Pumpkin Carving Master

IT MIGHT BE GOODBYE...

As I write this post, I'm sat up at the pub, with my dog, and a pint of Hobgoblin.

When I first became a pumpkin carver, I had no real plans.

It was 2007. My child at the time was two years old.

Massive pumpkins appeared in Supermarkets in the UK. I'd never noticed them being available before.

I bought one.

I thought I would begin a family tradition.

I remember thinking I'd cut the top off, pour some water out of it (imagine the Bounty advert) and quickly and easily carve a face.

I couldn't believe how messy they are inside!

All that gut and slime and pumpkin seeds.

And the smell!

Yuck!

But I took the kitchen knife and carved a crude face.

Not many people carved them at the time. We got lots of compliments. I honestly believed I was a "Pumpkin Carving Master!"

Once Hallowe'en had passed, I searched for templates, whereupon I found an AC/DC album cover carving.

With three colours!!!

What, What, WHAT???

But, but, but, that's impossible! There's only binary with a pumpkin! You either have light from a cut out, or darkness.

I then discovered pumpkin shading.

My eldest is an adult, my youngest not far off. Our dog didn't like the trick or treaters coming to the door, hence me going for a walk to the pub this year.

And missing out on it all.

I can't quite see how we do it again next year.

Yes, I could carve pumpkins still, but what would be the point if we couldn't display them for everyone?

So, I may be moving into another phase.

Carving for them to be displayed elsewhere. Or maybe I'll make some tuition videos.

Either way, if this is the end, I thank you for all the support, likes, and comments.

I've enjoyed it immensely.

I've made people happy.

I've been accused of photoshopping!

And I made it to the Van Halen News Desk!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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All lit up and ready for this year's Trick or Treaters.

HAPPY HALLOWE'EN!!!

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Can't you see me standing here...
I've got my back against the record machine...

I'm gonna make you scream...
Cuz it's Hallowe'en!

Ow! Might as well Pump!(kin)

You know I can't do Hallowe'en without a Van Halen carving.

I asked for this design back in 2015, and it's taken me eight years to get round to carving it.

Van Halen 1984 / Jump cover.

I love how it turned out, even though I couldn't coax 100% of the design.

(Template by Stoneykins.com, as ever.)



#1984

Nothing to be Koi about, and nothing Fishy going on here...

I'm always Carping on about how I don't do enough cut outs, and maybe this is why...

This was a tough carve!

Difficult to photograph too!

But off they go for a swim in the bath for a soak and clean up.

Oh yes, this is why I do it...

We got a puppy this year, so naturally, a pumpkin carving of the little scamp's likeness had to materialise.

I'm very pleased with how it turned out.

(Template from stoneykins.com, as ever!)

It's that time of year when...

🎃 I remember how much I hate pumpkins...
🎃 I remember I've probably started too late again...
🎃 I remember it's seasonal, and I've had a year of self doubt to creep back in and make me feel like I've forgotten everything...
🎃 I remember I've probably given myself too much to do again...

Why on Earth do I do it?

🎃🤣🎃😂🎃🤣🎃

I'm sure this pumpkin is mooning me!

PUMPKIN CARVING APPRENTICE

I may have some competition.

My son carved a pumpkin at school.

So he has beaten me this year, with regards to "first pumpkin carving of the season"

I soaked it to kill the nasties, and it now takes pride of place on our patio...

And so it begins once again...

I wonder what they're going to become this year...

At this time of year, I have to put aside my (yes, badly hand painted by me Eddie Van Halen striped mug) and start using one more suited to this time of year.

Next time I find myself in a pottery painting place, I shall endeavour to bring masking tape and scissors to produce a nearer striped finish...

Three years...

😢

I swear they appear earlier every year...

Now, I'm no expert, but no way would they last until Hallowe'en if I started carving now!

It is still September isn't it?

I haven't overslept?

YAWN...

Opens eyes..

Stretches...

Checks calendar...

Nah, not yet. Wake me up when you wake that Billie Joe Armstrong dude, as there'll be pumpkins what will be needing carving...

Apparently, I haven't shared a post in 24 days...

What's up with me?

Well, at the moment, I'm trying to ensure that all of the Hallowe'en stuff I own is tidied away, in a place I can find it.

So that when it comes around to carving again, I can find it all easily.

That might sound obvious, but, everything was put away on Hallowe'en quickly, as it was pouring with rain.

Then a young trick or treater turned up, so I lit my pumpkins once again for him to enjoy.

Then they all went away again.

I'm not the tidiest of people, and so I have a garage that nearly has a place for everything, but not everything is in it's own place.

