[Dadja]

I have 4 left now, but one of those is large enough for three patterns, another one for two, but I still hope to be able to buy some new ones somewhere.

I am giving shading a proper try this year. I'm still not a fan of those very complex shading designs in three or four levels (or perhaps I say that, because I can't do them myself).

But I like giving it an extra dimension with the shading, but only if it benefits the design. If something should be brighter, than shading is the solution. E.T., Iron Man, Cheshire Cat, all benefited from the use of shading, I think.

I plan on doing the Night own, and logic tells me the moon should be brighter than the details on the owl, so I will cut out the moon, but shade the details...

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

Personally, I don't know if I'd have that much patience to scrape away at pumpkins that much. Although, in my case, it just might be an issue of time (I usually have to pull an all-nighter on October 30-31 just to get ANY carved). But Dadja, your shading technique is smooth, and used in totally appropriate cases. Certainly adds to the effect of certain characters. I like!

[Dadja]

Personally, I don't know if I'd have that much patience to scrape away at pumpkins that much.

Let's say on average a pumpkin takes me about half an hour. If I use shading, 45 minutes... that's not that big a difference, I think...

[Ajax]

Are you really discovering soft spots or just creating soft spots because you want to carve your pumpkins

[CombichristGirl]

Are you really discovering soft spots or just creating soft spots because you want to carve your pumpkins

i lol'd
i love that they are home grown great work

[Dadja]

They're ready...

I have had some luck and found three more pumpkins today. Not great ones, but they'll do. The 4 largest ones are what's left my home-grown ones, the others were all bought @ about $7 a piece...

[Ajax]

11 pumpkins not a bad crop you have there when are you starting to carve?

[Dadja]

All carving will be done on saturday, I'm not sure if all eleven will be carved then, might leave a couple for after Halloween. But I'm cleaning the house today and tomorrow, Saturday will be spent carving and Sunday preparing the food for the party. And somewhere in between I have to go to work as well

[Ajax]

Nice, I took the weekend off Friday, Sat and Sun probably just carve sat and sunday till 3:00 take a shower then pass out treats if i don't pass out myself at that time.

[Ajax]

I only tried planting my own pumpkins once when I was a kid. They were huge unfortunately they were zucchinis . Might try again next year.

[mesmark]

Looks like a good haul. Good luck with the carving and the party!

[Dadja]

I wanted at least one pumpkin to go with the 'Axe wielding Psychopath' theme I have, so I adjusted one of last year's bonuses:

[nosferatu]

That's really inventive, really stunning and totally cool.

You've even wiped your axe clean of fresh blood.

Axe wielding psycopath. Not so much a Dadja theme, more of a life style.

[Dadja]

Not a ZP, but one of St0ney's which I just had to carve, because, it's a cocktail party remember?

The fun thing is, I found some small lights, you have to put in water, and they actually make smoke! So, it's not really visible in the picture, but there is smoke coming out of the letters...

[Dadja]

Okay, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Blo... now wait, I still have work to do, better not risk it.



There's a red light in there, better visible here: