[mesmark]

I bought some foam pumpkin but choosing what pattern to use is really difficult. I like so many ZP patterns but I can't decide which to keep (and maybe never carve again.)

I was thinking the two Oogie Boogie stencils, Creature Reacher and Frankenstein.

Then, Ryan's gonna come out with something this year that I'm sure I wish I had used.

What patterns have you preserved?

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

I haven't done much with foam (more of a traditionalist who likes to get his hands in guts) but I have done the WoW Orc, Jack Skellington face, and the ZP logo.

When it comes to foam pumpkins, I do think it's a safe bet to go with some of the general Halloween themes, or classic monsters like Frankenstein. Images like these are timeless.

Compared to something like, say, Napoleon Dynamite... which you might love the first year, but 5 years from now you might wish you had a less "dated" image on your foam pumpkin.

[cyberdman]

You know sometimes I have carved designs on regular pumpkins and they came out so well and went over so good in my display with people's reactions that I have often re-carved them the next year into a fake pumpkin. The problem now is I am running out of room to store Halloween decorations in the off season.! LOL

[CorpseBride]

The problem now is I am running out of room to store Halloween decorations in the off season.! LOL

I have the exact same problem!

[belli]

I have often re-carved several patters like cyberdman. When I discovered funkins a couple of years ago, I carved some of my favorites on them. It is hard to choose which ones to preserve but I just go with what I love. I'm a huge Elvis fan, a huge Star Wars fan and a huge Halloween/Michael Myers fan so I've preserved Elvis, Yoda, Darth Maul, and Michael Myers on regular sized Funkins. I found these mini funkins last year and carved a couple of the Nightmare Before Christmas patterns on those. I plan on preserving more Star Wars patterns, probably Jack Sparrow, and some of the Peanuts Gang.

These funkins don't take the place of real pumpkins though. I've carved my favorites on them so that I can carve new patterns on the real pumpkins. Part of the fun for me is going to the pumpkin patches or gorcery stores to search for just the right size and shaped pumpkin. I'm sure I look strange to others as I take each pumpkin and place it on the ground to see how it stands. I'll step back and look at it from all angles before I make my decision. By the time I finally get to carving, my living room looks like a mini pumpkin patch

[mesmark]

I'm sure I look strange to others as I take each pumpkin and place it on the ground to see how it stands. I'll step back and look at it from all angles before I make my decision.

Now imagine doing that in Japan where people aren't even aware that others might possibly do something other than eat pumpkins.

I'm a total freak over here.

[CorpseBride]

I'm sure I look strange to others as I take each pumpkin and place it on the ground to see how it stands. I'll step back and look at it from all angles before I make my decision.

Now imagine doing that in Japan where people aren't even aware that others might possibly do something other than eat pumpkins.

I'm a total freak over here.

LOL! I never really thought of that....there aren't many carvers in Japan? I thought it would kind of be a big thing over there...weird...

[GUS]

Hi New person here!

Funkins / artificial carvers are ideal for those in the uk whereby the market is limited to small ill bred pupkins tossed in a crate at your local supermarket for 3 weeks leading to Halloween.

Especially good for folk like myself who are sensitive to the pumpkin guts & come up in wheals & itchy skin for a week or two afterwards.

I've had such a good response to my Funkins that I don't think I could really go back now (unless it's to venture into shading cuts etc) ..and amassing a good collection of carved pumpkins as part of your halloween display is such an unusual thing here in the uk, ..that if you're ever to expand the fun of halloween onwards & upwards to as wider audience then GOOD artificial is a must.

Most children here are restricted to a few streets of trick or treating so it's a low turn-out , we get around 100 plus door knockers due to guiding them to us via pumpkin lights, word of mouth & display.

In much of my village if you get 10 kids turn up your lucky, so we're doing something right! ..for that reason (and as the sole decorator) a good design on an artificial is priceless) ..I sit at my door from 4.30pm -10.30 pm dressed up & "mic-ing" the kids in various voices depending on whether the little ones are scared or the older kids more brash & expecting some fun & cheek!

This year though need to get a few people to help as the additional fog machines (try getting cheap wireless remotes here) & creature reacher werewolf costume obviously need some guidance.
(plus I'm never sober by the end of the night sitting on a cold granite floor)

[mesmark]

LOL! I never really thought of that....there aren't many carvers in Japan? I thought it would kind of be a big thing over there...weird...

Well, Halloween gets bigger and bigger every year. 5 years ago I couldn't get any Halloween merchandise or pumpkins. Now, a few places grow pumpkins and many stores carry Halloween trinkets. But, it's still not nearly enough to satisfy a junky like me.

Pumkin carving is spreading through/around me. Quite a few of my students have picked it up and in turn their friends have started getting at it. Thus local farmers are selling more pumpkins and now growing more to meet demand.

I can't take all the credit. Evidently there's a pretty cool Halloween festival heald about and hour from where I live. They have a carving section/display, but I haven't seen any pics from it. I'd love to go but it's always on the same weekend as my English school's Halloween/carving party.

[Pumpkingrower]

I have recently moved out to the BOONdocks in south central PA and I probably wont get one trick or treater. My neighbor is a Lutheran Minister and the other one doesnt let his poor kids out of the house.

So I will spread the ZP word here as I did in Newport RI. It was easier though with a 30 pumpkin display and over 200 T&T'ers. MY plan is to Funkin the Zombie Pumpkins word pattern and take my other Michaels kins' and funkins to local yard sale (to display only!!) during huge local festival and bask in the ooh's and ah's of all of our's favorite hobby.


Small stack of the Patchmaster freebies and links on the table too!