Friday, October 30, 2009

Carving pumpkins is an art too!

Getting ready for Halloween is a huge event around my house. From decorating with spooky décor to handing out regular sized candy bars to the little ghouls and goblins. Its the one day of the year we seem to give ourselves permission to step outside ourselves, have fun with our imagination and give without expecting anything in return.

We have been carving intricate designs for about 10 years now and have tried many different methods of carving. Our favorite tools to carve are the good old carving knifes you get in the kits at the store and an x-atco set. For cleaning out the pumpkin this is the one I cant live without, it’s a ½” Tear Drop Loop Tool. Its actually a pottery tool used for sculpting but this tool is a life saver when it comes to scraping out the pumpkin ~ cuts the time in half!!! Toothpicks work great for those thin carvings that are slumping or may have broken. We cover the outside with plastic wrap and stick in the refrigerator until Halloween, I suggest you carve no earlier that 1 day in advance.

When it comes time to carve pumpkins, we love to make the most of the moment. We put on a scary movie grab a glass of wine and spend hours carving out the intricate designs we‘ve picked out. Its always an exciting moment when a pumpkin is finished! The lights get turned off and the candle is lit to unveil the newest masterpiece.