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 What You'll Need
Pick up a carving kit. They should come with a scoop, drill tool, poking tool and a couple mini-saws. Find a pumpkin with a smooth face that's roughly the size of the pattern you'll be using.
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Gutting
Cut open the a lid and begin to remove the seeds and strings with your hands. Then use the scraper tool (or a big spoon) to scrape the inner walls of the pumpkin clean and smooth.
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Pattern Transferring
Trim off some excess paper and tape your pattern securely to the pumpkin. Use the poking tool or a push pin to poke holes along the lines of the pattern about 1/8 inch apart. Then remove the pattern.
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Carving
Hold your carving saw like a pencil and begin sawing (up and down motion) along the lines, connecting the dots. When a piece is completely cut out, gently poke it through with your finger.
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Preserving
Coat the cut edges with a layer of petroleum jelly. This helps seal in the pumpkin's moisture, extending its life for several extra days. When not on display, store in a cool dry place.
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Lighting
Light a small candle and place it inside the pumpkin. Plain white candles will give off the most light. Or better yet, keep things safe with a battery powered pumpkin light.
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Photographing
Light your jack o' lantern, turn out the lights, and turn off the camera's flash. Hold the camera very steady or place on a tripod.
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Know of trick not discussed here? Contact me and share your secrets!

  • Dawn of the Zombie Pumpkins!
  • A Ryan Wickstrand Production
  • Rated D For Deadly Daybreak
  • Copyright 2009