[SPOOKMART]

Freezing and frost should be defined though. To me a frost is 32 down to mid 20's...but the killing frost is around 22 if I remember right. I think storing pumpkins in the shade helps too.

 

[WitchyKitty]

I usually carve my pumpkins so they will be lit for 3 days (the two nights before and Halloween night)...that way I know they will still be good for Halloween night. So, we carve them after dinner on the 29th, put them out and light them that night, the 30th and the 31st. We gave up using actual candles due to the amount of wind we get here in October, so we use LED lights now. I don't like using actual knives, but I have before...very, very carefully. We found the sturdier pumpkin carving tools/knives are best. (The skinny ones tend to break.) We have used our Dremel tool before, as well. As for scooping, a pumpkin kit scooper is what we are using now, but we have used spoons, too. I also draw my design on the pumpkin first with something I can wipe off easily, like a non permanent marker, crayon, ect.
I have heard that a little bleach water will help kill bacteria in the pumpkin to keep it from molding and I've also read that you can coat a thin layer of Vaseline (petroleum jelly) to the cut surfaces to help hold in moisture...though I have never used either of these ideas myself so I can't say if either actually works.
After carving, we do wash the pumpkins in the sink really quick to remove leftover ****, strings and tiny cuttings. I like my cut edges to be very clean and neat looking. I then let them drip upside down so no water pools inside the pumpkin bottom and dry the outside with paper towels.
The year before, we thought it might be cool to put some aluminum foil inside the pumpkins to reflect the light...looked pretty neat.

 

[Shockwave199]

You're all getting me totally into carving! But I can't yet- too early. I have two great pumpkins and I do it only days before so they're fresh.

One trick I always pass on is to use plain old scissors for removing pulp. Forget pulp scrapers- they stink! A minute or two is all it takes to trim the pulp off the side walls and bottom, and then empty it. Done! I also use the battery power carving knife from the carving kits. It saves my arm, wrist, and hands a ton of pain- especially for the broader cuts. I don't carve without my trusty power knife!

 

[Rumsfield]

We have been using the petroleum jelly method for several years now. I think it is pretty nasty and disgusting stuff but we have had pumpkins last for up to 10 days before going into nuclear meltdown. Just coat the exposed areas not covered by the skin.

 

[hallowmas]

 

[SPOOKMART]

Pumpkins are a lot more durable than people think however they can suddenly rot as well. I always grow my pumpkins early. We had a bad June(10 inches of rain)so I only have one large pumpkin but it's a beauty. I believe it finished up in late July/early August. Can't exactly remember. I let it sit in the sun and when it was orange I cut it and placed it at the back of the house(north) and it's almost red. It's still solid. Now carving them will reduce their life but without adding anything to mine they last a week or more before they mush. Depends on your climate. We have a lot of dry cool days in November(beginning) as well as the dry sunny cool days we experience now. Clouds do stroll in but my pumpkins usually last. Another good reason to wait and let the carving be a magical event. Carving them now is sort of an anti climax. Halloween is October 31st not October 14th. Celebrate the moment.

 

[WeepingAngel]

These were mine from 2010, the pictures don't do them justice (old cell phone pics sucked). There's a wolf head and the grim reaper was better and had more detail but a toddler fixed that for me.

I use a large Henkel butcher knife, a paring knife, and a big spoon.

 

[mariem]

I use a sharp knife to cut open the pumpkin and then a good metal spoon to clean it. A few years ago I bought one of those pumpkin carving tools that runs on batteries and it was a life saver for me. My son bought me a Dremel for Christmas last year and if I get around to carving pumpkins next year I will try it. (this year might be pumpkin free). No time and low funds. Just bought a new car on Friday and that was more imprtant than pumpkins.

