Tips on Carving a Jack-o-Lantern

• Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds. We would recommend buying the metal Pumpkin Scoop with the serrated edges. The one I have has lasted years AND doubles as an ice cream scoop.



• Oh and speaking of which, an ice cream scoop will also give decent results in "gutting" the gourd!



• The rind should be about 1" thick. So keep hacking away at the inside part that will be the face... you really want to get as much of the meat out of the way for when you are carving.



• Map out your pumpkin face on a piece of paper ahead of time for some ideas.



• Draw the lines for your lid before carving. Make a special "notch" so the lid is easy to put back on.



• When you carve out the lid, angle your knife slightly towards the center of the pumpkin. This keeps the lid from falling into the pumpkin.



• If the base of your pumpkin sets crooked, consider cutting out the bottom to straighten it out and provide a sturdy base for a candle when you set it down.



• Draw the facial features on the pumpkin ahead of time with a pencil or use a stencil pattern specifically for jack-o-lanterns.



• If you really want to get slick, use a pin or thumbtack to make dots of the pattern. Then you won't have any pencil markings to deal with when taking pictures. You only have to cut along the dots.



• As far as tools for carving, a sharp carving knife works... deep x-acto knives work better. You'll want a small knife for cutting the fine features and detail.



• Don't cut out the features on your jack-o-lantern too closely together or it's face will probably weaken and cave in.



• It pains me to say this, but your pumpkin will last longer if you use an electric or battery operated lighting device instead of a candle. But the candle does look the best.



• If you choose to use a candle, insert an appropriate scented one -- such as cinnamon, spice or "baked pumpkin pie."



• Also if you choose to use a candle, make sure the lid is off or set askew so the top of the pumpkin doesn't catch on fire. You might also consider boring some nail holes on the lid to allow the candle heat to escape.



• Coat the edges of your carving with petroleum jelly or WD-40 (believe it or not) to reduce shriveling. WARNING! Make sure you DO NOT spray WD-40 on the jack-o-lantern while a candle is burning!



• If you choose not to carve your pumpkin, consider using a stencil to draw on the face. Fill in the features with markers or acrylic glow-in-the-dark paint made for crafts.

If you did carve it, you are now ready to ADD 1 to our Count!

CARVE IT! - COUNT IT!