The Yak Shack Forum

Well as we have a topic on pumpkin patterns, I was hoping some Shackers could pass on their tips for successful pumpkin carving.  I have tried a couple of times and they have all been a huge disaster.  I think it could be because I don't scrape enough out but any tips would be very welcome  ;D

Here are a few sites that cover the basics. :)

http://www.pumpkincarving101.com/

http://www.pumpkinmasters.com/carving_tips.asp

http://wls.wwco.com/garden/pumpkin.html

Thanks Cindy  ;D

Here's another site that has really good stencils and carving tips for both pumpkins and watermelons.  Who says all that carving fun can be had only for Halloween! ;)

http://www.zombiepumpkins.com/

Well I now know all the things I was doing wrong  ::) ;).  Mainly this was picking a pattern that was too darn hard for me - all the ones I like seem to involve peeling bits so there are shadows.  But I am sure there is a nice simple pumpkin out there that has my name written all over it.  Ooops there I go again, picking hard patterns  :rofl: ;)

A friend sent me an email about pumpkins and I just had to share some of the pictures. :)  Sharon, I thought of you when I saw the hamburger pumpkin.  It's super easy, looks great, and it's very funny!

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/kbmum/Halloween/p1.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/kbmum/Halloween/p2.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/kbmum/Halloween/p3.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/kbmum/Halloween/p4.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/kbmum/Halloween/p5.jpg)

Those are amazing pumpkins!  :o  Love the hamburger--makes me hungry for a Big Mac!  ::)  I think my big plastic pumpkin is a little jealous.  ::)

Sorry Cindy I only just saw this.  Those pumpkins are amazing  :o but trust me, even the hamburger would be hard for me  ;).  Plus my plans for pumpkin carving world domination hit a major snag today - no large pumpkins  :'(.  Poor dad was head first in a huge container of weedy little orange blobs (they were too small to warrant the title of pumpkin).  I would have volunteered to have raked them over but I have hurt my neck, well that was my excuse  ;).

He did find one that looked carvable but the design was still too big so I have scanned and shrunk it to fit the pumpkin.  I will have the smallest pirates flag this side of the Caribbean |:# .  But at least I am well prepared.  I have three hack saw blades, a bunch of cocktail sticks, a tub of Vaseline and a rather sorry looking pumpkin carving set from Asda.  Wish me luck for Sunday, it is me versus the pumpkin and only one of us is coming out intact - my money is on the pumpkin  :rofl:

I have this great picture of you all 'tool up' now to attack the pumkin, don't let it win ;) If it all goes wrong just claim its from that 'well known (made up)' film pumpkin masacra ;)

 :rofl:  I'm going to start carving on Sunday, so I'll be thinking of you!  Please ask Bogleg to take some pictures of the big event. :)

Well he is all carved but I am having terrible problems with the size of the pictures - in Photobucket they are both 500ish square but, well, you can see the trouble I am having so sorry for the huge size.

Never the less this is the unlit pumpkin with my wobbly headed Jack  ;D

(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y95/Sharonh/sharon001.jpg)

And this is the lit pumpkin  |:#

(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y95/Sharonh/sharon002-1.jpg)

Many thanks to Cindy and everyone else for their tips and hints  ;D ;D ;D

that is a brilliant pumpkin you did a fantastic job

You did a great job on the pumpkin Sharon! ;D  You would have lost the bet. ;)

Thank you  ;D.  I have to say I am quite chuffed  ;D. 

You should be!  That looks great!  I just finished carving Super Mario.  Sleeping Beauty is up next, but I'm having a problem because the pumpkin is too small for the pattern.  I've reduced the pattern and now the lines I have to cut are very thin.  I'm still going to try it, but I might have to run out tomorrow to find another pumpkin. :-\

Thats brilliant sharon well done ;D

I can't carve - so I painted my pumpkin to look like a pig :) little pink curly tail and all. Now I just need to craft some ears for the poor dear and I'll be done :)

Can we see some pictures please  ;D

*lol* I'm really NO artist, but as soon as I get the ears done, I'll snap a photo *lol* But PLEASE be sitting when you view it :)  I was very lucky my 3 year old could identify it - my 8 year old crinkled his nose and asked "What's that?"

