Pumpkin Carving for Beginners
Article by Angela Marino
One of the most anticipated events during fall season is Halloween. Celebrated every October 31st and it's the time of the year when people can wear the funniest, creepiest,, one-of-a kind costume, play games, share ghost stories, go trick-or-treating, play pranks on other people and horror movie marathon.
What is Halloween without the jack-o-lanterns to decorate the house? And who doesn't love carving those pumpkins? Yes, it can get really messy but the kids love it. Have them help you while you do making your jack-o-lanterns, it'll be more fun.
Now, if this is your first time carving a pumpkin for Halloween, here are some simple tips to help you out.
First thing you need to do is to look for your pumpkin pattern or design that you like. There are a lot of patterns available over the internet that you can print. Play with funny, scary or make your own design. Be creative.
Once you have chosen the design, you must look for the pumpkin that will suit your pattern. Make sure that the pattern will fit nicely on the skin of the pumpkin. The larger the pumpkin, the easier it is to carve on it.
Now clean your pumpkin with a sponge or clean cloth to remove the dusts. Then, cut a hole at the top of the pumpkin. This is ideal if you decide to put a candle in it. IF you want to use electric lights, it would be best to make the hole at the bottom of the pumpkin. Draw a circle or hexagon and make sure your hand will fit in it along with your scraping tools.
Once you've removed the cap, start scraping the seeds and pulp inside the pumpkin. Then, transfer your jack-o-lantern pattern on the pumpkin. Look for the side that pretty much would be the face. There are ways to do this. Some would just pin the pattern they printed on the pumpkin and start poking holes along the outline of the stencil. Another way is to just draw a face on it using a felt tip pen.
It's time to star cutting. One trick that you must do while cutting is to do it in a 45 degree angle while following the outline of your pattern carefully. It makes the cutting easier. Do it slowly and one piece at a time. Push the pieces out from the inside of the pumpkin until all the pieces are done.
Now test it by placing a candle or light bulb inside. Try to see if there are some finishing touches to be done or some parts that are out of shape. Try to preserve your jack-o-lantern by putting petroleum jelly inside of the pumpkin and on the carved parts.
Now let's invite those trick-o-treaters in with your very own jack-o-lantern creation.
About the Author
After you're done carving your pumpkins, you'll be out shopping for those holiday gifts in no time. Why not save some money while you do it. Coupon Mole to carries coupons to all your favorite stores. Coupon Mole has an active and updated list of thousands of printable coupons and coupon codes to all your favorite retailers that you can use to save money.
