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Pumpkin Carving for Halloween
Friday, October 09, 2009
This year I'm making some dioramas using artificial pumpkins. This way they'll last for years and I can leave them out for as long as I want, maybe even all year! It's a fun craft to do with the kids and even more fun to tackle by yourself because you can just let the creative juices flow and see where this takes you.
A diorama is a small scene that is created inside a little box or anything else that's small, like a little suitecase, a wooden box or in our case, a faux pumpkin. You need to decide what theme you'd like to do, mine is going to be a skeleton filled graveyard. I picked up a bunch of miniature pieces of Lemax stuff on sale at Michael's Arts & Crafts for 70% off so mine is just going to rock!!
Go to Halloween Online's Craft section for the directions on making them. I'll post pictures when I get mine done!
Now, as for carving the real pumpkins this year, I don't know how many we are going to get. They are awfully expensive this year again! Even more than last year. Even Wal-mart has them for over $4.00 a pumpkin! I can't believe how they've gone up! But we have to carve a few and we'll need some new pumpkin carving stencils.Head over to Spook Master for the newest and coolest carving patterns!
We may also try this new idea for creating a Jack-O-Lantern Walkway using those plastic Jack-O-Lantern candy buckets. It looks easy to do and will add a great ambiance to our front yard!
Labels: Fake Pumpkin Dioramas 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
One thing about pumpkin carving, it doesn't change much from year to year. It does seem that some new tools show up during the Halloween season, not necessarily good ones. But show up, they do, new scraping tools or a battery powered carver. Probably the best thing in recent years are the battery powered lights that take the fire hazard out of Jack-O-Lanterns. We still like to put candles in a few pumpkins, the smell is so nostalgic, we have to do it but any Jacks going outside have battery candles in them.
There's usually a new pack of pumpkin carving templates at the stores, too. We always pick up a couple just so we have the newest ones, if they look cool. And places that sell pumpkin carving patterns on line always have new ones for a really low membership fee.
We put together a carving tool kit years ago after seeing one at PumpkinCarving101.com and have added to it over the years. There's an article about putting one together yourself using things like old kitchen knives, ice cream scoops and things like that. I think this year we'll have to get ours out and take a look at it, see if anything needs to be replaced.
There's usually a new pack of pumpkin carving templates at the stores, too. We always pick up a couple just so we have the newest ones, if they look cool. And places that sell pumpkin carving patterns on line always have new ones for a really low membership fee.
We put together a carving tool kit years ago after seeing one at PumpkinCarving101.com and have added to it over the years. There's an article about putting one together yourself using things like old kitchen knives, ice cream scoops and things like that. I think this year we'll have to get ours out and take a look at it, see if anything needs to be replaced.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Well, with the cost of pumpkins going up last Halloween because of a draught in the growing areas, we may try and grow our own this year and see if we can do it. We live in the southwest, high desert, so we can start a patch early to see if we can grow them and then start a new one mid-summer to grow for Halloween.
You can find info on growing your own pumpkin patch at Halloween Online in the Pumpkin Carving section. You'll also find info on just about anything pumpkin related at The Pumpkin Patch. Not only do they tell how to grow your own, you'll find recipes for pumpkin, all the different kinds available, the history of the pumpkin.... you name it!
I'm not sure if the whole global warming thing is a scare tactic or not, if you go by the cold winter that's hit the country this year you'd wonder why it's 11 below instead of 50 degrees like they say it should be, but we definitely need more rain out here. If the pumpkin growers find it another bad season then growing your own is another option. Plus, and you'll know what I mean if you've ever had a garden, they joy of growing things yourself and seeing the end result is an experience that everyone should have, including the kids!
Labels: Pumpkins for 2009 Halloween
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Well, we've picked out about a dozen pumpkins for Halloween carving and will probably get a few more to carve if we have time. We like to do intricate template pumpkin carving and unfortunately, these take ALOT of time to carve but are so beautiful when they are done. We picked up some new template books this year and might try an online store like SpookMaster that lets you download templates from a huge selection for a very low price.
I think we'll be lining our driveway from the road to the door, on either side, with carved pumpkins this year. That should make for a great entrance to our Halloween party, we'll pick a lot of spooky carvings to do. Then we'll have to have them all over the house as well. People are always amazed by how cool they look. It just takes a lot of work, a few people with patience and some big pumpkins!
Try Halloween Online's pumpkin carving section for new ideas in carving and new items to do it with. We found a battery powered saw for carving this year. While it didn't work well, it's a good idea. We may try using our electric meat carving knife that was given to use for Christmas a few years ago and went into the "closet of little used things". The ideas the same, just a bigger carving knife.
