We had a semi-monsoon hit the east coast last week/weekend. We were visiting my parents for a few days and really needed something to do to pass the time and entertain the kids. Creating a carved pumpkin is a fantastic rainy day activity so we decided to go for it.
Carving pumpkins can be one of the most frustrating things about Halloween. I am definitely not the resident carver in our house. The main reason…I like my fingers and don’t want to slice one of them off with a giant kitchen knife. Sure, I can handle a knife IN the kitchen when it comes to chopping but carving up a pumpkin just isn’t on my list of mommy super powers. Pumpkin Masters totally gets that there are people like me out there though and they make tools so you can easily make carved pumpkins. Heck, they even have stuff so YOUR KIDS can carve pumpkins.
The first step towards some awesome carved pumpkins is obviously picking your pumpkin! I always try to do a tall skinny one with an attractive front. I’m a dreamer…what can I say?
Next, decide on what you want to actually carve into your pumpkin. I always have to physically draw it onto the face of my pumpkin. OH, and my drawings look like H or E might have done them because my creativity does not flow into my fingers for drawing. Most of the #PumpkinMasters kits come with awesome designs that you can use on your pumpkins so it doesn’t matter how great of an artist you are 🙂
Be sure to clean out the insides before you start carving. Save the seeds and toast them if that is your sort of thing…they make yummy salad toppings!
Once you are done carving, you can leave it as is or throw one of these super cute strobe lights inside for a little fun.
This little pumpkin carving extravaganza actually got done in one morning thanks to the awesome tools we had to use from Pumpkin Carvers.
The tools made the pumpkins easier to carve and I could let H use some of them on her own pumpkin without fear she’d cut off a digit. Plus, they are available in lots of stores like Target and Walmart so the tools are always easy to find.
Want to show off your amazing pumpkin carving skills? Enter the Pumpkin Masters Carving Competition by sharing a pic of your carving via Instagram or Twitter with #PumpkinMasters2013, submitting via the Facebook app or sending via email to: social@pumpkinmasters.com to enter for the chance to win one of six prizes, including $5,000 for the Best Pumpkin. The contest runs until October 31st and all the details can be found here.
As a special treat, Pumpkin Masters is giving away a set of their most popular pumpkin carving items to one lucky reader. Simply fill out the rafflecopter for your chance to win!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
I love craving pumpkins but get a kick out of decorating too!
Erin recently posted…The Beatrix Girls Review and Giveaway
Oh decorating is a ton of fun too!
Love the templates! They look great!
Debbie
Debbie recently posted…Better Homes and Gardens Dinnerware
The templates were great! I think they were the main reason my pumpkin didn’t look ridiculous.
Love your pumpkins! Those kits look like they will be really helpful!
Laura @ Inspiration for Moms recently posted…An Honestly Good For You Lunch
THanks! The patterns that come with many of the tools are great too.
I was just thinking “HEY – I totally need to shop for some of these tools!” Your pumpkins turned out cute! Mine – not so much! And lo and behold – a giveaway! Yay! Favorite thing to do on Halloween: Umm…dress up? Go trick or treating with the kids? Decorate our house (inside and out)? Boo our neighbors? I love it all. One of my favorite holidays!
Donna recently posted…Rainbow Barbie Birthday Party {Customer Party}
These tools definitely make carving so much easier. The patterns along were a life saver for me. Good luck in the giveaway 🙂
Carving out the pumpkins with the kids, this year we are doing mini ones each, so excited!
Oh fun to do one each! We have a few mini ones that I think I will let the kids finger paint this year.
We just got our pumpkins.l I’ll have to pick this up!
Lisa recently posted…I’m Heading to LA for the Red Carpet #DisneyFrozenEvent!!!!
Definitely pick up a set of the carving tools. The kid friendly one was really awesome.
Very cute pumpkins! We love the Pumpkin Masters tools…they rock!
KC
KC @ The Real Thing with the Coake Family recently posted…Real Fun Features #34
Thanks! We are definitely big fans of the tools and the helpful drawings that come along with them. The kids love the strobe light too.
We always use these kits! Your creations are fantastic!
Dee recently posted…Got Giveaways? 10/15 Giveaway Linky
This was my first time using the kit but I loved it. The drawings that you can use made it so easy to get a really great face on our pumpkin.
Thanks for the great ideas. We have our pumpkins but we still have to carve them.
Giveaways 4 Mom recently posted…Tell Me About it Tuesday
Hope you have a great time carving your pumpkins! We definitely did 🙂
These came out terrific! I have some of these tools at home and will be using them over the weekend.
Thanks! Definitely get carving 🙂
I stink at carving pumpkins, they never turn out the way I envision them. LOL. Your cat eye pumpkin is really cute. I think I might be able to manage that one.
Virginia @thatbaldchick recently posted…Running in the Dark
Oh, I am typically terrible at carving too. My daughter and her grandfather took on the cat one 🙂 I did the hole punch one {not shown} because it just involved punching holes which I couldn’t mess up.
I LOVE these kits! You’re making me feel like a slacker mom…we haven’t even bought pumpkins yet! yikes!
Haha…you are definitely not a slacker! We have a tradition to get pumpkins with my parents the 2nd weekend of OCtober every year.
we carve pumpkins each year, my girls are teens and they still love it!
Recreate and Decorate recently posted…Spooky family halloween craft
So much fun! I hope to continue for years to come with my kids too.
Wow!!! These turned out great and you made it look so easy!!! So looking forward to doing some pumpkin carving with my kids!! hugs!!! Christy
Thanks! Using the templates really did make it super easy!
I love carving pumpkins and baking Halloween goodies. Your cat pumpkin is great! Love it!
I love all the preparation before Halloween too! Thanks for the kind words.
That cat is so awesome. My daughter wanted to carve a cat this year but we didn’t have a template for it!
