How to Carve a Halloween Pumpkin, Step-by-Step Instructions

1 small or medium pumpkin - or your preferred size (the larger the pumpkin the harder to carve because the walls are too thick, but it can be done)

1 Awl screw driver (make sure the length of the Awl is long enough for the depth of the walls of the pumpkin

1 large stirring spoon

newspaper

typing paper or writing paper

Long beaded head stick pins (or quilting pins)

First, you want to select your pumpkin. Then wash your pumpkin and dry it off. Set on newspaper. Take a knife and cut out the top of the pumpkin, pushing your knife in the pumpkin on a slant all around the cap (this will prevent the cap from falling into the pumpkin). Clean off the seeds and strings from the inside of the cover with your spoon. Then scrap out the seeds and strings. Once this is done you will want to take your paper and draw a design on it that you want to put on your pumpkin. (You can purchase craft books at the craft stores with different designs if you like). Now take the pumpkin and lay it on its side, place the paper where you want it on your pumpkin and use the pins to hold your design in place. Now take the Awl screw driver and poke through the paper and into the pumpkin making the holes close to each other, covering the whole outline of your design. Now it is time to remove the pins and paper and start carving your design with the Awl screw driver). Taking out the small pieces first (because if you remove the big pieces first it will make your pumpkin weak and a chance of caving in before you are done carving. Once you are done, you can either put a candle inside (I like to put mine in a large votive cup, especially if I am putting it outside). I have also used a small oil lantern to place inside, or a light bulb on a cord. You can use different colored lightbulbs or candles to get different effects. Put the cover back on when lit and enjoy.

****I bring my pumpkin in at night so they don't get hit by the frost and they last longer, and so no one steals them, or smashes them. I also carve my pumpkin closer to Halloween so it will last longer.

****The thicker walled pumpkins will last much longer.

"Happy Halloween"