Its
pumpkin carving season
.. so I thought these tips might come in helpful today! I will have a ton of fun pumpkin posts coming up in October but lets get started with some great tips!!
pumpkin carving season
.. so I thought these tips might come in helpful today! I will have a ton of fun pumpkin posts coming up in October but lets get started with some great tips!!
Cut the bottom of the pumpkin instead of the top. It interferes less with the design that way, which is important when you are carving really intricate patterns.
Instead of making your base perfectly round, make a triangle shaped notch at the back to make it easier to tell which way the pumpkin will sit on it.
. To prevent the fine intricate carving from withering up, we float the carved Jacks in a bathtub full of cold water until it is time to display them. A swimming pool would work too.
Here's a GREAT TIP.. Right before lighting the candles, liberally sprinkle the inside of each pumpkin with pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon. Get the cheap stuff from the dollar store and don’t be stingy! The heat from the candles will warm the spices and pumpkin flesh up to create a heavenly pumpkin pie smell!
• Draw your design on the pumpkin with a water-based marker beforehand. Mistakes are erased easily with a damp sponge.
• Serrated metal saws, now widely available in carving kits, are a safer alternative to knives and allow younger children to get in on the action.
• Carve away from yourself; kids should carve only under adult supervision.
• When carving, keep a portion of the knife blade in the pumpkin and use slow, steady saw strokes.
• Cut the lid at an angle so the outside diameter is larger than the inside.This prevents the top from falling into the pumpkin when it shrinks.
• Scoop out seeds and stringy flesh with a large spoon or ice cream scooper.
• Carve the facial features closest to the center first and work outward. Cut out the larger features in sections.
• Use an X-Acto knife for details and the tip of a potato peeler to make small circles and curves.
• Remove carved portions by gently pushing them into or out of the pumpkin.
• Reattach a section that is accidentally removed by using a toothpick to pin it back in place.
• Make design holes large enough to provide adequate ventilation for the candle.
• Flatten a spot in the base of the pumpkin for the candle but avoid digging too deep because the pumpkin becomes prone to rot.
• Make sure the flame is not too close to the top of the pumpkin.
• To prolong the life of the jack-o'-lantern, seal in moisture by coating all cut surfaces with petroleum jelly or vegetable oil, or cover it with a damp towel wen not on display.
• Consider giving smaller children stickers, tempera paint, or markers to decorate their own pumpkins.
Do you have any great pumpkin carving tips?? Leave them below!
K Jaggers
♥
Do you have any great pumpkin carving tips?? Leave them below!
K Jaggers
♥
