How to decorate pumpkins to last through fall

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- If you already have your pumpkins and you want to display them with some flair, don't worry. A few materials and a few minutes can make a big difference.

To make a show stopping piece for the inside of your home, all you need is a pumpkin, some decorative ribbon, and floral picks.

PHOTOS: Examples of decorative pumpkins you can create

Gail Buillion says to turn your pumpkin from plain to pizazz, make sure to choose one with a sturdy stem.

"I poke a hole through the stalk. Once I do that, we have floral wire and now we have a base in which everything will fall," Buillion said.

She starts with two different picks in opposite direction and secures that to the wire.

The pumpkin looks great just like that, but if you want to add a bow, choose three different kinds of ribbons. Gail picks up her ribbon and starts making loops. She makes one loop, twists it, and makes another loop on the other side. She repeats that once more.

Then using the same pattern, she layers with two ribbons, each time making the loops a little bigger than the last.

"I am going to pretend that it's the same ribbon and I am going to gather it up and make that next loop," she said.

She uses wire to secure it and attaches it to the top of the pumpkin. To fill in any holes she adds Spanish moss.

In about 10 minutes, you'll have a decorative pumpkin that can be used through October and November.

If you want a different look, you can create these decorations on any different variety of pumpkin or gourd.

PHOTOS: The many different kinds of pumpkins

When you go to choose, many nurseries and pumpkin patches have several different types of pumpkins - from the peanut pumpkin to the tiger striped.

And you aren't limited to only displaying a single pumpkin on your front porch. You can make an entire scene in your landscape with several pumpkins.

The folks at Cornelius Nursery use a couple of bales of hay and corn stalks for heights. Then they fill the area with pumpkins and gourds in different colors and textures. Then add decorative corn and a plant for color.

"It's fun, it's easy to do, and it really shouts fall as people look at your landscape," said Eddie Russell with Cornelius Nursery.