Pumpkin Carving!



Pumpkin carving is a Halloween must and a great past time for the whole family. Whether you design your carving free hand or by using a stencil, they all look mystical. This is my favourite time of year, the kid's don't get to have all the fun! 

Last year I used a stencil for the first time to carve a pumpkin, Oggie Boogie. I would definitely recommend using a stencil when carving your pumpkin. It'll wow the kids and make your neighbours jealous!

Oogie Boogie from Disney's The Nightmare Before Christmas.

 

 

After browsing Google for unusual stencils, I came across Creative-Type Dad's Blog. This blog is amazing and provides free stencils for pumpkin carving. I browsed the list of stencils and once I saw the Evil Queen stencil my heart was set on using it!

Most of us know how to carve a pumpkin but for those of you who might not have much experience, follow my basic, easy steps.

What I used: 

Pumpkin
Carving Set
Stencil
Sticky Tape (optional)
Pen/Marker
Tea Light & Matches

 

Using a pen I drew a circle on top of my pumpkin, this will be the lid. I carved the top at an angle using my carving set, you can find the same set here. I carve the top at an angle as it stops it from falling through as the pumpkin wilts. After carving the top you may have some visible pen lines, use a wet cloth to gently wipe them off. Using the scoop from my carving set, I removed the inside of the pumpkin, this is the gooey bit that kids love!

 

 

I cut my printable stencil to size to make it easier to trace around. Sticky tape is ideal for children as it makes it that little bit easier to keep the stencil in place. I traced over the stencil with a pen and a little pressure. When the stencil is removed you'll be able to see where you will need to carve. If you want to be a little more creative or there's more than one who wants to carve, you can purchase a party carving set here.  

 

Using my knife I carefully carved the lines that I created with my stencil. I lit a tea light, placed it inside my pumpkin and put the top back on! It's as easy as that!

 

 

 

Before I put my candle inside I was quite worried that this didn't look like the original stencil, I even thought I might scrap it and try again! But I persevered and I'm glad I did. Maybe it could look a little neater, but I'm not a pro carver! Maybe next year i'll be a little more adventurous! 

 


Evil Queen from Disney's Snow White.



 

Always be sure to supervise children when using sharp objects and candles.