WOW, Sharon! I LOVE YOUR PUMPKIN CARVING!!!!!   :o :o :o  It's amazing! I could never do that!

Sharon, that looks terrific!!!!  ;D ;D

Here are my three pumpkins. :)

Sleeping Beauty

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/kbmum/Halloween/Halloweenaurorapumpkin2.jpg)

Super Mario

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/kbmum/Halloween/Halloweenmariopumpkin.jpg)

Indiana Jones and a mummy

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/kbmum/Halloween/Halloweenshadowpumpkin.jpg)

Your pumpkins all came out great Cindy! 8)  Good job! ;D  I like the Mummy shadow effect with the Indiana Jones one. :D

Thanks!  The shadow pumpkin was a bear. :-\  I thought I was fairly good at carving, but that one really tested me.  There were lots of mistakes, although they didn't show at night when the pumpkin was lit.

Cindy, your pumpkins are unbelievable!  :o I also love the Indiana Jones pumpkin! It looks haunting and a bit three dimensional, like he's coming at you! Love it!  :)

Cindy they are amazing  :o.  I see what you mean about the thin lines on Sleeping Beauty but you have done them perfectly  ;D.  I just want to know how you found the perfect shaped pumpkin  ;).  My favourite is the Super Mario  ;D

Those are great!!!  I love all three of them Cindy!  The shadow effect is awesome.  Here our ares (I did Jack and Ryan did a Rob Zombie one).  Sorry for all the pictures, but I got picture happy ::)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/rns91294/DSC00879.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/rns91294/DSC00874.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/rns91294/DSC00877.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/rns91294/DSC00871.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/rns91294/DSC00870.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/rns91294/DSC00883.jpg)

Jack looks great!

Awesome work Cindy and Sara! :D

Nice pumpkins everyone!  ;D

Jack looks so incredible! Both are amazingly detailed! WOW.  :o 

Great job, Sara!  I had thought about carving the Rob Zombie design, but figured that no one in my little town would recognize it.  Did you do one and your husband the other?

Thanks everyone :)

Yup, we each did one (I did Jack).  I don't know that many people here would recognize Rob Zombie either, but the design was just so neat looking.

WOW SARA!!!!  :o :o
Captain Jack is amazing!! That is sooo cooool!!!  (:D#
Love the shadows that the candle (or whatever is inside)
gives off.... 8)
Great job!!!
Love the other one too!!  ;)
But you know where my heart is... ;)

Sara those pumpkins are amazing  ;D.  I thought the Zombie couldn't be beaten then I scrolled down to Jack  :o.  Just perfect  ;D

Great job on the pumpkins Sara (and Ryan)! 8)

Thanks!  ;D  They are candles inside them lighting them up.

Yes Jackie, I know where your heart is ;)    :rofl:

I found another good site with pumpkin carving patterns.  It's called JP's Jammin Pumpkins.  There are patterns for Snape, Voldemort and Hagrid!  The only problem is that you have to join in order to view the images, but trust me, the HP ones are good. :D  There's also a really good pattern for Darth Vader.  So many patterns, so few pumpkins...

http://www.sqootz.com/cgi-bin/jp_main.pl?tdata=15e9c2b42985bf15;gid=834

This is so spooky  :o  I was looking for pumpkins in Tesco's that I could have a stab at but they haven't got them in yet.  I was debating whether to bother this year but with the new site I am definately having a go.  Thanks Cindy  ;D

My 4-year old daughter has asked for a sleeping beauty pumpkin this year and I can't find the stencils anywhere.  Anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks for any help you can give.

Guy's I have to say that they all look absolutly stunning, I only wish I had half your tallent  :)

Well I went to Cindy's new site (thank you  ;D) and Hagrid's head is now sitting in my garage, dripping in Vaseline  :-X.  I will post a picture when I do the grand lighting ceremony (I can fit four candles in it this year so have your sun glasses ready  :rofl:)

I can't wait to see it! :D  Please don't forget to gently wipe off the Vaseline before you light the candles -- I'm not sure what would happen if it dripped onto a flame.

