Happy Halloween!

Every Halloween we carve a few real pumpkins to set on our doorstep. I illuminate them with electric lights so we don't have to worry about candles and the kids love them.

Oh, and I LOVE toasting the pumpkin seeds too.

But for the past few years, I've also done foam ones so we can keep them to reuse year to year. Hey, if I am going to spend hours on these suckers, I want to keep them longer than 1 day.

From 2006: I did this Jack Sparrow pumpkin from my own design. I'm posting it especially for Jay 'cause she's a Johnny Depp freak er, FAN like me (okay even MORE than me, if that's possible):

Jack Sparrow Pumpkin
Okay, maybe it's for moi as well....

Last year I did another Jack.

Jack Skellington, that is. This one I am posting for my niece, Ashley... cause we are both Nightmare Before Christmas lovers:

Jack Skellington PumpkinNow if youll excuse me, I have to figure out what the hell I am going to do this year. I have no idea yet.

Good thing I took tomorrow off as a vacation day...

25 People would rather be commenting:

Tara R. said...

Those are so very cool! Excellent artwork. I love the spider too.

Anonymous said...

Whoa ! You've got some talent there !

I don't do Halloween but this year I'm making an exception. Too bad you are missing it all on Twitter (and the Junk Drawer)

Love your header and that spider !

Babs (Beetle) said...

You're kidding right? You carved these? They are absolutely beautiful!

Carol said...

Get. Out.

Those are amazing! And there are foam pumpkins for real?

So, hubby was all proud of the ones he did. You know . . . triangle eyes and snaggle-toothed grins. No way am I showing these to him.

Irene said...

I can't believe you made those, Maureen. You could be a real life artist! You're good, woman!

Love the creepy spider coming down. I tried to lure him over, but he wouldn't come.

DJ Kirkby said...

I like 'The Nightmare before Christmas' too! Bit confused by the concept of how you are using the styrofoam, what you just cut a huge hole out of the pumpkin and slot in the styro? Like the idea of using electric lights though. Sorry I've been away, life has been sooo hectic!

Gattina said...

How wonderful ! all these Halloween things are new to me. In Belgium it's not very much celebrated and I learn a lot about Halloween now on blogs.

Babs (Beetle) said...

Just popped back to show Mo your beautiful carvings! I'm in awe and want to have a go. Nothing like that in the UK I don't think.

Technodoll said...

I can hardly draw a stick figure, much less product foam pumpkin art like this! Wow you gotz the talent m'dear :-)

AshPup said...

Yay! Today is the only day of the year that I can play the entire NBX soundtrack in lab and my labmates are required by halloweeny law to endure it! I guess it doesn't help that I also know every word so they are more listening to "Ashley performs the NBX soundtrack loudly and dramatically over the original cast recording". I even treat them to some dancing if they are lucky!
Ok, well I am sooo excited about my costume tonight, on the theme of the Depp-man let's just say I spent my last weekend cutting out and painting 30 foam scissors!
I really can't wait to see this years pumpkin, but feel free to repost your masterpieces as often as you can (they are so awesome).
Happy Halloween!

Anonymous said...

WOW, that Jack Sparrow is so GOOD!!! I'm very impressed - and jealous! I wanna Jack Sparrow!!! And you drew the design yourself? Very impressive!

Thanks for posting it for me! i'm touched.

JD at I Do Things said...

Those are incredible!

I'm lucky if I can make 3 holes without severing an artery. Tho I haven't carved a pumpkin in years.

Happy Halloween!

JD at I Do Things

Maureen said...

Tara: Thank you! Yeah, I was happy to find the spider and got him to crawl up and down the mouse...

Jaffer: Aw, thanks. After a full day of carving, decorating, and preparing for tonight, it is 5 pm and I am finally ready for those trick or treaters.

Thank you Babs... yeah, who says Halloween is for kids? I love doing those pumpkins.

Carol: Yes, you can get foam pumpkins at Michael's... each year I pick up a few AFTER Halloween real cheap so I can carve them the next year.

Har Irene! Yes, poor spider is a bit shy... until he goes "Boo!" Thanks for the compliment!

Hey DJ! Those pumpkins are hollow foam craft ones; they come in a variety of sizes and colors. I just just traditional carving tools, as well as my Dremel to carve them. Then I illuminate them with night lights on an extension cord... no candles in those or you'd have a fire for sure!

Gattina! Thanks for popping by... yes, I guess Halloween is a North American tradition; although I think it is gradually catching on over there too.

Aw, thanks again Babs! Yes, I hope you find these pumpkins over there; you can carve them well before Halloween... and now that I've been doing it for a few years, we have quite a collection!

Technodoll... thank you, you are too kind. I do love most art forms; so Halloween is a fun time to create a bit.

Ashley! Heather got me the NBX DVD for my birthday, so guess what we are going to watch real soon? :D
Are you going to be Edward Scissorhands or Sweeney Todd??? I want to watch ST after NBX tonight. You MUST take photos... I would love to see them!! Happy Halloween to you too... I'll be thinking of you when I am singing along to Nightmare....

Aw, Jay, you are very welcome. I hoped you would like it!

JD: Ha ha! "JD severs an artery, so I don't have to!" Happy Halloween!!!

Anonymous said...

WAY AWESOME PUMPKIN You have a great blog. i found you some how when i was looking for things on our sons birth defect esophageal atresia. I iwish you all the best.

Anonymous said...

Bravo!

happy halloween!

oh, and thanks for clicking over to my friend's blog and taking the time to comment on her Boston photos!

Swubird said...

Maureen:

There seems to be no end to your creative talents. Really a great job on the pumpkin designs. I hope you had a fun Halloween and didn't get frightened by any ghosts you may have seen.

Happy trails.

JoJo said...

Outstanding!!!! I've seen them at Michaels and was going to get some. I have those kits with the patterns & cutting tools.

I did buy pumpkins for roasting seeds and they came out yummy!

Ann(ie) said...

shaddup! You did those???? Those rule my friend.

Janet said...

They are amazing! My pumpkins have triangle eyes, so I quite appreciate your skills! Wow!

Jeff and Charli Lee said...

I think I missed something here. Can you please reset your header so I can see it? Thank you very much ;-)

Maureen said...

Kayla: Well, thank you and welcome!

Thanks PG... and thanks for posting that site too; she has some amazing photographs!

Swubird: Aw, you're too kind.. thanks. Halloween was uneventful, ghost-wise (thank goodness!)

Lady Banana: Thank you! I start with a drawing, transfer it by poking holes along the lines, remove the drawing, then carve it out using traditional carving tools and my portable Dremel. It is fun when it turns out!

JoJo: I LOVE roasted pumpkin seeds too... we had a lot this year from two pumpkins; I use sea salt and they are just addictive to nosh on.

Aw, Ann(ie), you're making me blush! THANKS!

Janet: Thank you! You know, one year I am going to do one of our cat's portraits, I think...

Jeff: Aw, you missed it by just a few hours. I changed it back this morning. I had some pumpkins on the header and a little spider crawling up and down the mouse cord saying "Boo!" when he reached the mouse... I'll probably use it again next year.

Jo Beaufoix said...

Wow those are brilliant. You are so talented. Hope you had a brilliant time.

Karen MEG said...

OMG, those are amazing!!! You are an excellent artist (and honestly, on a pumpkin? Cool!)

Unknown said...

Glad to see someone has some carving talent!

Maureen said...

Thanks Jo and KarenMeg, sorry I missed your comments earlier!

Thank you I Am Vegetable!

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