Monday, October 01, 2007
I see that some of our local stores have pumpkins already! We'll be picking up a few and carving some for around the house. Even though they won't make it until Halloween, it will be fun to carve a few new ones every week and light them at night around the house. It will keep us all in the Halloween spirit, like any of us needs that!
Check out Pumpkin Carving 101 for ideas on carving Jack-O-Lanterns. They have some new ideas on products to use for lighting a Jack-O-Lantern besides using candles. I'm traditional, I like using candles because you get that great burnt pumpkin smell but if it's windy outside some other options are available now. Battery powered candles that flicker and look amazingly real are available everywhere that sells Halloween products. You can find them in any size, from tea lights to small taper candles to ones made just for using in Jack-O-Lanterns.
Check out Pumpkin Carving 101 for ideas on carving Jack-O-Lanterns. They have some new ideas on products to use for lighting a Jack-O-Lantern besides using candles. I'm traditional, I like using candles because you get that great burnt pumpkin smell but if it's windy outside some other options are available now. Battery powered candles that flicker and look amazingly real are available everywhere that sells Halloween products. You can find them in any size, from tea lights to small taper candles to ones made just for using in Jack-O-Lanterns.
It may not make you happy if you like traditional candles but they are safer to use in some situations and you don't have to worry about blowing them all out. Just leave them on and the battery candles run for days!
Labels: New Lighting Innovations
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
We've been looking for new ideas for carving our pumpkins this year. Halloween Online has section on pumpkin carving that has lots of great info on pumpkins and carving ideas.
The section on putting together your own pumpkin carving tool box is a great idea! It's something that you can use every year and add to as new carving products come out.
Another idea is using carving templates. These intricate carving patterns take some time to carve but, man, are they worth it when you're done! We've carved some of the most beautiful pumpkins using these! Learn how to make your own here.
If you live in a warmer climate, don't carve them too early or they won't last long. Warm weather really rots pumpkins fast! Try using a preserver of some kind to extend the life.
Labels: New Pumpkin Carving Ideas
Thursday, February 26, 2004
You have to admit, nothing better signifies Halloween than a glowing Jack-O-Lantern! I mean, you see one and instantly think of Halloween, right? And you can never carve just one! We carve a dozen or more in all shapes, sizes and colors. Some stay in the house, some go on the porch and some are scattered through our yard haunt. We found some interesting ideas for carving at Pumpkin Carving 101. You'll also find interesting info at The Pumpkin Patch.
Of course, you have to roast up some pumpkin seeds as well, that taste brings back all kinds of great childhood memories for me. It's simple to do. Here's the recipe that we've used for years. We like to go to a local pumpkin farm to pick out our pumpkins, it's more fun than getting them at the grocery store but if that's all you can get, get them there. Cut the pumpkin open and gut it, set it aside for carving.
We never wash our seeds first although some people do. Washing them removes some of the source of the natural flavor. Instead, we remove the seeds from the strings and place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. The less they lay on each other, the better they can bake so try and make a nice even layer.
Add salt or seasoned salt to taste and bake at 250° until dry, stirring occasionally. We bake ours for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the start to turn a very light gold.
We set bowls of these around for parties so they never last long but you can store them in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
There are some good recipes for using pumpkin at Wanda's Halloween Kitchen. You can find baking pumpkins at the grocery store, they are small and have a smooth skin on them. We like to cook up a pumpkin pie from scratch when these are available, it tastes so much better than a frozen pie or one that's made from canned pumpkin!
Of course, you have to roast up some pumpkin seeds as well, that taste brings back all kinds of great childhood memories for me. It's simple to do. Here's the recipe that we've used for years. We like to go to a local pumpkin farm to pick out our pumpkins, it's more fun than getting them at the grocery store but if that's all you can get, get them there. Cut the pumpkin open and gut it, set it aside for carving.
We never wash our seeds first although some people do. Washing them removes some of the source of the natural flavor. Instead, we remove the seeds from the strings and place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. The less they lay on each other, the better they can bake so try and make a nice even layer.
Add salt or seasoned salt to taste and bake at 250° until dry, stirring occasionally. We bake ours for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the start to turn a very light gold.
We set bowls of these around for parties so they never last long but you can store them in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
There are some good recipes for using pumpkin at Wanda's Halloween Kitchen. You can find baking pumpkins at the grocery store, they are small and have a smooth skin on them. We like to cook up a pumpkin pie from scratch when these are available, it tastes so much better than a frozen pie or one that's made from canned pumpkin!
Labels: The Glow of the Jack-O-Lantern
