Jack-O-Lanterns

Boo!  Halloween is approaching and what better way to get in the mood then with a big ‘ol Jack-O-Lantern!  And this weekend is probably the best time to go pick a pumpkin and carve it up!  They are fun to decorate your porch, fireplace, anywhere really.  You’re lucky to have a prize winning pumpkin carver showing you the ropes!  In my freshman year of college my roommate and I carved the winning pumpkin in our dining hall competition.  It was a funny little pumpkin with dollar signs for eyes and big smile with a tongue (made of a piece of pumpkin) sticking out!  Our message was we are greedy-to win this competition, and win it we did (and it was totally because we had the best pumpkin and not because we stole ballots and wrote them in our dorm with different colored pens and different handwriting!)  It was worth it because we got a sweet gift certificate that we used to buy our favorite thing: DESSERT!  Oh good times.  You too could be having good times right now by carving your very own pumpkin!  I’ll be explaining how to do a traditional one, but if you have more artistic ability go for it.  You can check out my pinboard to see some carving ideas!  There are some really good ones. 

 

Supplies

Knife

Candles

Creativity : )

 

Step 1: Get a Pumpkin!  You can pick one up at your local grocery, or other store that may sell pumpkins.  Or you can go to field a pick one! 

Step 2:  Get out a Knife and cut off the top.  Cut in a circular motion around the stem top.  Pull out the stem and discard.  (See Oct 1 to refresh your memory on how to do this).  Scoop out the goop inside and while you’re at it why not make roasted pumpkin seeds? (See Oct 3 for that great recipe)

Step 3:  Find the best side of your pumpkin and make that the front.  Use your knife to carve out the front in a design.  The traditional look is two triangle eyes, an upside-down triangle nose, and a half-moon smile. 

Step 4:  Put a candle in there and watch the glow.  Spooky right?

Please post any comment or pictures of your great pumpkin creation either to this blog or to the 31 Days of Pumpkin on Facebook!  And don’t forget to check-out my 31 Days of Pumpkin Pinboard for more carving ideas.  There’s a cool one about using cookie cutters!