Instead of buying vases or calling your local florist, you can make your own eco-friendly, biodegradable vases out of pumpkins or gourds.  It only takes a few minutes to create beautiful Thanksgiving center pieces.

Just follow these 10 easy steps.

1)  Decide the height, quantity and size of your pumpkins.

2) You can use a potted plant to fill the pumpkin, a vase or floral foam for your floral arrangement.

3) Measure the vase, pot or vase before cutting out your pumpkin.

3)  Hollow out a pumpkin, similar to what you would do if you were carving a pumpkin for Halloween.

4) If you are using a potted plant, simply place the plant in the pumpkin and you are done.

5) If you want to be a bit more artistic, you can use a vase or water soaked floral foam.  If you use a vase, it is often easier if you have rocks at the bottom so it is easier to arrange the stems.

6) Sunflowers, carnations, roses, mums, cat o nine tails (or wheat) are all inexpensive and make good choices for your arrangement.

7) Start by adding the greenery to the edges of your arrangement.

8) Next add sunflowers (or larger flower) by cutting the sunflowers so that they will rise above the top of the pumpkin.  Work in odd numbers (3 or 5) and cut the flowers at different heights.

9) Next add a contrasting color to fill in until you have a full look.

10) Lastly add the cat on nine tails or wheat to give the arrangement height and dimension.

You can make the arrangements ahead of time as long as you store them in a cool place and keep them watered.