Zombie Pumpkins now has a Voldemort pattern in the Movie Monsters section.  I think it looks better the JP's pattern, but you can decide. :)

www.zombiepumpkins.com

Well here he is  ;D

(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y95/Sharonh/HAGRID2.jpg)

I have to say I was very pleased with my Hagrid, that was until the first mum said 'Oh that is a great pumpkin of Jesus'.  I pointed out it was Hagrid and waved a plastic bat at her  ;D.  A few minutes later and the next group oooed and aahhhed at the wonderful Jesus pumpkin but I just said it was Hagrid and shook a ghost in their general direction  :).  After about another three Jesus sightings I was starting to question everyone who came to the door like a mad woman - 'Do you know who this is and no it is not a religious icon!!!'.  Even the mum that brought her pint sized Harry Potter to the door thought she could see the face of Jesus in my pumpkin  :rofl:

But all the effort was worth it when a group of assorted skeletons and cats (very popular this year) came to the door and said they had to see what my pumpkin looked like this year  ;D ;D

Thank you to Cindy and all the others who have helped me create a little miracle in Rainham  ;)

:rofl:  Sharon, the pumpkin looks great!  I wouldn't have thought it looked at all like Jesus unless someone told me, but I think it look just like Hagrid! :D  Now I'm off to get my little goblins ready for trick or treating (and set up my pumpkins ;) ).  I'll have some pics up later tonight or tomorrow, depending on how much the kids wear me out.

Being an Aussie, we dont really celebrate Halloween...but Ive always wanted to do a pumpkin and this year I actually got around to it. Its only a classic scary face cos Im a beginner, but I was pretty pleased with it. It even enticed a single trick-or-treater to our door last night (and caused a massive panic cos we didnt actually buy any lollies to hand out  ::))

But here is my effort anyway:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/blackcat20/DSCN3012.jpg)

And Bella investigating this unusual item..came out in the morning to find she had rolled it across the lounge room:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/blackcat20/DSCN3015.jpg)

I like it!  It's very evil-looking, but I guess Bella showed it who's the master! ;)

My kids are out trick or treating with my husband and his mom, so I had a chance to upload pics of my pumpkins. :) I really have to get a tripod to hold my camera steady. ::)

Chernabog from Disney's Fantasia

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/kbmum/Halloween/Chernabog2.jpg)

Maleficent (as a dragon) from Sleeping Beauty

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/kbmum/Halloween/Maleficent2.jpg)

Headless Horseman

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/kbmum/Halloween/HeadlessHorseman2.jpg)

Wow, great looking pumpkins everyone!  We didn't get around to carving one this year.  Maybe I'll carve one for a Thanksgiving certerpiece.
Sharon, your pumpkin looks like Hagrid to me.  Well, maybe it looks a little like Jesus...a fat Jesus.  Or maybe more like a fat apostle.  You could sell it on ebay!

Sharon--I totally see Hagrid! He looks fantastic!  :)

Black Cat--That's a wonderfully scary pumpkin! Love the pic with Bella.  :)

Cindy--Those are magnificent! The Fantasia one is frighteningly good!  ;) :D Great websites, too!  :)

Kelly--I think doing a pumpkin for Thanksgiving would be a great idea! I never thought of that before.  :)

If I can find a good pumpkin that'll keep until Thanksgiving, I'd love to do a turkey pattern that's in the freebie section of Zombie Pumpkins.  You can also carve watermelons -- they're really good for summer parties (plus you can eat the watermelon you scoop out :) ).  The ZP site has Fourth of July, tiki, fireworks, swans, and ocean patterns.

Cindy those pumpkins are simply amazing  :-*.  It is hard to pick a favourite but I think it has to be Chernabog  ;D.  Kate I think Bella had every reason to be impressed, that is wonderful and I bet it scared the wits out of your solitary Trick or Treater  ;D. 

It's that time of year again! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/kbmum/smilies/flashpumpkin.gif) Here's a site that has some free carving patterns.  More importantly, in the free patterns section, there are instructions on how to make a pattern of yourself -- you can make a pattern of anything as long as you have a picture of it. :)

http://www.jack-o-lantern.com/

This site has some unusual patterns, including Emily Dickinson, Buckminster Fuller, Albert Einstein, and the Last Supper.

http://www.pumpkinglow.com/Patterns.htm