Show off your pumpkin pics and tells us about the experience.
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By Starparty
#52143
I bought an old Pumpkin Masters book this weekend that I hadn't seen before so I scooped it up and carved this lovely lady!

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This was also the first time I've used Saral and I'm in LOVE. I'm still learning to get the delicate curls and curves with my versa but it got easier the longer I worked.

I have a 27 bulb LED in there right now and I'd like to play around with covering it with a slice of red stained glass and suspending it from the roof of the pumpkin and putting a few slivers of dry ice so there is smoke roiling out of the bottom cuts by the flame.

Any suggestions??
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By badgers
#52151
Starparty wrote:I bought an old Pumpkin Masters book this weekend that I hadn't seen before so I scooped it up and carved this lovely lady!


This was also the first time I've used Saral and I'm in LOVE. I'm still learning to get the delicate curls and curves with my versa but it got easier the longer I worked.

I have a 27 bulb LED in there right now and I'd like to play around with covering it with a slice of red stained glass and suspending it from the roof of the pumpkin and putting a few slivers of dry ice so there is smoke roiling out of the bottom cuts by the flame.

Any suggestions??
I carved this one too...It's pretty cool. If you want smoke rolling out I would maybe suggest a "Mister" ...you can find them at the Halloween stores even at walmart in the halloween section. It"s a little device you put in water and it creates a smokey fog or "mist". It's whats usually used in the fogging cauldrons (sp?). put it in a small bowl or cup of water...be sure to check on the water level occassionally.
With the dry ice you'll need gloves when handeling and still need the cup or bowl of water. I'd do the "mister" thing only cause it's probably safer.
Last edited by badgers on Mon Sep 26, 2011 2:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
By badgers
#52157
here's a small video from 2009. I have a skull that came with a mister built in...I also have a cauldron with a mister but no video on that.
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By Kayo
#52159
i would say use theatre lighting "gel" for the color. its just tinted plastic you can find it at some display/party stores its just easier to work with than glass :wink:
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By Starparty
#52220
If you want smoke rolling out I would maybe suggest a "Mister" ...you can find them at the Halloween stores even at walmart in the halloween section. It"s a little device you put in water and it creates a smokey fog or "mist". It's whats usually used in the fogging cauldrons (sp?). put it in a small bowl or cup of water...be sure to check on the water level occassionally.
That video is awesome!! I must have bought the wrong type of mister. I tried one out in there last night and there were tiny tendrils of smoke eeking out here and there but it was rather unimpressive. Do you know what brand/type yours is? That looks perfect!
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By Zombie Pumpkins!
#52229
Starparty, nice to see you start a carving thread, I can't wait to see what else you carve. I haven't been crazy about too many of Pumpkin Masters' patterns in recent years, but that is one design that caught my eye when I saw it in their pattern book a few years back. Some overly-delicate features maybe, but a cool concept for a design. Even cooler with fog/mist.

Another Saral transfer paper convert? :) It's great stuff, right?
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By Starparty
#52245
I haven't been crazy about too many of Pumpkin Masters' patterns in recent years, but that is one design that caught my eye when I saw it in their pattern book a few years back.
Agreed! I usually pick up the current year's book to use just in case I have some noncarvers show up. But while I cut my teeth on PM books, this one may be the first pattern from them in three or four years. Then again their decline is why I found you so it works out! :lol:

I just finished the Yellow Bird from Angry birds and my versa is heating up not to carve your Frankenstein's Monster for a display at work! I'm on a roll!

I bought a 50lb white pumpkin this afternoon that I need to find a pattern for too! Smooth as paper and so pretty!
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By Zombie Pumpkins!
#52249
Well Pumpkin Masters' loss is my gain, I guess. :D Glad you discovered this site. I will say, I respect the history of Pumpkin Masters, I have fond memories of using their patterns when I was young.

But I liked them more when it was still a Bardeen family owned business. It has a noble history (which you are well aware of if you have some of those really old pattern books). But since the PM rights were transferred Signature Brands, it has felt less personal and more commercial (and I feel the patterns have suffered for it).
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By Euri
#52261
Nice work on that, Starparty!

I've got that book and been tempted to get that one done myself. I've never considered the kind of coloring your talking about, but I've wondered about sculpting down instead of cutting out and coloring with food coloring.

It's so true that the Pumpkin Masters patterns have declined over the years. I used to grab a book mostly for the tools for carving parties and now I feel the patterns have declined so much it's just not worth it. Too bad, because as Ryan mentioned, they revolutionized carving, made it safer and some of the patterns were great! However with ZP I don't think it's missed very much. :wink:
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By badgers
#52262
Starparty wrote:
If you want smoke rolling out I would maybe suggest a "Mister" ...you can find them at the Halloween stores even at walmart in the halloween section. It"s a little device you put in water and it creates a smokey fog or "mist". It's whats usually used in the fogging cauldrons (sp?). put it in a small bowl or cup of water...be sure to check on the water level occassionally.
That video is awesome!! I must have bought the wrong type of mister. I tried one out in there last night and there were tiny tendrils of smoke eeking out here and there but it was rather unimpressive. Do you know what brand/type yours is? That looks perfect!
I don't know the brand, I don't have the box it came in :? which is strange cause I have alomost all of my original cartons for my halloween stuff. Sometimes if you have either too much or too little water the misting won't be right. Try adjusting the amount of water that might help. :)
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By Tkaraoke
#52269
Actually, that's a really cool pattern and I never thought about using lighing gel to change the colors! I feel like such a doofus!
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By Starparty
#52273
Angry Bird lineup so far! I want to make one more pig in the medium pumpkin size I think. I'm still futzing around with lights and colors but I'm really hoping that the pigs will be green and each bird in it's respective color! The wires on each of the little blue birds are so they will hang from the shepherd's crook.

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I also did Frankenstein's Monster tonight to set up at work with a few others!

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It's been a busy couple of days! You guys are inspiring!
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By CombichristGirl
#52902
love love the angry birds! love em all. i need to get some saral paper this year
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By purple1worm
#52908
very nice carves!
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By Starparty
#52926
Thank you!

This is a little blurry (I started to fall down the hill) but the colors are working out GREAT! My camera didn't pick it up very well, but the pigs are green, not blue!

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I took the colored cellophane that you wrap baskets with and used some Elmer's Spray glue on the inside to paste 1 or 2 layers on the inside!

I have a pile of glass blocks, wood and stone square and rectangles to set up an obstacle for the pigs to sit on, but it is 40 out there and my hands went numb :lol:

My parents just had a tree cut down to I was able to dig through the pile and I have an awesome branch that I will sand down, trim and use for a slingshot! I am tempted to try and wire the red bird into the slingshot pouch...

I am having WAY too much fun with this ;)