How To Use Pumpkin From Carved Pumpkins

And shoppers start buying fresh decorative winter produce, such as pumpkins andturban squash, in the hot, sultry days of late summer. Fruit flies will also flock to carved pumpkins and speed up the rotting process. The first step in selecting the perfect gourd is to choose a carving pumpkin rather than a pie pumpkin. Carving pumpkins are larger with thinner skin and have less "guts" on the inside.

We think making Christmas crafts as a group is a great way to enhance holiday cheer. All of these projects are simple enough for any beginner crafter to try, which makes them fun for loved ones of all ages. Turn a set of stockings into an advent calendar with special treats as you count down to Christmas.

You can use a serrated knife from your kitchen or the largest serrated tool in a pumpkin carving kit. Draw a circle with about a 2 in (5.1 cm) radius from the stem with a washable marker. Tilt the blade at a 45-degree angle toward the stem and push it into the pumpkin.

Carving jack-o-lanterns is a popular Halloween tradition. Some like to carve scary faces, others carve silly faces and the more artistic among us carve incredible depictions of movie scenes or characters from popular Halloween and horror movies. Close-up of a jack-o'-lantern carved for Halloween night. If you find these issues as you carve, you may want to try carving another pumpkin. You can also paint your pumpkins instead of carving them, which averts the need to peer inside. Instead of candles—which make the inside of the pumpkin hot—use a battery-operated tea light that flickers or a glow stick.

Once you have finished carving, spray or wipe the inside of the cavity, and all the cut surfaces, with an essential-oil-based cleaning spray. Or soak the finished pumpkin overnight in a tub of borax water. Use long fireplace matches or a lighter with a long neck to help protect your fingers and hands while lighting a candle inside a jack-o’-lantern. If you cut your initial opening in the bottom, this isn’t an issue as you just light the candle out in the open and Kidz then lower the jack-o’-lantern over it. Once you’ve made a cut you can’t erase it, so it’s a good idea to sketch your design onto the surface of the pumpkin before picking up a cutting tool. A felt tip marker works well for sketching and drawing.