Pumpkin Carving 101
Haven’t carved a pumpkin yet this year? Well if so, let’s fix that! Pumpkin carving can be a difficult process sometimes so we want you to be prepared and know exactly what you’ll need. Some like to skip the carving process altogether and paint them instead, which is also fun, but carving a pumpkin will definitely get you in the Halloween Spirit! So let’s get started!
PICKING YOUR PUMPKIN
Picking your pumpkin can be sometimes the most challenging part! Everyone always wants to know HOW to pick the perfect pumpkin and WHERE to find them! Well, it’s not all that hard in hindsight. Finding your pumpkin can be at a pumpkin patch, grocery store, or your nearest fruit stand! You don’t need to go anywhere fancy, but we understand that the pumpkin patch always makes for a fun day! Then we move on to how to find the right one! If you’re like us, we are indecisive but it all comes down to how a certain one makes you feel. When you know you know, they say! No, but in all seriousness, look for ones with a clear and spacious side so that you have room to carve. Maybe try to avoid ones with scuffs or uneven bottoms. At the end of the day it’s all up to YOU!
NOW WHAT?
So we’ve got the pumpkin and now what? Well, these next steps depend on what tools you have already. If you don’t have carving tools, we recommend going to your nearest grocery store or drug store to pick some up. We’re talking about the package of cheesy tools and templates! Those work great and are only a few bucks! Now, you can use your household knives and spoons, but sometimes those can be less reliable, and depending on how good they are, you might struggle using those more. Do what’s best for you and if you’re doing it with friends then you can all pitch in to buy the tools!
THE GUTS.
Everyone’s favorite part, right? Well it’s definitely a fun and gross one! You’ll need to carve out the stem on the top or the bottom of your pumpkin, creating a circle, so you can get your hands in there! Make sure to cut at a diagonal so when you put your stem on top it doesn’t fall straight through! Next you’ll need to get in there and pull EVERYTHING out! Start off by using your hands then incorporate using a spoon or scooper that came in the tool kit to get all of the guts and SEEDS out! Once you’ve done that, make sure to save your seeds so that you can roast them after! Or do anything with them, that is the best part!
THE CARVING
We’ve made it to carving! So what you should do first is look up inspo on the internet or come up with a design on your own! It can be the classic jack-o-lantern face or a character or even a picture of some sort! Get your imagination going and remember you can do ANYTHING! Next, we would say to sketch it out! It’s always nice to have some structure and especially if what you’re doing is difficult, then you won’t want to skip this step! Maybe you’d like to freehand it instead and that is totally okay, props to you! The sky is the limit and this is where you get to be very creative! CARVE AWAY!
LIGHT IT UP & WALA!
Now that you’ve finished, light it up! Put a candle or battery operated candle inside! This is always the most rewarding part, seeing your artwork come to life! Lastly, ENJOY! You’ve just created something out of a pumpkin so be proud of yourself and take photos and share with others! Put your pumpkin outside where others can see it and hey…it might even need a friend. ;)
We hope this helped you and your pumpkin carving journey this Halloween Season Seawolves!