The cat was so fun! I loved that they made the little circles for my daughter to color in as a guide for cutting.
I love those kits that have everything in them. We used to make such a day out of carving… now we kind of rush it because we live in a climate where the pumpkins will go bad in a matter of days, so we don’t carve until a day or two before Halloween…
These kits are awesome! They definitely have everything you need to do a great carving.
Pumpkin picking is my favorite fall activity 🙂
Elizabeth@ Food Ramblings recently posted…Breakfast Sandwich {GIVEAWAY}
I love going pumpkin picking too!
Your pumpkins turned out great! We love to carve pumpkins too, but it is a lot of work!
Jennifer B recently posted…Lilla Rose Flexi Clip Giveaway
Thanks! Carving is definitely a lot of work but we love it.
love the vampire dude. he’s cool.
we hvae a strobe for our pumpkin. we’re hoping we have power this year for halloween. haven’t for 3 years running now!
brett recently posted…Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Oh no…no power for 3 years on Halloween?! That is awful.
We have this very same kit, but have not used it yet! Hopefully this weekend we can get to it, and carve up a storm!
Amy Desrosiers recently posted…Dixie Midwest: Santa’s Milk & Cookies Personalized Photo Ornament #HolidayGiftGuide
The kits were awesome, right? Hope yours turned out well.
You made it look SOO simple to carve a pumpkin that looks stunning… I soo have to try this,mine always look bad 🙁
Melanie a/k/a CrazyMom recently posted…Your little one can be comfy and in style with pediped shoes #Review #Giveaway
Haha…carving is definitely anything but simple. It is definitely a struggle.
I like carving pumpkins and getting my girls all dressed up in their costumes.
Malia recently posted…Pier 1 Imports – Tasting Party
Oooh…two super fun things for Halloween.
Carving pumpkins and roasting seeds!
Roasting seeds is definitely one of the benefits of carving a pumpkin!
How adorable.. I just love that cat pumpkin! And.. how cool is that strobe light! I must grab one.. or a bunch for Halloween. Neato!
Dawn Lopez recently posted…Tips for Keeping Your Families Eyes Protected Everyday #WorldSightDay
The strobe lights were super fun! Our kids absolutely loved them.
Love how they turned out! My girls really want to try out the cat one!
The cat one was fairly easy. I love that you could just stick the eyes into the holes versus carving a lot of detail out.
I LOVE those, they turned out great! You make it look so easy too!
Danielle @ We Have It All recently posted…October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month | Have You Met My Baby Jack?
Thanks so much for your sweet compliment.
Yay! Perfect timing, we are headed to the pumpkin patch tomorrow 🙂 Can’t wait to carve pumpkins!
Oh, I hope you had a great time at the pumpkin patch.
What a great way to make the perfect pumpkin!
Katherine Bartlett recently posted…Fall For Dukan Diet: Celeb Nutritionist Simone Gloger Talks Weight Loss Coaching
Thanks! We really liked working with the different kits.
Each Halloween I see pumpkin carving kits and beautifully carved pumpkins. It always makes me wonder what other fruits and vegetables I could carve into something beautiful.
Janeane Davis recently posted…Feel Adventuresome? Back Up Your Technology and Try Something New
Oh, I bet you could carve up any type of gourd or squash.
The eyes are something that are new to me. They add a whole new element to the decorations! I like the ones you made, by the way.
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell recently posted…New Orleans Adventures Day 4 #FollowYourNola
Aren’t those eyes super fun? I love that they put things like that in the kid kit because it makes carving so much easier for them.
My favorite Hallowen Activity is decorating pumpkins and decorating inside n outside the house!
Karen recently posted…Fabletics 50% Off
So fun! I was a little sad we didn’t do as much outdoor decorating as we normally do this year.
Oh those look like so much fun! I definitely need to get a carving set this year to make it easier.
Stephanie @ From the Burbs to the Boonies recently posted…The small kindnesses that give me hope
I was surprised at how easy the carving set made everything. I loved the templates.
I got one and it was great!
Stephanie @ From the Burbs to the Boonies recently posted…What I learned from my spending challenge
Pumpkin seeds are my favorite part about carving a pumpkin! 🙂
Pinning this to my Giveaways board (and of course, are glad you shared this on the Daily Blog Boost, as well.)
Brooke (DesignedByBH) recently posted…How Much? Planning for Alcohol at Your Wedding or Event
Pumpkin seeds are so delicious. Great choice.
Great job Shannah and family! My fave Halloween activity is eating candy!
malia recently posted…Chocolate Dipped Apples
Oooh eating candy is a big perk to the holiday.
The carving kit looks like it is very helpful. You did a great job on your pumpkins.
Jill @ Called To Be A Mom recently posted…Link UP trial
I really loved the templates in the carving kit. It made carving a great design so easy.
How fabulous are these. Love it. Thanks tons for linking to Inspire Me. Hugs, Marty
Marty@A Stroll Thru Life recently posted…Fall In the Breakfast Room
Thanks! We had such a great time carving them as a family.
Love carving pumpkins and toasting the seeds……mmmmm!
Ooh toasted pumpkin seeds are delicious.
Very creative! I love the cat!
Shanna recently posted…Shower Power with the Waterpik Medallion Shower Head (One Commenter will Win a $100 Home Depot Gift Card!)
My daughter loved the cat design too…I think it is the eyes that she likes most.
Love all of the great carving ideas! Great post! Can’t wait to carve up our pumpkins tomorrow.
Moja recently posted…Mom’s Night
Hope you had a great time carving your pumpkins.
Stopping by to let you know I featured you today on my Spooktacular Linky Party Final Features! Thanks so much for joining this years party!
Kim
Kim – Thanks so much for the feature! I just adore your blog.