Carving pumpkins.
It's a tradition in my family to carve pumpkins together. As my brother and I have moved away from home, the 'together' part of the tradition has ceased. But I still get a ridiculous amount of excitement going out to pick out my own pumpkin and carving it on the floor of my kitchen!!
Any experienced pumpkin carver knows you need the following items:
Oh, gloves are for the faint of heart. Don't even think about it. Just touch the goop with your bare hands. DO IT.
Growing up, my brother was a perfectionist about his carving. He picked out the biggest, coolest, most complicated stencils. And I have to give it to him, he aimed high. But my parents usually ended up going out to buy a 2nd or 3rd pumpkin after my brother "ruined" his. Blaise had drive, ambition, and determination....and ultimately, he did carve the coolest pumpkins. One of my favorites was a wolf howling at the moon. (Pretty sure it took 3 pumpkins for that one and a few toothpicks to hold it in place.) It was hard to compete with him so I usually took the easy road and carved a typical pumpkin face; triangle eyes, a 3 tooth smile, and a nose of some sort. But of course, one year I even botched that simplicity so I carved the word "Welcome". We lined all of our pumpkins along our walkway leading up to our front door and mine got placed in the beginning of the walkway. I was so proud that it was the first pumpkin people would see! I figured that if I couldn't make the coolest one, I'd just make the first one.
I must say, I am quite impressed with my pumpkin this year. Maybe that's because it is the only one that will be displayed at my place so it has no competition, haha. But I think she's fierce!!
And the finished product.....
It's a tradition in my family to carve pumpkins together. As my brother and I have moved away from home, the 'together' part of the tradition has ceased. But I still get a ridiculous amount of excitement going out to pick out my own pumpkin and carving it on the floor of my kitchen!!
Any experienced pumpkin carver knows you need the following items:
- A large, VERY serious knife.
- A small, tiny saw for the details.
- Lots of newspaper.
- A bowl for the pumpkin guts.
- An oven pan covered with tin foil for the seeds.
- A playlist with awesome songs to keep you going!
- Toothpicks. These are like the plastic surgery of pumpkin carving. They nearly invisibly hold things together.
- A little bit of cinnamon for the top. When you light a candle inside, a wonderful cinnamon-pumpkin aroma will fill the space! (Trick of the trade courtesy of Mom.)
Oh, gloves are for the faint of heart. Don't even think about it. Just touch the goop with your bare hands. DO IT.
Growing up, my brother was a perfectionist about his carving. He picked out the biggest, coolest, most complicated stencils. And I have to give it to him, he aimed high. But my parents usually ended up going out to buy a 2nd or 3rd pumpkin after my brother "ruined" his. Blaise had drive, ambition, and determination....and ultimately, he did carve the coolest pumpkins. One of my favorites was a wolf howling at the moon. (Pretty sure it took 3 pumpkins for that one and a few toothpicks to hold it in place.) It was hard to compete with him so I usually took the easy road and carved a typical pumpkin face; triangle eyes, a 3 tooth smile, and a nose of some sort. But of course, one year I even botched that simplicity so I carved the word "Welcome". We lined all of our pumpkins along our walkway leading up to our front door and mine got placed in the beginning of the walkway. I was so proud that it was the first pumpkin people would see! I figured that if I couldn't make the coolest one, I'd just make the first one.
I must say, I am quite impressed with my pumpkin this year. Maybe that's because it is the only one that will be displayed at my place so it has no competition, haha. But I think she's fierce!!
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| The before, during (gutting AND carving like a BOSS!), and after! |
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