My Little People absolutely LOVE celebrating Halloween, and every year it amazes me just how excited they get for it. Little Lady planned her entire outfit and make up weeks before (she was a skeleton), where as Little B decided against dressing up this year and just opted for a face full of makeup instead (think slightly moldy looking zombie). Our little community of terraced houses is full of families, so Halloween Night becomes one big decorative, dress-up, sugar-filled party time. For three hours we open the door to dozens and dozens of visiting children, and we give away 1.5kg of chocolate. We also spend about half an hour going door to door ourselves, armed with an essential plastic bucket for collecting a substantial haul of sweet stuff.
Truthfully, I could do without the sweet/chocolate gathering part of Halloween, but oh I do so enjoy the decorative bits! And by decorative bits, I mainly mean pumpkins of course.
Last year, pumpkins seemed to be scarce and expensive in the local shops, but this year it was the opposite and they were plentiful and cheap. I picked up a large carving pumpkin for 79 pence from the supermarket, then decided that at that price I may as well do two and went back for a second one.
I also relented and bought some slightly smaller ones for the Little People to have a go with, after they protested it wasn't fair that I got to do all the carving without them. I really can't deny this, it's completely true and I am totally selfish with my pumpkin carving and do it when the Little People are at school. I love it so much, and I refuse to share. Buying in additional pumpkins seemed to be the right kind of compromise I thought.
On the Sunday afternoon (Halloween fell on a Monday this year), we were out in the back yard carving up a storm. Little Lady wanted to do hers entirely by herself, although she did allow me to give her the benefit of my pumpkin carving experience and accepted some help transferring the designs. Hers are the two on the right in the above photo.
Little B cannot stand the feel of pumpkin innards on his hands and so refused to do any of the scooping out, despite me trying to engage him with it. But he was absolutely hopping with excitement at the prospect of being allowed to do some carving, especially when I said he could use my special lino cutting tool. I have a very simple tool which is great for carving shallow lines and making small holes (it's this one on Amazon UK) and he did exceptionally well with it, carefully carving out the lines to make the spider web on his Spiderman pumpkin.
On the Monday when I had the house to myself, I set to work on my own pumpkin creations - this year I went for a "Day of the Dead" theme as I love the intricate designs. The pumpkin on the left is mainly carved with the lino tool so that it's only the eyes which are actually cut out. The design on the right however was very much harder as all of it is cut out, and it was really fiddly to do with just a small kitchen knife and my simple lino tool. Those teeth - a complete nightmare challenge I tell you.
I love how it turned out though, it looked so much better once it got dark and it was all lit up with candles.
The effect of the carved design was magical once it was lit from inside - The Little People were suitably impressed with my carving skillz and yes, I did feel rather proud of my efforts this year.
We have nine stone steps leading up to out front door, perfect for parading our six pumpkins for the visiting hoards of witches/zombies/skeletons/bats/vampires/monsters.
We received a tremendous number of compliments on our pumpkin display, which is very gratifying. Of course, it's all for the children....nothing much in it for me.......
xx
Very clever - your son has inherited your artistic gifts!
Posted by: Holly | November 16, 2016 at 01:35 AM
Excellent! Lino cutting tool! Aaaaah! I'm definitely investing in a couple of those for next year!
Posted by: Clare | November 14, 2016 at 12:10 AM
Sorry, wonderful !
Posted by: L'Empreinte de l'Ange | November 13, 2016 at 07:57 PM
Wonderfull !
Posted by: L'Empreinte de l'Ange | November 13, 2016 at 07:56 PM
Compliments really creative pumpkins!!!
Posted by: gabriella adano | November 12, 2016 at 09:38 PM
love those designs. have you thought of free machine quilting? they would make good designs,
Posted by: Brenda Cupryna | November 12, 2016 at 04:20 PM
Wow, your pumpkins are gorgeous! I can see why you received so many compliments, it's an impressive display.
Posted by: Rachel | November 12, 2016 at 03:50 PM
It's so satisfying isn't it when the night draws in and the candles go on to see the carvings at their best. We have been dressing up the outside of our house for the last 14 years and it caught on in our village. We now have other villages dropping off their children because they know they are in an area where we are happy to participate. I think it is the most community orientated event of the year now. Gorgeous carvings!
