Pumpkin Carving Made Easy
Woo hoo! The local pumpkin patches have FINALLY opened up! After today's devastating Jaguar's game, we stopped by a nearby church to pick up a few pumpkins.
Aren't they perfect? Okay... so they are a little on the tiny side but that's exactly what I was looking for. Typically we get massive pumpkins and either paint them or carve them up and our pumpkins turn out to be a hot freaking mess. We're talking total crap. Last year I came to the realization that we would never been those people... you know, the kind of people with the amazingly artistic pumpkins. This is tragic for someone who is obsessed with pumpkins as I am.
That's when Lauren Conrad changed my life. Yes... L.C. from The Hills.
You see, while I was browsing on Pinterest this summer I found this brilliant Halloween hack that I just had to try. L.C. taught me (since we're best friends in this scenario) that you can use cookie cutters to help form the perfect shapes for your pumpkin.
Mind blowing. I know.
At some point in my life I had the brilliant idea to purchase these adorable animal cookie cutters from IKEA. They would be perfect for what I had in mind.
For this project, I strongly suggest using metal cookie cutters like this. We tried other cookie cutters and they didn't turn out as well. I also suggest using cookie cutters that you aren't attached to because there is a chance that they will get banged up a bit.
Cut off the top of the pumpkin as you would if you were creating a regular jack-o-lantern. Scoop out all of the guts and clean out the interior as best as you can. Next, position the cookie cutter where you would like your cut out. While holding it with one hand, use a hammer to pound the cookie cutter into the pumpkin.
Beat the crap out of it until the shape goes all the way through.
Tips:
1. Use metal cookie cutters.
2. Make sure the sharp side of the cookie cutter is facing downwards.
3. Begin hammering in at a smaller part of the cookie cutter. For instance, with the fox I started with the legs, with the moose I began with the antlers, with the squirrel I started with the tail, etc.
4. Don't be afraid to break the pumpkin. Beat it. Hard.
5. If you don't want to risk bending the cookie cutter, use a pen to trace the image and then cut it out.