But I'm working towards it.

Then, I'm looking at the two artificial pumpkins I own, and realising I'm going to have to take the Dremel to them and learn the new technique to carve them.

It will have to be Eddie that I attempt.

Then, if I get it right, it will be another Van Halen one I've never done before.

I'll keep you posted on progress...

What does a Pumpkin Carver do when October is over and there's no whacking great pumpkins to carve?

Why, he grabs a melon and carves that instead!

This one was a personal gift for some friends of ours.

Melons are a bit fiddly because I usually carve larger pumpkins which means each cutout is larger.

As melons are a bit smaller, it meant the design and the cut outs are that much smaller as well.

Still turned out great though...

I think I'll be putting the tools away, it being Christmas and all.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

That's it.

That's this season officially finished for me.

Bye bye Eddie, Harry, Slimer, David, Squid, Chucky, and Tim...

The worst thing about Hallowe'en being over is the realisation that this little # # # # # # # is going to be back soon...

I just wanted to say: "Thank You"

• For those that came out tonight in the rain.
• For the many likes and comments I received as I was creating this season's carves and posting photographs
• For my family, for having to put up with the smell of pumpkin guts and having to share a bathroom with pumpkins in a bid to keep them soaked long enough to last until the big day.

I felt as though I'd really upped my game this season. I'd improved on my technique so that I was able to produce a higher quality of carve, and I'd also stopped procrastinating and just got on with it.

It might be the last time I produce carves for the trick or treaters because it's a bit difficult with our family dynamic and the road we live in to actually display them and answer the door to everyone.

Which kind of defeats the object of carving them in the first place.

I was always wanting to move into foam pumpkins, to take the pressure off of it being focused into this crazy one week period of intense carving.

But I will have to have a bit of a think as to how I'd display them for people if we are not to have them outside of our house on Hallowe'en.

I'm going to look into putting some videos together of how I carved this season, as there were a few people who have always wanted to see how I go about doing it.

But anyway, I just wanted to say "Thank You".

I really enjoyed the carves I produced this season.

Especially managing to get the "Eddie Van Halen" one right at last.

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I think we're ready for everyone...

HAPPY HALLOWE'EN EVERYONE!!!

Hope the weather doesn't put people off!

It's here at last!!!

Happy Hallowe'en everybody!!!

Belle, from Beauty And The Beast.

A carve for a lucky competition winner.

Probably one of my most important carves.

An Inkling Squid from the Splatoon game.

I had put together a rough idea of how I thought the design could work as a pumpkin but it was very rough and crude.

My eldest then tidied the template up so it resembled the character more accurately on an iPad.

A real family effort.

I'm glad it resulted in no parts falling out that weren't supposed to because I'd somehow got the design wrong.

I ain't afraid of no ghost!

Who ya gonna call?

(Template by ZombiePumpkins.com)

David Tennant back as Doctor Who?

WHAT?

(Tenth Doctor template by ZombiePumpkins.com).

I added the letter stencilling.

Three pumpkins in one here.

Is it

• Chucky?
• The UK's shortest serving prime minister?
• Jack Black?

Either way...

"...Wanna Play?"

Mwahahahahaha!!!

(Template by ZombiePumpkins.com)

300 Likes / Follows...

Yippee!!!

And you may snigger, and you may ask me...

"Harry Styles? What are you carving him for?"

To which I pose the question:

"Who loves Harry Styles?"

a) My wife
b) Yummy Mummies

And I ask you, who loves Yummy Mummies?

We all do, yeah?

So, come Hallowe'en, Yummy Mummies will be regularly knocking on my door, and my wife will be OK about it.

So, the question then becomes...

"Why aren't you all carving Harry Styles pumpkins?"

He's off for a bath now with Trucker Tim, and maybe even Eddie Van Halen will get in on the act as well.

(Template by Stoneykins.com)

I just realised I've been doing this for fifteen years now...

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I told you I got the guitar wrong the first time.

I told you I wasn't happy with it the first time.

I told you I'd do Eddie properly.

Consider this a very happy Pumpkin Carver.

He's taking a bath now, but he can't wait to see you all for photos when he's been scrubbed up...

If there was ever someone who was going to find themself in a field full of pumpkins...

Well, it was going to be me, wasn't it?

🎃🎃🎃

Taking the kids for a ride.

Buckle up, pumpkins!!!

Contact has now been made with the lucky winner...

Thanks for the help!

Ohmygodohmygodohmygod!!!

Hmmm...

Is it just me, or is the best month of the year just around the corner???

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