Indulging in some Halloween fun, carving Jack-o-Lanterns this fall! For carvers of all skill levels, a sharp Opinel and a bit of imagination will go a long way. Perfect porch decor.
Pick the perfect pumpkin!
Head to your local pumpkin patch (or grocery store) and grab a pumpkin. We recommend a classic carving pumpkin (instead of the fancy looking heirloom pumpkins, which will have thicker skin and be harder to carve).
Gather your supplies.
Grab the essentials; a couple different size Opinel knives, a spoon to scoop the guts out, and a bowl to empty the seeds into. A marker to draw the design on the pumpkin, or a carving template are also a good idea!
Prep the pumpkin!
Cut a hole in the top of the pumpkin (we used a No.12 folding knife) and remove the top.
Scoop out the guts (the pumpkin seeds and pulp) with the spoon. You can also opt to shave down the inner walls of the pumpkin with your spoon to make carving a bit easier. Save the seeds for a little post-carving treat (recipe below).
Draw the design on your pumpkin! Scary face? Goofy face? Fun design? Super detailed scene? Your choice! If using a templated design, attach the template to the pumpkin. To transfer the template design onto the pumpkin, poke holes along the lines of the design.
Start carving.
Once your design is final, use a knife to carve into the pumpkin. We found that the No.07 & No.08 are a great size for this step. When the design gets into the small details, a No.04 & No.05 knife work well.
Keep safety top of mind - if kids are helping with this activity, we suggest an adult handle the carving, as pumpkins can be a bit tricky to cut through.
Light it up!
Once your design is perfectly carved into the pumpkin, add a candle to light it up, pop the top back on and place it on your front porch! Voilà!
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Don’t toss those pumpkin guts! Made this easy recipe for tasty pumpkin seeds.
Ingredients:
Method:
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