Choose a pumpkin that is the same shape as the design you wish to carve. Decide if it should be tall and narrow, or more rounded. It should be as smooth as possible, and free of scratches, dents or gouges.
- Flour
To make the dots you made by poking easier to see, try rubbing flour into them. The flour will fill the holes, making them white. - "Sticker" method
Some people have difficulty smoothing the flat paper pattern down on the round pumpkin. Try soaking the paper with water first. Very carefully position the wet paper on the face of the pumpkin. The water will allow the paper to conform to the contours of the pumpkin. Carefully fasten the paper using thumbtacks. You can also try adding a little flour to the water to make a "paste." Allow the paper to completely dry, before attempting to transfer the design. This method takes much longer, but it is much easier to transer complicated designs. - Carbon paper
Another (and less environmentally friendly) way is to put carbon paper on the back of the pattern and trace over the lines with a dull pencil. If the lines are barely visible, go over with a water-based marker.
Wax candles snuff themselves out, or blow out in the wind. Try using Vegetable Oil Candles instead.
Try hanging your creations in plant hangers. This will make them easier to see, and help keep "trick-or-treaters" from catching their costumes on fire! This will also keep those troublesome little squirrels from attacking and destroying your hard work.
Take care of your carving tools, just as you would any other precision instrument. Bending the blades will cause them to break. Be sure to clean your tools after use, and store them away for watermelon carving next Summer!
- Seeds
To roast your pumpkin seeds, do not wash them first! Washing removes all the natural flavor. Instead, remove the seeds from the strings and place a single layer on a cookie sheet. Add salt to taste and bake at 300° until dry, stirring occasionally. - Pumpkin Pie Illusion
Make your Jack-O-Lantern smell just like pumpkin pie, baking in the oven, with Pumpkin SFXTM.
For best pictures, never use a flash, but also avoid total darkness. If your candle is the only light source, your picture will show the design well, but you will not be able to tell it was carved into a pumpkin! A single light source, like a desk lamp (maybe 60 watts), slightly above and to the front and side of the pumpkin will show both the design, and object in which its carved.
- Extend the life of your pumpkins by using Dr. Frybrain's Pumpkin Embalmer
- Time
Restrict the amount of time your carvings are lit with a candle. The heat will cook your pumpkin or watermelon from the inside out! - Storage
Place your carvings in the refrigerator when not displaying them. Avoid the temptation to leave your carvings outdoors. Frost, sun, animals, insects and bacteria will speed up the natural process of decomposition.
- Water
When pumpkins or watermelons shrivel up, it is because they have lost moisture. You can usually restore them back to their original condition by soaking them in water overnight. - Pins
Use straight pins or toothpicks to reattach broken pieces.