Pumpkin Carving Tips
By Lisa T

When it comes to carving your Halloween pumpkin, there are endless design possibilities. You can make it with the traditional happy face, or you can use stencils and make some very elaborate designs. They can be scary, weird, or funny. I've seen some outrageous celebrity carvings, one was of Ozzy Ozborne at a Halloween party. Now that really fit the occasion!

First, finding that perfect pumpkin. Consider the shape you want - pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes. Make sure that your pumpkin is ripe, but not too ripe. Here's a tip...when you thump on it you should hear a hollow sound. That means the pumpkin should be easy to scoop out. Remember to save those seeds for baking. Pumpkin seeds make a yummy snack! Try to find a pumpkin that also has a nice stem & remember not to carry it by the stem, always carry from the bottom. Store your pumpkin in a cool, dry place, until ready to carve. Warm temperatures will only speed up the ripening, then rotting, process. Yuck!

Cut a hole in the top of your pumpkin and remember that you will need this part for the lid. Make sure when you make the cut that you angle it inward, so your lid will sit properly on top of the pumpkin and won't just fall through! This was the first mistake I ever made when carving and it ruined the whole thing!

To help preserve your pumpkin and prevent mold, wash the outside and inside (when it has been cleaned out, of course) with a mild bleach solution (1 tablespoon bleach to 1 gallon of water), and dry. To make your design last longer, coat all of the exposed areas of the pumpkin with petroleum jelly as soon as you have finished carving, including the surfaces you have cut your design into (you may need to use a cotton swab to reach tricky spots), as this will slow down the 'old apple' look and shrinking.

As for the actual carving part, it's really pretty basic - depending on your design. Draw your pumpkin pattern on a piece of paper first, this way you can make revisions without damaging the pumpkin. If you do not consider yourself to be particularly artistic, there are many ready made stencils available and some even come with pumpkin carving kits. There are great patterns that you can find online and print out.

If you use the stencil method, trim off the excess paper and tape the pattern to the pumpkin. Then poke holes through the pattern on to the pumpkin with a push pin, nail, or pumpkin poker (in pumpkin carving kits). Make a dotted line with the holes close enough for you to be able to see the design well when ready to cut - the closer, the better. This part requires patience, but it will pay off in the end. When finished, remove the paper and rub flour or powder over the holes to make them easier to see.

To actually cut the design, you should use a small serrated knife, and slowly use a sawing motion to carve your design. Never use a razor or straight edge knife, as you may slip and ruin your design, the pumpkin, or injure yourself! I prefer the tools that come with a pumpkin carving kit. They are inexpensive and it really does help to have the right tools for the job.

Once you've completed your design, it is ready for display! If you want to light it, use either a light made for pumpkins, or a small votive type candle in a secure holder (there are some available just for pumpkins). Place the candle (in holder) inside the pumpkin on a piece of aluminum foil. Light the candle and place the lid on the pumpkin. After a few minutes, remove the lid and look on the underside of it for smoke marks. You will want to cut small vents in the lid where the smoke left marks. This will also help preserve your pumpkin and keep you from cooking it from the inside. Happy Halloween!

Lisa T writes on various subjects and presents a Halloween Costume website and a Halloween Blog . This article is free to reprint as long as nothing is changed and all links remain intact and of course, the rel="no follow" tag is not added. Thank you!

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Halloween Activities for Young Children
By Jamie Jefferson

Celebrate the annual Fright Night with these seventeen fun (and not so scary) ideas, especially for young children.

1. Try your hand at face painting, or allow your children to paint each other's faces with washable face paints.

2. Make your own goodie bags. Set out some brown paper bags with the standard art supplies or embellish an old pillowcase with fabric paints. You can even spring for blank canvas baggies from your local discount store or craft store without spending a lot.

3. Tie-dye some T-shirts or socks using orange and black fabric dyes.

4. Make ghosts. Fold a piece of black construction paper in half and let your child squirt white paint inside. Squish the paint between the paper, let dry, then embellish the white ghost with paints, markers and other craft supplies.

5. Make homemade slime. This is always a popular activity. Here is a great recipe from Family Fun Magazine: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10684

6. Watch a Halloween movie. Make popcorn, cuddle up together in blankets, and take in some spooky cinematic sights. Harry Potter, Dracula, or Ghostbusters are great choices. For younger children, choose Heffalump Halloween, starring Winnie the Pooh or The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad by Disney Classics.

7. Eat creepy cuisine. Cut sandwiches or tortillas into Halloween shapes with cookie cutters. Create a ghoulish look with almost anything by mixing in a little green or red food coloring.

8. Play "Guess How Many Pumpkin Seeds." Each family member or party guest gets to take turns guessing how many pumpkin seeds are in a jar. The winner gets a prize.

9. Go apple bobbing. Fill a bucket or tub with water and apples and see how many apples each contestant can snag.

10. Make masks. Set out the art supplies and see who can make the scariest mask with a paper plate, construction paper, yarn, and markers or paints.

11. Create a family costume. Come up with a costume theme that the whole family can participate in. One year, we were all Star Wars characters. Maybe you will all be people from the Wild West or fuzzy forest animals.

12. Have a pumpkin seed spitting contest.

13. Roast pumpkin seeds. Clean the pumpkin seeds and toss them in just enough melted butter to lightly cover the seeds. (One tablespoon of butter is generally enough for the seeds from a medium sized pumpkin.) Salt the seeds, then spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake at 250 degrees until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

14. Play Pin the Tail on the Black Cat (or Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin.) Any variation of Pin the Tail on the Donkey is fun for young kids.

15. Make a Scare Tape. Record you and your family members making spooky sounds. All you need is a tape recorder and a little imagination. Include footsteps, slamming doors, creepy howling werewolves, and crazy cackles. Play the tape from your front porch on Halloween.

16. Give each child an inexpensive disposable camera for the big night. This is a fun way to see what Halloween looks like from their perspective. I love to give my kids a blank journal and let them tell the story of memorable events, such as Halloween. This is a great tradition and really helps them to tell their personal stories, which they will cherish for many Halloweens to come.

17. Once Halloween is over, make sure to shop the post Halloween sales for fun additions to your dress up closet, which your young children are sure to enjoy year round.

Happy haunting!

Jamie Jefferson is a frequent contributor to Momscape.com, devoted to providing valuable resources for parents. Visit the site today for the latest online Coupon Codes including special savings at Dick Blick Art Supplies.

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