Carving a Jack-O-Lantern
KAYLEA HUTSON GateHouse Plus

Halloween is approaching, and its time to find a pumpkin and create a jack-o-lantern to decorate your front porch or window.

There are a few tricks, and even treats, to making sure you have a successful experience.

Selecting your pumpkin First thing first - you'll need to visit your favorite pumpkin patch or a store to pick out your pumpkin canvas.

Before you buy the pumpkin, however, you'll need to decide what you plan to do with it.

Will you use a large stencil or will you stick with a traditional "pattern?" Do you want a big pumpkin or several small "goblins" sitting on your front porch?

Carving experts say its important to have an idea about your finished project before stepping foot in the pumpkin patch.

What you plan to do with the pumpkin will also determine if you want to have a tall and narrow pumpkin or one that has a rounded base.

You'll also want to look for a pumpkin that is smooth, with no bruises, cuts, nicks, dents or gouges.

If the pumpkin is missing its stem, it's ok. Simply carve out the bottom, rather than the top, and sit your light source on the cleaned bottom. Then, you can just slip the pumpkin over the light.

Picking the right tools While many just use a simple kitchen knife to carve their pumpkin, others use specialized tools to create intricate designs. Those tools include:

• A cutting saw. Items like an X-Acto knife will help you carve details.

• A poker tool. You'll need this to transfer your design onto the face of the pumpkin. Try using an artist's stylus or an ice pick.

• Grease pencils. This will let you carve your pumpkin freehand, because it lets you create your own designs on the gourd.

• Patterns. Stencils, templates or other patterns can help you advance beyond the traditional jack-o-lantern.

• Gutting tools. Have an assortment of spoons, ranging in size, available to remove the seeds, pulp and skin from the inside of the pumpkin. An ice-cream scoop and a large metal ladle are two spoons you might consider using.

Once you have your tools, consider keeping them in a special toolbox, so you'll have the items every year.

Carving a pumpkin

Before you get started, gather your tools and line your workspace with newspaper. You may want to have a plastic bag or container available to put the pumpkin "guts" into it as you start carving.

You may want to save and clean the pumpkin seeds. They make a great roasted treat.

First, use a long, thin bladed knife to cut out the top of the pumpkin. You'll want to make the incision around the stem of the pumpkin, and make sure it's large enough for you to scoop out the guts.

Experts suggest cutting a five- or six-sided opening, rather than a round hole. This helps to prevent the lid from falling back inside the cleaned-out gourd.

Next, inspect the surface of your pumpkin, and decide how you'll transfer your design to the natural canvas.

If you don't have a grease pencil, consider using a Crayon to draw cutting lines onto the pumpkin. When you are finished, use care to push out the final pieces.

Before you put your tools away, make sure to scrape the bottom of the pumpkin flat. This allows a candle or other light source to sit level within the pumpkin.

A votive candle inside a clear, glass holder is a safe way to give your Jack-o-lantern some light.

Restoring your pumpkin

Pumpkins used for jack-olanterns sometimes get a little "wilted" before the holiday, depending upon when you make the initial carvings.

A few suggestions for insuring your pumpkin stays fresh until Halloween:

• Soak it in water overnight.

• Coat the cut surfaces of the pumpkin with petroleum jelly immediately after carving it. The petroleum jelly provides a barrier to seal the pumpkin's internal moisture and helps slow down the dehydration process.

• Mix pumpkin dip, sold in most grocery stories, with water in a large container. Submerge your pumpkin in this mixture every night after making the initial carving.