Thread: Craft Pumpkins?

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I always liked those permanent pumpkins...the ones that don't age lol. they usually have a face carved into them and then you put a light in them. Anyone make one of these?

Is this what you mean? You should take a look at Stolloween's stuff he's awsome
http://www.stolloween.com/

Wow PumpkinPatch! I think Bloodyteeth is actually talking about the funkins, but the one you posted is awesome! I've been wanting to get the funkins, but just have never gotten around to doing it. There are so many ideas that I have.

I'm working on some of the paper mache pumpkins right now, following Stolloween's ideas(what a great how-to)

I've never carved a funkin, but there was a video on Michaels how to do it using a Versatool which is a xacto knife on steriods. Actually it is a wood buring tool with a xacto blade amoung its many tips. Sliced right through the foam on that funkin. Looked like the funkin had about 3/4 of foam so it looks like pumpkin meat when you carve it and not just an empty shell of plastic if you know what I mean.

Update. I bought the Versatool and a funkin from Michaels. They are not as thick as I thought, but the Versatool slices right through them. It is a soldering iron but they make a xacto knife tip for it and it does a remarkable job on these funkins. I made my first Jack Skellington face and I must say it came out pretty good, I am a miserable failure at carving real pumpkins, but the versatool gives you a lot of control when carving the funkins.

Hi..my very first post here..There are Funkins and there are Michael's foam pumpkins..2 very different creatures..Michaels do cut great with the versatool but when you light them up with a strong light you can see a seam inside ( you can try to scrape out some of the seam from what I have read on other forums, I have not tried it) Funkins look more like a real pumpkin, and are stronger walled. Joanne Fabrics carries them ( 50% off right now..almost bought some more tonight) I am a 'basic ' type carver, as in no shading and I have only done a few .They say you can do shading with a real funkin..They are so expensive I am afraid to try it , but someone who shades on real gourds can probably do it. Dremels are a tool of choice, but you wanna make sure you pre cut your design edges at least with an exacto knife before you go taking a dremel to a funkin..if you do not you can get jagged edges where the paper like exterior doesnt cut straight.. and it will spew a lot of foam dust so masks and/or outside is probably best..The large horse pumpkin is a Michaels and the other 3 are Funkins..

I agree the funkins are easier to cut with an exacto knife/saw and the seam is easier to manage... I've been carving funkins for years and stay with them as they are the in my opinion one of the better artificial pumpkins to manage while carving... i can get very detailed cuts with precise hand tools even tho i have a dremel...

I did my first Michaels pumpkins with my new Versatool & I gotta say it was ridiculously easy. I just stuck my pattern to the pumpkin & carved away!! No more sore hands from sawing & poking!!! I only wish I'd found it sooner!!

I have 3 Funkins left to do & a few more Michaels pumpkins left to do. I know the Funkins are thicker so I'll be interested to see how the tool works with them.

The seams don't bother me much, they're kind of unavoidable if you're gonna use the fakes. Most people aren't looking at the seams anyway, they're looking at the cool pattern.

Is your versatool the wood burning set? If so how does it work with the thick funkins and can you get really nice details out of it... I've always heard you could use one but haven't ever talked to anybody who has ...

Last nite I did my first Funkins with the Versatool, yes it's the wood burning set, & I had a hard time with it on the Funkins. Funkins are thicker than the Michaels pumpkins & a different consistency.

The Michaels pumpkins are more...Idunno...foamy if that makes any sense & a lot thinner. The Funkins are more like Great Stuff/styrofoam only orange & the ones I did have thick ridges of the foam inside. Though they look more like a real pumpkin inside & out. They've come a long way.

IMHO, the Michaels ones worked better for me for the intricate patterns just because they were thinner & easier to manage but they have some seams & the color is less "pumpkiny."

But boy do I love that Versatool for carving!! I bought a bunch of the fakes 2 years ago & only managed to do 2 last year because it was such a pain in the arse, but now with the Versatool it's cut the carving time in half & I may have to hit Michaels for a few more blades & pumpkins!!

I'll post pics of all of them when I'm done.