This Is No Cave - It’s a DIY Space Slug Pumpkin

• Small craft pumpkin
• Tan, grey, and gold acrylic paint
• White air-dry modeling clay
• Pumpkin carving knife
• Paintbrush
• Hot glue gun
• Pencil
• Millennium Falcon Micro Machine or small toy
• Clear plastic toothpick

• Large/tall craft pumpkin
• Stone texture spray paint
• Black spray paint
• Small rocks or stones, like gravel
• Pumpkin carving knife
• Hot glue gun
• Pencil

Get Started!

Step 1: Begin by spray-painting the large craft pumpkin with the stone texture spray paint. Set it aside to dry.

Step 2: Next, use the tan acrylic paint to completely cover the small craft pumpkin. Let dry. Lightly dry-brush or use a sponge brush to add the grey and gold paint to the small pumpkin to add some dirt and texture to the exogorth. Let dry completely.

Step 3: While the paint is drying, use the white modeling clay to make the two “antenna” shapes that go on either side of the pumpkin. Let the clay air-dry, possibly overnight, then paint the two antenna the same tan, gold, and grey colors as the pumpkin. Let dry, and hot glue the antenna to either side of the pumpkin.

Step 4: Use a pencil to lightly draw the wide-open mouth of the space slug. (It should be wide enough to look like it’s trying to chomp on the Millennium Falcon.) Use the pumpkin carving knife to cut out the mouth.

Step 5: Make a set of rounded but pointy teeth with the white modeling clay, enough to fill the mouth that you just carved. Let the modeling clay dry completely. Mix a little bit of the grey paint with water, and lightly wash the clay so that the teeth look worn and weathered. Let dry.

Step 6: Hot glue the teeth inside the exogorth’s mouth, and the space slug is complete.

Step 7: Hold the space slug pumpkin against the middle of the asteroid and draw around it lightly with the pencil. Cut a hole in the middle of the large pumpkin. (It’s better to start small and work your way bigger as needed, since you’ll want the space slug to fit snugly in the hole.)

Step 8: Spray paint the inside of the large pumpkin black and let completely dry.

Step 9: Hot glue the gravel and small rocks around the hole you just cut. Spray paint the rocks the same stone texture color, and let all paint dry.

Step 10: While the paint is drying, hot glue the bottom of the Millennium Falcon Micro Machine or toy to the blunt end of the clear plastic toothpick. Once cool, gently push the pointed end into the space slug pumpkin just below the mouth.

Step 11: Finally, gently push the small space slug pumpkin into the hole you cut in the asteroid pumpkin. It should fit snugly.

One of your favorite scenes from The Empire Strikes Back is now complete! While this pumpkin doesn’t light up like a traditional jack-o’-lantern, you can make the exogorth’s mouth wide enough to put a battery-powered candle in if you prefer. Just remember to use flameless candles only!

Kelly Knox is a freelance writer who loves creating crafts with her daughter. Follow her on Twitter at @kelly_knox, and take a look at her blog the st{art} button for more Star Wars art projects and craft ideas.