wonderful bit of realism and personality to each pumpkin.

Several clusters of dried, brown seed pods with stems rest on a light surface next to torn book page pumpkins and fragments of printed pages. Dirt and small debris are scattered around the pods.

How to Dry Pumpkin Stems (The Easy Way)

There are lots of methods out there, but I like to keep it simple:

  1. Snap the stem off the pumpkin at the end of the season
  2. Place 3–4 stems in a terra cotta pot
  3. Set the pots on a shelf in your garage, shed, or greenhouse
  4. By next fall, they’ll be perfectly dried and ready to use

I’m a sucker for short cuts!

A small book page pumpkin sits on stacked books, surrounded by red roses, eucalyptus leaves, and baby's breath, with a blurred plate and another pumpkin in the background.

Vintage-Inspired Tablescape with Book Page Pumpkins

I especially enjoyed this project because it blended a fun DIY with one of my favorite things—setting a pretty table. This fall tablescape allowed me to showcase not only my book page pumpkins, but also some of the vintage books I’ve collected over the years.

Setting the Table

I mixed vintage and new pieces to create layers of texture, history, and charm:

  • Natural woven placemats
  • White ceramic chargers
  • Mismatched plates from the Spode Archive Collection “Georgian Series”
  • Wallace “Queens” flatware
  • Crate and Barrel Bread Plates (outlet find)
  • Waterford “Kincora” claret wine glasses
  • Fostoria “Meadow Rose” (10 oz. footed tumblers)
  • Faux burlap napkins with cabbage napkin rings
  • Mini white pumpkins at each place setting
A small white pumpkin, inspired by book page pumpkins, sits on a decorative pink plate with floral patterns, placed on a white dinner plate and woven placemat. Silverware, a napkin, and some greenery enhance the elegant table setting.

Designing the Centerpiece

Once the place settings were complete, I began building the centerpiece—my favorite part!

  • A stack of assorted vintage books
  • Draping eucalyptus and seeded eucalyptus
  • Baby’s breath to fill in gaps
  • A few open vintage books displayed throughout
  • My DIY book page pumpkins
  • Burgundy cabbage roses for a soft pop of fall color

I used fresh greenery and flowers from Trader Joe’s, but you could easily recreate the look with faux stems.

A decorated table with crystal glasses, red roses, greenery, and a book page pumpkin sits in a bright, elegant room. A large play button icon is centered over the image.
A Quick Video of creating the Tablescape

Foraged Florals & Greenery Ideas

And don’t forget—you may have beautiful branches, herbs, or blooms right in your own backyard.

From garden or roadside, try gathering:

  • Tree or bush branches: willow, curly willow, olive, forsythia, honeysuckle, wisteria, evergreen branches, boxwood stems
  • Greenery: ferns, hosta leaves, grasses, basil, rosemary, sage
  • Flowers: Queen Anne’s lace, sunflowers, zinnias, dahlias, black eyed Susan, wild garlic, sedum, hydrangeas, goldenrod, asters
  • Extras: Blackberry canes, cattails, fall leaves, thistles, rose hips, acorns

Free is my favorite kind of decor!

A glass vase filled with green leaves, red berries, and white flowers sits on a white table next to book page pumpkins, a blue container holding napkins, and a small white ceramic sugar bowl with a lid.
Fall Forage from my Yard

A Final Thought

There’s something special about crafting with materials that already have a story. These little pumpkins may have started as worn pages, but now they’re part of a cozy autumn memory—layered between vintage books, warm textures, and a welcoming table. I hope this inspires you to look at old things with fresh eyes and create something beautiful of your own.

Don’t forget to watch the short videos to see the entire process from start to finish—I can’t wait to show you how easy (and fun!) it really is.

A watercolor illustration of a blue watering can filled with pink and blue flowers and green leaves, perfect for adding a touch of "Living Large in A Small House" charm, set against a transparent background.

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Peace and Love,

A blue background with hand-drawn elements sets the stage. A heart symbol flanked by two lines adds charm, while the text "Lynn xoxo" in cursive whispers a promise to make food prep easier and more delightful.

The Handcrafted Society

Be sure to visit my friends and see what they did with their book projects!

​

A plaid-wrapped gift with a striped bow sits on a wooden surface near stacked plates, a blue and white dish, a red glass candle holder, and decorative ceramics. A gilded frame and green-patterned wallpaper are in the background.
Amy Sadler Designs
A stack of pale, vintage books beside a white teacup filled with tea and a gold spoon on a matching saucer, set on a light wooden surface. The top book features a royal crest on its cover.
The Crowned Goat
An open book with its pages artistically folded into heart shapes, adorned with pink and green hydrangea flowers and greenery, resting on a wooden slice.
South House Designs
A botanical-themed notebook with fern and beetle illustrations lies on a white wooden surface next to two vintage books and a few dried flowers.
Skylark House
A logo featuring the text "Handcrafted" in a stylish, cursive font overlaying the large letters "IIS" with the smaller word "Society" underneath, all set against a dark background, evokes the charm of DIY fabric wall art.
A small fall bouquet with orange leaves, yellow flowers, and twigs tied with burlap ribbon rests on two green plaid books near a home decor magazine.
Thistle Key Lane
A garland of artificial leaves made from book pages and burlap drapes across a white ornate mantel, with pinecones attached. Decorative woven and ceramic objects sit on the shelf above.
An Organized Season
A rustic wreath made of pinecones, dried branches, and paper leaves with text, adorned with a blue velvet ribbon, hangs on a weathered glass door.
WM Design House
A small pumpkin covered in book pages sits atop stacked vintage books, including one titled "Pride's Way," with red roses and greenery arranged around it on a cozy, light-colored chair.
Living Large In A Small House

Meet Me

My name is Lynn. I live in the suburbs of Chicago in a 1,300 sq. ft. home with my Handy husband, Keith.

I’m an open book about my life on my blog. You can find out more about me by visiting my “About Me” page.

about Me

A great way to save this idea is to add it to one of your Pinterest boards. You can find the pin button on the top left of the photo when you click on it. Also, don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest

A book page pumpkin sits among red roses, greenery, stacked books, and elegant tableware, inspiring cozy fall decor ideas with a literary touch.

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9 Comments

  1. Laura Ingalls Gunn says:

    What a cute craft! The tablescape is just gorgeous. 🙂

    Reply

  2. Such a beautiful tablescape, Lynn, and I adore your book page pumpkin too. The whole thing makes me want to invite my girlfriends over to hang out and talk about the books we’re currently reading! Hope you’re having an amazing fall season so far, CoCo

    Reply

  3. Hi Lynn, your book page pumpkin is so cute! One of my favorite things to do for fall is to make DIY pumpkins! So, I’m pinning this now so I can recreate it sometime! Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
  4. Michelle | Thistle Key Lane says:

    I love pumpkin makeovers, and you have come up with a very cute project using book pages! What a great way to update old faux pumpkins, and with real stems too! Your table looks amazing! Cheers!

    Reply

  5. Okay, I was almost thinking I had seen all the pumpkins — but, no! I love this idea! You’re right about crafting with things that already have a story a life!!! Love it.

    Reply

  6. Hi Lynn! You added a video for this craft!! That is so awesome! I love your DIY book page pumpkin – it is the perfect fall craft. Plus, it would be fun to make a “pumpkin patch” of these with some kids. Using real pumpkin stems definitely elevates the final product. Pinned!

    Reply