Posted by: Chel @ Sweetbriar Dreams | November 12, 2016 at 02:00 PM
Cool! Looks like that was a lot of fun!
Posted by: Robin W. | November 12, 2016 at 12:58 AM
Simply fabulous, Lucy! All of yours are great! I think it's neat you enjoy that fun part of the holiday. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
Posted by: Teresa Kasner | November 11, 2016 at 10:37 PM
Well done to the Attic24 team - very impressive stuff - I wonder where the talent comes from?!
When my children were young we used to carve a swede (no pumpkins available then)- with a great deal of difficulty - and play duck apple! I can remember my mother relating the story of singing around the village on All Souls' Eve for charity when she was young. 'Souling night has come at last and we are souling here. All that we are souling for is apples and good cheer. Soul, soul sole (sp?)in my shoe, if you've no apples, pears will do if you've no pears then God bless you.' Not exactly trick or treat but happy days.
Posted by: sew | November 11, 2016 at 08:23 PM
I love Little B's pumpkin best! Your family is so very creative.
I am 50 yrs old & I have never carved a pumpkin but in the past few yrs I've noticed it's become such a beautiful art. I may need to learn something new!
Posted by: Jenny Young | November 11, 2016 at 05:43 PM
Lucy - you keep on surprising us with all your talents! England is lucky to have you! And - I guess us we in other countries, too - halleluja for the internet!
Posted by: Annette in Burlington, ON, Canada | November 11, 2016 at 04:52 PM
Your pumpkin carvings look amazing, the best display I have seen! Sarah x
Posted by: Sarah | November 11, 2016 at 03:59 PM
Brilliant carving Lucy. Love them all and well done Little Lady.
Posted by: Carol | November 11, 2016 at 07:46 AM
Your pumpkins were awesome!!!
xo Kris
Posted by: Kris | November 11, 2016 at 12:49 AM
Fabulous pumpkins! They must have looked amazing leading up the steps to your front door. Brilliant! 🎃😊❤ 💕
Posted by: Eleonora from Coastal Crochet | November 10, 2016 at 11:25 PM
Great pumpkin carving by all. I have NO talent for this but love to see the kids dressed up in their special costumes.
Posted by: Charlotte. | November 10, 2016 at 11:23 PM
Wow Lucy, they're phenomenal, clever you. You are very talented at all the artsy crafty stuff I think. I had no idea they would light up even if they weren't cut all the way through, they've worked brilliantly. I shall refer back to this post next October. My attempt this year was utterly appalling, I am ashamed! Have you ever made your own stamps with the lino-cutting thing? I have an inkling you would be fab at it. CJ xx
Posted by: CJ | November 10, 2016 at 09:53 PM
Those pumpkins look amazing!!!! In the US a lot of the kids use pillow cases to collect their candy on trick-or-treat night because the plastic pumpkins don't hold nearly as much.
Posted by: Maggie, Ohio, USA | November 10, 2016 at 09:24 PM
Oh goodness , your pumpkin pics are amazing . You have a lot of patience ! You put me to shame !!! My little grandson grew one in our garden this year, so I felt like we HAD to carve it AND eat it too . I managed a mediocre effort of a moon and two bats!! ( and used fake tealights ) ha ! oh, and made some soup of course . I keep feeling it deserved more :/ I certainly couldn't have coped with six !!! Are you still eating soup ??.. or muffins?... or pie ...........??
Posted by: Ali Dufty | November 10, 2016 at 09:13 PM
They look great. We are lucky enough to get pumpkin all year round in Oz, though we just use them for eating. Take care.
Posted by: Susan | November 10, 2016 at 08:52 PM
Love'em all! They sell pumpkin carving tools here in the States and they do a fairly good job of it. I will try my lino tool next year. My girls prefer cleaning the 'guts' out as to carving it.lol
Posted by: Angela-Southern USA | November 10, 2016 at 08:33 PM
I carved bats on my pumpkin this year as we have them living in our roof. I put a tea light in it and put it on the picnic bench outside and realized that I had managed to get a reflection of a bat on the house. As the flame flickered it looked as if the bat was moving - we live in the middle of nowhere so I don't think I terrified too many passing motorists.
Posted by: cazj | November 10, 2016 at 07:36 PM
Wow, just wow. I just eat them.
Posted by: tinke | November 10, 2016 at 07:35 PM