In 2009 I did about 24 pumpkins and used about 32+ patterns as some pumpkins had more than one pattern on each. I usually carve about 6- 12 pumpkins a year depending on how much time I have and how much they cost so I didn't start out to carve so many that year. My son had gone through a breakup and was staying with me and one night he had gone out to "have a few" and when he came home he tripped and landed on the last pumpkins that were on the deck (already cleaned and ready to carve), I had hunted high and low for one big enough to do the WOZ characters so I told him he owed me a pumpkin. Well he went out of town for grocery shopping and came home with 6 more pumpkins. When I was done carving them I saw a cute pumpkin pattern and casually said I wish I had one more pumpking so I could carve the pattern. Of course I wasn't thinking when I said it and didn't realise how guilty my son still felt. I think he thought I was making a dig when I said it. Well then a couple days later he came home with 6 morepumpkins and when he saw the shock on my face he and his friend started laughing. After that I kept my mouth shut. I was also asked to carve a pumpkin for the local MLA (he is a friend of the family) who was opening his office on Halloween, they brought me another pumpkin. Some of the pumpkins were given to friends so I don't have pics of all of them.

Dora belongs to a friend of mine. She is such a cute dog I did her face for her owner.

The WOZ pattern that started it all

Local MLA's office

There are members on here who create and carve some beautiful patterns/stencils that I would like to try.

 

[mariem]

Added to all the real pumpkins I carved in 209 I also carved some funkin punkins that my sister sent me that year. I did them in kiddie friendly patterns(pre Dremel) since they will be out every year for the little TOTs.

 

[Rumsfield]

From last years homegrown pumpkins

 

[mariem]

We have been using the petroleum jelly method for several years now. I think it is pretty nasty and disgusting stuff but we have had pumpkins last for up to 10 days before going into nuclear meltdown. Just coat the exposed areas not covered by the skin.

I do this too. I dunk the pumpkins in water (with bleach in it) it will keep them from molding for quite a while. I rub the design with petroleum jelly to keep the design from shrivelling up especially if there are a lot of thin cuts. If the weather is cool I can have my pumpkins out for about 3 weeks.

 

[WitchyKitty]

Here's the other pic with lights on of those aluminum foil pumpkins I posted, and also an owl one I carved and a "Skelanimals Kit the Cat" one I carved. (the Kit one was also painted to look like the character with lights on, but I can't find that pic to post it.)

 

[Rumsfield]

WitchyKitty - top picture carving on the left , Fantastic, I am blown away on how great that looks. You rule with that one.

 

[WitchyKitty]

WitchyKitty - top picture carving on the left , Fantastic, I am blown away on how great that looks. You rule with that one.

Thank you!

 

[vinny186]

I go to a local farm (Didier) and buy one or two a week. I carve them, get the seeds and they will usually last 3-4 days. They just have to last for a few Halloween type movies over the weekend, after that, I heave them into the creek across the street, in the dark of night , of course!

 

[The Real Joker]

Here is mine for this year. Nice, solid pumpkin. Maybe 18 pounds or so.

Sparky from the Tim Burton stop-motion animated movie Frankenweenie.
Found a simple pattern online. It came out alright, despite a few minor snafus, LOL.

To light the Jack-O-Lantern for the photos, I used an 'Ever-Ready' brand, LED 'push' type lamp with a super bright white LED.
Taken with my Huawei cellphone's camera.

 

[OHS]

...and here!...my first carved pumpkins ever!:..I chose the classic face design cause my pumpkins are little and I didn't know if it would be very difficult!...So..that's the result

 

[dane82]

looking good, everyone.

 

[James B.]

here was my latest attempt.
used sculpting loops and an exacto knife

since you only cut into the rind. it lasts longer than a traditional jack o lantern.
but eventually (about a week) he got discolored. almost looked like mold, but it wasnt.

i wondered it I coated it with a clear coat, if it would have lasted longer?

I read a blog where they experimented with this sort of thing to make pumpkins last longer, there was only one superior method; a tiny amount of bleach in water. They dipped the pumpkin right after carving then sprayed a little on each day; the bleach kept the mold from happening for 14 days.

 

[The Real Joker]

I read a blog where they experimented with this sort of thing to make pumpkins last longer, there was only one superior method; a tiny amount of bleach in water. They dipped the pumpkin right after carving then sprayed a little on each day; the bleach kept the mold from happening for 14 days.

I tried this method last year. It worked rather well, and the jack-o-lantern lasted over a week.

But you have to give it the bleach-water bath (1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon) and cover it completely,
right after you carve it and leave it in the water for several hours.

You have to spray it everyday with bleach water too, inside and out. (1 teaspoon of bleach diluted in a spray bottle of water)

Then dry it off before lighting it.