Since it is so hot in Texas and carved pumpkins tend to rot very quickly if placed outside too soon, my kids and I have started carving craft pumpkins instead. The best place for us to find these craft pumpkins is at Michaels Craft Store. Here are a few supplies that we use in making our pumpkins. If you are also facing a heat issue in October, you may be interested in reading “How To Enjoy Pumpkins In Texas.”
After we’ve picked out our design, we tape it to the pumpkin and begin to trace over it with the rolling tool or “old school rotary cutter.” A plastic rotary cutter will come in your cutting tools, but the metal one from my sewing kit works much better for the craft pumpkins.
After tracing the design with the metal rotary cutter, you can remove your design and clearly see where you need to cut your design on your pumpkin.
Be ready to participate because your kids WILL need your help. Make sure to have some super glue ready to glue back the parts that accidentally get cut that were not meant to be cut out. This happens to us every year, but can be easily fixed!
This year we tried a new cutting kit and I would NOT recommend it. Before our pumpkins were finished, we had already broken one of the cutting knives and at the end of our project, knife #2 broke as well. The best tools we’ve ever used were the ones that came with the pattern book. I plan on hitting the after Halloween sales and picking up some new books and tools this year.
Here are our finished pumpkins. If they are stored inside and away from the outdoor attic heat, they will be perfect for next year. Grandparents love these pumpkins and the kids love seeing new ones in the house each year! We use the battery operated lights as shown in the first picture and they look great at night! You could use these on the front porch but we like to enjoy them in our house throughout the month of October.
Here’s a view of my staircase from our front door. My family LOVES Halloween. What type of Halloween activities do you do in preparation of that big night? Is it a tradition to carve pumpkins at your house?
Love this idea of creating reusable pumpkins. Plus u get a chance to out do last year’s creation. Very special tradition that we might start when our DD is a bit older.
Yes and these pumpkins look great all throughout the house! Since you don’t have to use candles inside them, you can turn on the battery operated lights and leave them going as long as you wish!
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